- Born
- Died
- Birth nameAristotle Tsavalas
- Nickname
- Golden Greek
- Height1.83 m
- Of Greek descent on both sides, the son of immigrants, Savalas was a soldier during World War II, although most of his enlistment records were destroyed in a fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1973. He later studied psychology at Columbia University under the GI Bill.
Iconically bald, he often played character roles, sometimes as sadists or psychotics. He became famous in the 1970s when his role as Det. Theo Kojak in the TV movie Affaire Marcus Nelson (1973) was expanded into the gritty Kojak (1973) TV series (1973-78).- IMDb mini biography by: Ray Hamel
- SpousesJulie Savalas(December 22, 1984 - January 22, 1994) (his death, 2 children)Marilyn Gardner(July 21, 1960 - October 19, 1974) (divorced, 2 children)Katherine Savalas(May 23, 1948 - 1957) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenPenelope SavalasChristian Leandros Savalas
- ParentsNicholas "Nick" Savalas
- RelativesGeorge Savalas(Sibling)Theodore "Teddy" Savalas(Sibling)Katherine Savalas Karos(Sibling)Gus Savalas(Sibling)
- The catchphrase, "Who loves ya, baby?"
- Played tough or dangerous characters.
- Unabashedly bald; never wore a toupee.
- Frequently appeared in movies with Burt Lancaster.
- His deep, resonant, gravelly voice.
- When he worked as a lifeguard, he failed to save a man from drowning, and was troubled by the memory forever after.
- Reason why he sucked on a lollipop during Kojak (1973): following Peter Cavnoudias's suggestion while filming Lisa et le Diable (1973) to help him to quit smoking.
- He was also a strong contributor to his Greek Orthodox roots through the Saint Sophia and Saint Nicholas cathedrals in Los Angeles, and was the sponsor of bringing electricity in the '70s to his ancestral home, Yeraka, Greece.
- Resided at the Sheraton-Universal Sheraton Hotel in Universal City, California, from 1973 until his death in 1994, becoming such a fixture at the hotel bar that it was renamed Telly's.
- 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.
- 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 Affaire Marcus Nelson (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.
- Terreur dans le Shanghaï-Express (1975) - $22,000
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