Telly Savalas was a Greek-American actor and singer who rose to fame for his role as Lt. Theo Kojak on the crime drama series Kojak (1973–1978).
He was also known for his bald head, deep voice, and signature catchphrase “Who loves ya, baby?” Savalas had a long and successful career in film and television, earning an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe award for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), and playing the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).
He also released several albums and singles as a singer, including a cover of the Bread song “If”, which became a UK number-one hit in 19751.
Savalas was married three times and had six children with four different women.
He was a devoted father and a family man, who often kept out of the Hollywood limelight to spend time with his loved ones.
He also had a close connection to actress Jennifer Aniston, who was his goddaughter.
Savalas died of complications from bladder and prostate cancer in 1994, at the age of 72
He left behind a legacy of memorable roles and a large and talented family.
How many children did George Savalas have?
George Savalas was the older brother of Telly Savalas and a co-star on Kojak.
He played Detective Stavros, Kojak’s loyal and humorous sidekick.
George Savalas was also an actor, producer, and director, who appeared in several films and TV shows, such as:
- Kelly’s Heroes (1970)
- The Fugitive (1963)
- The Twilight Zone (1959).
He was married to Irene Savalas, and they had five children: Nicholas, Leonidas, Constantine, Gregory, and Demosthenes
George Savalas died of leukaemia in 1985, at the age of 60
Was Jennifer Aniston close to Telly Savalas?
Jennifer Aniston is the daughter of Greek-born actor John Aniston, who was a friend and colleague of Telly Savalas.
John Aniston and Telly Savalas met in the 1960s when they both worked on the soap opera The Doctors (1963–1982).
They became close friends and shared a common Greek heritage.
Telly Savalas was the godfather of Jennifer Aniston, who was born in 19691.
Jennifer Aniston has said that she admired Telly Savalas as an actor and a person and that he was very supportive of her career.
She also revealed that he gave her a bicycle as a gift when she was a child.
Was Telly Savalas a smoker?
Telly Savalas was a heavy smoker for most of his life until he decided to quit in the early 1970s.
He used lollipops as a substitute for cigarettes, which became a trademark of his character Kojak.
He also smoked cigars and cigarillos on screen, but less frequently than before.
Savalas later admitted that the lollipops gave him three cavities and that he regretted smoking so much.
He also promoted water safety and swimming lessons for children, as he had a traumatic experience of failing to save a drowning man when he was a lifeguard
How old was Kojak when he died?
Kojak was the name of the fictional character played by Telly Savalas on the TV series of the same name.
Kojak was a tough, bald, and charismatic detective who worked for the New York City Police Department.
He was known for his lollipop, his catchphrase, and his stylish wardrobe.
The TV series Kojak ran for five seasons, from 1973 to 1978, and was followed by seven TV movies, from 1985 to 1990.
The last TV movie, Kojak: It’s Always Something, aired on November 2, 1990.
In this movie, Kojak is still alive and working as a detective, although he has retired from the NYPD and moved to Los Angeles.
He was also married to a woman named Kitty, played by Angie Dickinson
What did Telly Savalas die of?
Telly Savalas died of complications from bladder and prostate cancer on January 22, 1994
He was 72 years old and had been battling the disease for five years.
Telly was surrounded by his family and friends, and his last words were “I love you all”6.
He was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.
Savalas had ignored the early signs of prostate cancer, and by the time he was diagnosed
He underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, but the treatments were not effective.
He also suffered from diabetes and heart problems, which complicated his condition.
Savalas was a fighter and a positive thinker, who never gave up hope and continued to work until the end.
He appeared in his last film, Backfire!, in 1995, which was released posthumously
What nationality was Telly Savalas?
Telly Savalas was an American citizen, but he had a Greek ethnic background.
He was born in Garden City, New York, on January 21, 1922, to Greek immigrant parents.
His father, Nick Savalas, was a restaurant owner from Gerakas, Greece
His paternal grandparents also came from Greece, from the village of Ierakas
Savalas spoke Greek fluently and was proud of his heritage.
He visited Greece several times and was honoured by the Greek government and the Greek Orthodox Church
Telly Savalas wives
Telly Savalas was married three times and had several other romantic relationships.
His first wife was Katherine Nicolaides, whom he married in 1948 and divorced in 1957.
They had a daughter, Christina, who was born in 1950 and became a TV producer
His second wife was Marilyn Gardner, whom he married in 1960 and divorced in 1974.
They had two daughters, Penelope and Candace, who were born in 1961 and 1963, respectively, and became actresses
His third and last wife was Julie Hovland, whom he married in 1984 and remained with until his death.
She was a travel agent and a former model and was 30 years younger than Savalas.
They had two children, Christian and Ariana, who were born in 1985 and 1987, respectively, and became singers and songwriters
Savalas also had a son, Nick, who was born in 1973, with his former girlfriend, Sally Adams, who was an actress.
Nick became an actor and a journalist. Savalas was sued by Adams for palimony in 1980 after they broke up
Savalas also dated other women, such as actress Sally Sheridan, singer Shirley Bassey, and socialite Nicolette Sheridan
Telly Savalas daughter
Telly Savalas had four daughters from three different marriages.
His eldest daughter, Christina, was born in 1950, from his first marriage to Katherine Nicolaides.
She became a TV producer and worked on shows such as The Love Boat (1977–1986) and Hotel (1983–1988)3
His second and third daughters, Penelope and Candace, were born in 1961 and 1963, respectively, from his second marriage to Marilyn Gardner.
They both became actresses and appeared in films and TV shows, such as The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission (1988) and The Commish (1991–1996)
His youngest daughter, Ariana, was born in 1987, from his third marriage to Julie Hovland.
She became a singer, songwriter, actress, and burlesque performer.
She is a member of the musical collective Postmodern Jukebox and has released several albums and singles
Telly Savalas age at death
Telly Savalas died on January 22, 1994, at the age of 72.
He was born on January 21, 1922, in Garden City, New York.
Telly died of complications from bladder and prostate cancer at the Sheraton-Universal Hotel in Universal City, California.
He was surrounded by his family and friends, and his last words were “I love you all”.
Telly was buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.
Telly Savalas Jennifer Aniston
He was the godfather of Jennifer Aniston, the famous actress who starred in the sitcom Friends (1994–2004) and many movies.
Jennifer Aniston is the daughter of John Aniston, a Greek-born actor who was a friend and colleague of Telly Savalas.
John Aniston and Telly Savalas met in the 1960s when they both worked on the soap opera The Doctors (1963–1982).
They became close friends and shared a common Greek heritage.
Telly Savalas was the godfather of Jennifer Aniston, who was born in 19693.
Jennifer Aniston has said that she admired Telly Savalas as an actor and a person and that he was very supportive of her career.
She also revealed that he gave her a bicycle as a gift when she was a child.
Conclusion
Telly Savalas was a legendary actor and singer who starred as Kojak, one of the most iconic TV characters of all time.
He was also a loving father and a family man, who had six children with four different women
Telly was the godfather of Jennifer Aniston, who considered him a mentor and a friend.
He died of cancer in 1994, leaving behind a legacy of memorable roles and a large and talented family.
Telly Savalas was a Greek-American who was proud of his heritage and contributed to the arts and culture of both countries.
He was a versatile and charismatic performer who touched the hearts of millions of fans around the world.
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