History of telly savalas

1. Birth and Early Life
2. Education and Military Service
3. Television Career
4. Film Career Breakthrough
5. Career Peak
6. The Lieutenant Kojak Character
7. Later Career and Personal Life
8. Awards and Honors
9. Death and Legacy

Birth and Early Life

Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas was born on January 13, 1922, in Garden City, Long Island, New York.

He was the second of five children born to Greek immigrants Christina and Nick Savalas, who owned a Greek restaurant. Growing up in a Greek-speaking household, Savalas initially struggled when he entered Sewanhaka High School, not knowing a word of English.

However, he quickly overcame this obstacle and excelled in his studies.

Education and Military Service

After graduating from high school, Savalas briefly worked as a lifeguard. However, a tragic incident in which he failed to save a drowning person haunted him, leading him to pursue other endeavors.