George Savalas

George Savalas

Born: December 5, 1924
Died: October 2, 1985
in Bronx, New York, USA
Greek-American actor George Savalas is best remembered for co-starring on his elder brother (Telly Savalas)'s popular television detective show Kojak (1973) (1973-78). He played Detective Stavros to Telly's Kojak, changed his middle name later in life from "Nicholas" to "Demosthenes" and was billed as simply Demosthenes in the end credits to avoid confusion with the elder Savalas.

George Savalas served in the Pacific during WWII and was a decorated U.S. Navy gunner. He learned his craft at Columbia University's School of Drama. Before making it to the small screen, he was an accomplished stage actor and acting instructor. He was, briefly, the drummer for the Clyde McCoy Big Band. He got his start on the Dick Powell Theater, and went on to guest star on other series. He appeared in several films including Genghis Khan (1965) and Kelly's Heroes (1970). After "Kojak" ended, he recorded a Top-10 Greek language record and toured with his band at many major venues including Carnegie Hall. Savalas later returned to his first love, the stage, and appeared in many off-Broadway plays. He died of leukemia in 1985, aged 60, and was survived by his wife and their six children (five sons and one daughter).

Movies for George Savalas...

Title: Alice in Wonderland
Character: Courtier
Released: December 9, 1985
Type: TV
Sometimes she's too big. Or much too small. Sometimes things are backwards. And there's always too much pepper in the soup! Nothing is quite right since Alice chased a very unusual White Rabbit and stumbled into an adventure that grows curiouser and curiouser. One of the greatest childhood fantasies is captured in Irwin Allen's colorful production adapted from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Originally aired over two nights in 1985 on CBS.
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Kojak: The Belarus File
Title: Kojak: The Belarus File
Character: Stavros
Released: February 16, 1985
Type: Movie
Lt. Theo Kojak uncovers a Nazi conspiracy.
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Fake-Out
Title: Fake-Out
Character: The Pit Boss
Released: November 18, 1982
Type: Movie
Gangster's girlfriend hangs out in a Las Vegas hotel with her cop protectors while she waits to testify.
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Title: The Alan Hamel Show
Released: September 20, 1976
Type: TV
CTV shifted from daytime game shows in 1976, hiring Alan Hamel for their first daytime talk show. Known for his earlier CBC successes, he'd also thrived in U.S. hosting and producing roles. Produced at BCTV Vancouver, the Alan Hamel Show attracted LA showbiz friends, including his wife Suzanne Somers. Airing from 1976 to 1980, it ran Monday through Friday, initially 2:00-3:00 pm and later shifted to 1:30 pm in the 1979-80 season due to NBC's schedule expansion."
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Title: Alice
Released: August 31, 1976
Type: TV
Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to March 19, 1985 on CBS. The series is based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job working at a roadside diner on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the episodes revolve around events at Mel's Diner.
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Title: Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Character: Kaz (as Demosthenes)
Released: September 13, 1974
Type: TV
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974–1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter who investigated mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those that law enforcement authorities would not follow up. These often involved the supernatural or even science fiction, including fantastic creatures.
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Fade-In
Title: Fade-In
Character: Norman
Released: November 8, 1973
Type: Movie
A sophisticated Hollywood film editor, on location for a film she is working on, falls for a local cowboy who is hired to work on the film.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Sgt. Stavros
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Det. Stavros
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Det. Stravros
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Curly Stavors
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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The Outfit
Title: The Outfit
Character: Kenilworth Finance Employee (uncredited)
Released: October 19, 1973
Type: Movie
A two-bit criminal takes on the Mafia to avenge his brother's death. Earl Macklin is a small time criminal who is released from prison after an unsuccessful bank robbery only to discover that a pair of gunmen killed his brother.
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The Marcus-Nelson Murders
Title: The Marcus-Nelson Murders
Character: Jack Deems
Released: March 8, 1973
Type: Movie
A homicide detective begins to suspect that the black teenager accused of murdering two white girls is being framed by his fellow detectives.
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Title: All in the Family
Character: Joe Frouge
Released: January 12, 1971
Type: TV
Archie Bunker, a working class bigot, constantly squabbles with his family over the important issues of the day.
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Violent City
Title: Violent City
Character: Shapiro
Released: September 17, 1970
Type: Movie
A hitman is double-crossed by his girlfriend and barely escapes a murder attempt. He then sets out to take his revenge on the woman and the gang boss who put her up to it.
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Kelly's Heroes
Title: Kelly's Heroes
Character: 1st Sgt. Mulligan (artillerly unit)
Released: June 22, 1970
Type: Movie
A misfit group of World War II American soldiers goes AWOL to rob a bank behind German lines.
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Title: Mannix
Released: September 16, 1967
Type: TV
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors. Mannix was the last series produced by Desilu Productions.
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Genghis Khan
Title: Genghis Khan
Released: April 15, 1965
Type: Movie
This is the story of the shy Mongol boy Temujin who,during the 13th century, becomes the fearless Mongol leader Genghis Khan that unites all Mongol tribes and conquers India,China,Persia,Korea and parts of Rusia,Europe and Middle-East.
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Title: Daniel Boone
Character: The Warden
Released: September 24, 1964
Type: TV
Daniel Boone is an American action-adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel Boone that aired from September 24, 1964 to September 10, 1970 on NBC for 165 episodes, and was made by 20th Century Fox Television. Ed Ames co-starred as Mingo, Boone's Cherokee friend, for the first four seasons of the series. Albert Salmi portrayed Boone's companion Yadkin in season one only. Dallas McKennon portrayed innkeeper Cincinnatus. Country Western singer-actor Jimmy Dean was a featured actor as Josh Clements during the 1968–1970 seasons. Actor and former NFL football player Rosey Grier made regular appearances as Gabe Cooper in the 1969 to 1970 season. The show was broadcast "in living color" beginning in fall 1965, the second season, and was shot entirely in California and Kanab, Utah.
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Title: The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Character: Greek Merchant
Released: September 22, 1964
Type: TV
Agents Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin work for a secret intelligence service working under the auspices of the U.N. Their immediate superior is Mr. Waverly. Together they operate out of a secret base beneath the streets of New York City, and accesses through several cover business such as Del Floria's Tailor Shop and the Masque Club. This secret intelligence service is called U.N.C.L.E. United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.
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Good Neighbor Sam
Title: Good Neighbor Sam
Character: Truck Driver (uncredited)
Released: July 22, 1964
Type: Movie
To help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her husband. The ruse spills over into his career in advertising, and his recent promotion relies on his wholesome and moral appearance.
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Title: The Fugitive
Character: Prisoner
Released: September 17, 1963
Type: TV
Richard Kimble is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death penalty. En route to death row, Kimble's train derails and crashes, allowing him to escape and begin a cross-country search for the real killer, a "one-armed man". At the same time, Dr. Kimble is hounded by the authorities, most notably dogged by Police Lieutenant Philip Gerard.
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Title: The Virginian
Character: Turnkey
Released: September 19, 1962
Type: TV
The Shiloh Ranch in Wyoming Territory of the 1890s is owned in sequence by Judge Henry Garth, the Grainger brothers, and Colonel Alan MacKenzie. It is the setting for a variety of stories, many more based on character and relationships than the usual western.
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Title: Dr. Kildare
Character: Aristos
Released: September 27, 1961
Type: TV
The story of a young intern in a large metropolitan hospital trying to learn his profession, deal with the problems of his patients, and win the respect of the senior doctor in his specialty, internal medicine.