Biography

Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was an American actor and singer whose career spanned four decades of television, noted for his resonant voice and his bald head. He also released the one-hit wonder song, "If?," which he introduced in the UK in 1975.Savalas's career began in films in 1961. His 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), Lisa and the Devil (1973), Inside Out (1975), and Escape to Athena (1979). He then starred as television's Kojak (1973–1978), co-starring his brother George Savalas. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962).