Telly Savalas
Acting • Born 1922-01-21 – Died 1994-01-22
Biography
Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was an American film and television actor and singer whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). His other movie credits include The Young Savages (1961), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Battle of the Bulge (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Scalphunters (1968), supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971), Inside Out (1975) and Escape to Athena (1979).
Filmography
159 credits
Birdman of Alcatraz
Movie • 1962
Feto Gomez
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Movie • 1969
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
The Dirty Dozen
Movie • 1967
Archer Maggott
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Movie • 1965
Pontius Pilate
Mad Dog Coll
Movie • 1961
Lt. Dawson
Genghis Khan
Movie • 1965
Shan
Lisa and the Devil
Movie • 1973
Leandro
The New Interns
Movie • 1964
Dr. Dominic Riccio
Cape Fear
Movie • 1962
Private Detective Charles Sievers
Land Raiders
Movie • 1969
Vince Carden
Kelly's Heroes
Movie • 1970
Master Sergeant "Big Joe"
The Karate Killers
Movie • 1967
Count De Fanzini
Capricorn One
Movie • 1977
Albain
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure
Movie • 1979
Captain Stefan Svevo
Cannonball Run II
Movie • 1984
Hymie
Violent City
Movie • 1970
Al Weber
The Scalphunters
Movie • 1968
Jim Howie
Horror Express
Movie • 1972
Captain Kazan
Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell
Movie • 1968
Walter Braddock
Battle of the Bulge
Movie • 1965
Sgt. Guffy
Faceless
Movie • 1988
Terry Hallen
Escape to Athena
Movie • 1979
Zeno
The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission
Movie • 1987
Maj. Wright
The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission
Movie • 1988
Maj. Wright
A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die
Movie • 1972
Major Ward
A Town Called Bastard
Movie • 1971
Don Carlos
Mackenna's Gold
Movie • 1969
Sergeant Tibbs
The Slender Thread
Movie • 1965
Dr. Joe Coburn
Pretty Maids All in a Row
Movie • 1971
Captain Sam Surcher
The Assassination Bureau
Movie • 1969
Lord Bostwick
Redneck
Movie • 1973
Memphis
Killer Force
Movie • 1976
Webb
Pancho Villa
Movie • 1972
Pancho Villa
Johnny Cool
Movie • 1963
Vincenzo 'Vince' Santangelo
The Young Savages
Movie • 1961
Detective Lt. Gunderson
Inside Out
Movie • 1975
Harry Morgan
Crime Boss
Movie • 1972
Don Vincenzo
The Killer Is on the Phone
Movie • 1972
Ranko Drasovic
Fanfare for a Death Scene
Movie • 1964
Ilchidai Khan
The Border
Movie • 1980
Frank Cooper
Sonny and Jed
Movie • 1972
Sheriff Franciscus
Love is a Ball
Movie • 1963
Dr. Christian Gump
Backfire!
Movie • 1995
Most Evil Man (Not Really)
Perfect Crimes
Movie • 1991
Self - Narrator
The Man from the Diners' Club
Movie • 1963
Foots Pulardos
Sol Madrid
Movie • 1968
Emil Dietrich
Mongo's Back in Town
Movie • 1971
Lieutenant Pete Tolstad
Beyond Reason
Movie • 1982
Dr. Nicholas Mati
Beau Geste
Movie • 1966
Sgt. Maj. Dagineau
The Interns
Movie • 1962
Dr. Dominic Riccio
Return to the Titanic... Live!
Movie • 1987
Host
She Cried Murder
Movie • 1973
Inspector Joe Brody
Fake-Out
Movie • 1982
Lt. Thurston
The House of Exorcism
Movie • 1975
Leandro (archive footage)
The Cartier Affair
Movie • 1984
Phil Drexler
Remote Control Magic: The Movie
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
The Hollywood Detective
Movie • 1989
Harry Bell
The Muppet Movie
Movie • 1979
El Sleazo Tough
Operation Dirty Dozen
Movie • 2006
Self
Crooks and Coronets
Movie • 1969
Herbie Haseler
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
Movie • 1980
Cretzer
Telly Savalas Looks at Aberdeen
Movie • 1981
Narrator
Telly Savalas Looks at Birmingham
Movie • 1981
Narrator
Kojak: The Price of Justice
Movie • 1987
Inspector Theo Kojak
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Telly Savalas Looks at Portsmouth
Movie • 1981
Narrator
Silent Rebellion
Movie • 1982
Pete
Clay Pigeon
Movie • 1971
Redford
Mind Twister
Movie • 1994
Richard Howland
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
Movie • 2010
Self (archive footage)
Visions...
Movie • 1972
Lt. Phil Keegan
Kojak : Error Fatal
Movie • 1989
Lieutenant Theo Kojak
Kojak: Flowers For Matty
Movie • 1990
Inspector Theo Kojak
Kojak The Belarus File
Movie • 1985
Lieutenant Theo Kojak
Kojak: Ariana
Movie • 1989
Lieutenant Theo Kojak
Kojak: None So Blind
Movie • 1990
Inspector Theo Kojak
The Marcus-Nelson Murders
Movie • 1973
Lt. Theo Kojak
Hellinger's Law
Movie • 1981
Nick Hellinger
Joys
Movie • 1976
Self
The Equalizer - The Movie: Blood & Wine
Movie • 1987
Brother Joseph Heiden
The Sin of Jesus
Movie • 1961
Felix
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Movie • 1965
Macmuid (uncredited)
The Flintstones' 25th Anniversary Celebration
Movie • 1986
GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords
Movie • 1986
Magmar (voice)
Rose Against the Odds
Movie • 1991
George Parnassus
Kojak: It's Always Something
Movie • 1990
Inspector Theo Kojak
Telly... Who Loves Ya, Baby?
Movie • 1976
Self
Afghanistan For What?
Movie • 1984
Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained
Movie • 2021
Self - Actor (archive footage)
Black Aphrodite
Movie • 1977
The Boss (as Aristides T. Savallas)
Alice
TV • 1976
Garrison's Gorillas
TV • 1967
Burke's Law
TV • 1963
Fakir George O'Shea
Cain's Hundred
TV • 1961
Frank Meehan
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
TV • 1971
Kraft Suspense Theatre
TV • 1963
Beret
The F.B.I.
TV • 1965
Ed Clementi
Tales of the Unexpected
TV • 1979
Joe Brisson
Okay
TV • 1979
Self
Naked City
TV • 1958
Gabriel Hody
Kojak
TV • 1973
Theo Kojak
Arrest and Trial
TV • 1963
Frank Santo
The Equalizer
TV • 1985
Brother Joseph Heiden
Combat!
TV • 1962
Colonel Kapsalis
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1959
Erich Streator
The Fugitive
TV • 1963
Steve Keller
Acapulco
TV • 1961
Mr. Carver
Run for Your Life
TV • 1965
Istvan Zabor
Cimarron Strip
TV • 1967
The Fugitive
TV • 1963
Victor Leonetti
The Virginian
TV • 1962
'Colonel' Bliss
The Aquanauts
TV • 1960
Paul Price
Grindl
TV • 1963
The Rogues
TV • 1964
The Dakotas
TV • 1963
Jake Volet
Ben Casey
TV • 1961
The New Breed
TV • 1961
Dr. Buel Reed
The Detectives
TV • 1959
Ben
The Fugitive
TV • 1963
Dan Polichek
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Brother Hendricksen
Alice in Wonderland
TV • 1985
Cheshire Cat
J.J. Starbuck
TV • 1987
The Greek
Tony Orlando and Dawn
TV • 1974
Self
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
TV • 1964
Count Valeriano De Fanzini
Am laufenden Band
TV • 1974
Self - Guest
Disco
TV • 1971
Self
Ein Schloß am Wörthersee
TV • 1990
Teddy
Cain's Hundred
TV • 1961
Harry Remick
Combat!
TV • 1962
Jon
Burke's Law
TV • 1963
Balakirov aka Richard Goldtooth
Burke's Law
TV • 1963
Charlie Prince
The Bob Hope Show
TV • 1950
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
The French Atlantic Affair
TV • 1979
Fr. Craig Dunleavy
Kraft Suspense Theatre
TV • 1963
Ramon Castillo / Raymond Castle
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self - Guest
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Charles Augustus Hackett
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
TV • 1963
Mueller
V.I.P. Schaukel
TV • 1971
Self
Einer wird gewinnen
TV • 1964
Self
Musikladen
TV • 1972
Self
The Untouchables
TV • 1959
Leo Stazak
Bambi
TV • 1948
Self
The Carol Burnett Show
TV • 1967
Self - Guest / Various Characters
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV • 1975
Self
Midi Première
TV • 1975
Self
Armstrong Circle Theatre
TV • 1950
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
TV • 1980
Cretzer
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self - Guest Host
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV • 1973
Self
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Self / Tex
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Nominee
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
TV • 1962
Philadelphia Harry
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Presenter
The Commish
TV • 1991
Tommy Colette
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Dr. Fabian Cain
Dinah!
TV • 1974
Self - Guest
Top of the Pops
TV • 1964
Self
The Untouchables
TV • 1959
Wally Baltzer