Telly Savalas's biography

Aristotelis Savalas is 72 years old actor born at Garden City, Long Island, New York, USA. Telly was born on Saturday 21st of January 1922. He is often nicknamed as Golden Greek, Telly Savalas. According to year of birth 1922 he belongs to Greatest Generation. Birthday on 21st of January means he is Aquarius. Aquarius is an Airy sign. They are smart thinkers, social, communicative, independent and intelligent people.

Telly is native english speaker. Telly is white american. Telly is citizen of United States of America. He is greek orthodox. Telly´s primary profession is to be actor. You can know Telly also as singer, poker player, director. He is recently known as radio personality.

Telly Savalas's family

Telly has 1 daughter.

Telly Savalas's daughter: Ariana Savalas

Telly Savalas's daughter's name is Ariana Savalas. She is known as actor. His daughter was born on Friday 9th of January 1987 in Los Angeles.

Telly Savalas's schools

We found 3 schools He attended. Complete list of schools: Columbia University, Columbia University School of General Studies, Sewanhaka High School.

Detailed informations about his schools

Graduated from Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, New York, in 1940.

Telly Savalas's career

Telly´s main focus is to be actor. Telly is famous thanks to his starring role as Lt. Theodopolus "Theo" Kojak in the 1970s crime drama television series Kojak. You could see Telly also in Kojak.

Is Telly Savalas gay ?

Telly is known to be straight.

How did Telly Savalas die

He died on on Saturday 22nd of January 1994 when he was 72 years old. Telly Savalass death was caused by metastatic bladder cancer and renal failure. It happend like natural causes.

Awards and competitions

Telly Savalas's Awards

He received award for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for work Kojak in 1974
He received award for Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama for work Kojak in 1975
Telly received award for Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama for work Kojak in 1976

Telly Savalas's Nominations

Telly was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for work Birdman of Alcatraz in 1962

What Telly Savalas has done for a first time

He didn't appear in his first film until he was 37.
Was the first choice for the role of Harry Orwell in the TV series Harry O (1973). He declined due to filming commitments in Europe. David Janssen was eventually cast in the role.
He wasn't the first choice to audition for Kojak (1973), when Marlon Brando had been offered the role.
At first, Telly was an executive director and then senior director of the news special events at ABC, Savalas then became an executive producer for the "Gillette Cavalcade of Sports," where he gave Howard Cosell his first job.
He was the first American actor to play the villain in a James Bond film.

Telly Savalas's quotes

We're all born bald, baby.
Who loves ya, baby?
[on Clint Eastwood] Off screen Clint is articulate and intelligent, not quiet or laconic like the cowboys and GIs he plays in films.
[When he was battling prostate cancer]: The challenge is to live long enough to raise my children.
[on being offered the role of Kojak (1973)]: I'll do The Marcus-Nelson Murders (1973), but I don't want to do a series. How can I do the one role? I mean, I have to verify my life. My life is a variety, I can't be stuck with one character. It won't sell.
Even with the crazies I've played I've tried to give some dimension to their insanity.
I was born with a romantic nature and I'll carry it to my grave.
I don't play that far away from myself because then I think people would say I was acting.
[In 1974]: Kojak is the kind of guy who couldn't arrest a hooker, he'd send her home. He operates on instinct and decency, but if you give him any lip he'll throw you out a window.
[In 1987]: I made 60 movies before 'Kojak' with some of the biggest names in the business, and people would still say, 'There goes what's-his-name.'
[In 1973]: The second show I did on TV, I was the lead. I made $900 and I was having fun saying some other guy's words. This is a dangerous profession for the ego.
[Of his late father, Nick Savalas]: One day he was a millionaire. The next day, with the Depression, not a penny in his pocket. He packs his five kids in the back of a van and goes to New York and begins selling cakes. That's what I call a Greek.
[In 1989]: Now, I let someone else do all the running.
I'm a romantic realist. I knew I would become a star, just as I know some day the bubble will burst.
[When he became a popular nightclub singer]: I had the No. 1 record in England, knocking Mick Jagger off the top of the pops. I to close the generation gap.
Proof that diamonds are a girl's best friend, would be displayed only in the most select museums in the world.
[After he graduated from college who then became disenchanted]: This bastard! This gangster Freud! It's all crap-just a language for unemployed actors to amuse themselves with!
[When reflected the times he had with his father]: Our happiest times were at the bottom of the ladder. One day he dragged us out of private schools, and the next day we started peddling cakes out of the back of a truck.
[When he was visiting in New York City]: I'm hoping that you're not caught in the layoffs.
[In 1975]: Kojak is no supercop. I'm just a neighborhood kid.
[In 1977]: It will be a sad day when I begin thinking of all this as work. I enjoy every minute of it.
On 'Kojak,' I improvise a lot of the dialogue. And I've directed five episodes of the series so I've had some experience at it...The talent was given me at an early age. What the hell, I've been directing things since I was a year old.
[on being a spelling winner]: I'm thrilled that's what I called 'the greatest frustration of my life,' will finally be righted.
[In 1981]: It was in 1959 I got my first role. I was to play the Greek judge who decides to give a Greek boy to a visiting American journalist. It was a small role and paid only $200, but I haven't stopped since.
[In 1976]: I'm just a kid from New York who looks like everybody else.
[When he was relaxing, shooting exteriors along with some interior scenes for next season's Kojak (1973)]: Everybody's always telling me they have an Uncle Harry who looks just like me. That's 90% of my appeal.

Telly Savalas's height, weight, body shape, eye color

Lets describe how Telly Savalas looks. We will focus on his height, weight, body shape, eye color and hair color. He is tall as 6' 0" (183 cm). Telly weights 198lbs (90 kg). Body build is average. His eyes are tinted brown - dark. His hair is shade of bald.

Telly Savalas