Telly Savalas
Biography
Telly Savalas was an American actor who became known for his bald head and deep voice. Born in Garden City, New York, he first entered acting after being asked to recommend someone with a European accent and was cast himself in a 1958 Armstrong Circle Theatre episode. His early films included The Young Savages (1961) and Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), the latter bringing him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. He appeared in The Dirty Dozen (1967), Kelly's Heroes (1970), and Horror Express (1972). His best-known role was Lt. Theo Kojak in the crime series Kojak, which aired from 1973 to 1978 and won him an Emmy and two Golden Globes. He also had a UK number-one single with a cover of Bread's If in 1975. He died in 1994.
72years old at death
- Born Garden City
- Died Universal City
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
- Aristotelis Savalas (birth name)Also credited as Aristotélis Saválas
Movie Career
- Films
- 32
- Career span
- 34 years1961 to 1995
Genres
First and latest
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First role
Savalas did not plan on acting until a friend asked him to recommend someone who could do a European accent. The friend could not go, so Savalas went in his place and was cast in a January 1958 episode of Armstrong Circle Theatre.
Getting ready for a role
For his role as Pontius Pilate in The Greatest Story Ever Told, released in 1965, Savalas shaved his head, and he stayed bald for the rest of his life.
A role that slipped away
Savalas was in the all-star cast of The Dirty Dozen in 1967. He played Archer Maggott, the worst of the dozen, a part Jack Palance turned down.
Behind the camera
Savalas took on writing, directing and starring duties for Beyond Reason, a 1977 independent thriller. It skipped cinemas entirely and only became available on home media in 1985.
Beyond film
Savalas had a chart success as a singer: his spoken word version of Bread's "If", produced by Snuff Garrett, hit number one in the UK and Ireland in March 1975.
Telly Savalas movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
J. Lee Thompson directed two of these films, John Frankenheimer two and Eugenio Martín two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Shelley Winters's page
Paul Picerni's page
Charles Bronson's page
Ernest Borgnine's page
Burt Lancaster's page
Elliott Gould's page
All films by J. Lee Thompson
All films by John Frankenheimer
All films by Eugenio Martín
Box office
What Telly Savalas's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$394 million
9 of the 32 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 32 films: 9 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas; 19 figure not found.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 3Never in cinemas
- 19Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$103M26.1% of the total
- 2$82M20.8% of the total
- 3$76M19.4% of the total
- 4$56M14.3% of the total
- 5$45M11.5% of the total
- 6$12M3.0% of the total
- 7$11M2.8% of the total
- 8$5.2M1.3% of the total
$3.1 millionfrom the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 1% of the total
Awards
Five awards and honors from 1974 to 1976, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1976 | Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Kojak | Won |
| 1975 | Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Kojak | Won |
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1974 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Kojak | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Ellis Island Medal of Honor | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.