Telly Savalas Telly Savalas Aristotelis "Telly" Savalas (January 21, 1924 – 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"
Telly Savalas of his life. He was reunited with Thompson in "John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!" (1965) and was one of many names in "Genghis Khan" (1965). Savalas guested on "Bonanza" and "Run for Your Life," then was in Pollack's feature film debut as director, "The Slender Thread" (1965), playing a psychiatrist. He had a supporting role in box-office flop "Battle of the Bulge" (1965) and guest-starred on "The Virginian," "Combat!," "The Fugitive," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (episodes released as "The Karate Killers"), "The F.B.I.," and "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre." He also played the villainous sergeant in "Beau Geste" (1966).