Telly Savalas Dies At Age 70 - UPI Archives

LOS ANGELES -- Emmy Award-winning actor Telly Savalas, best known as television's 'Kojak,' died Saturday at his hotel suite in Los Angeles at the age of 70.

Savalas died of prostate cancer, his publicist said. He lived in Palm Springs, California, but was staying in a suite at the Sheraton Universal Hotel during the final days of his illness.

Savalas appeared in more than 50 movies, and was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor in 1962 for his first major screen role in 'The Birdman of Alcatraz.' But he was best known as the bald, gruff, lollipop-sucking police Lt. Theo Kojak on the television series 'Kojak,' which ran on CBS from 1973 to 1978. He won an Emmy for best actor and, later, for best director for an episode of the show, and reprised the role for two ABC television movies.

'Kojak' became one of the world's most repeated television shows. British comedian Benny Hill often used the 'Kojak' character as the centerpiece for his comedic routines.

Savalas, born Aristotle Savalas to Greek immigrant parents in Garden City, New York, on Jan. 21, 1924, had studied psychology at Columbia University, and later joined the Information Service of the State Department.

When the State Department moved its information branch from New York to Washington, Savalas moved to ABC as a senior director of news and special events. Savalas was the creator of the 'Your Voice of America' series, which won the network a Freedom Foundation and Peabody Award.

His acting career began when he was unable to help a friend who worked for a talent agency find an actor with a European accent, and on a lark auditioned for the role himself.

From there, Savalas went on to live television. Burt Lancaster spotted Savalas, and signed him for the role of Feto Gomez in 'The Birdman of Alcatraz,' for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.

Savalas shaved his head to play the part of of Pontius Pilate in the massive Biblical epic 'The Greatest Story Ever Told,' and was convinced that he had a better persona with a bald pate, so he retained the look for the rest of his career.

His other major credits include the movies 'The Dirty Dozen,' 'Kelly's Heroes,' 'The Young Savages,' and 'Cape Fear.'

Savalas is survived by his wife, Julie, and six children. Funeral arrangements are pending.