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 Powell Theatre," "The Detectives," "Ben Casey," "The Untouchables," and "Cain's Hundred." He appeared in a short film, "The Sin of Jesus" (1961). Savalas was a private detective in "Cape Fear" (1962), directed by J. Lee Thompson. He was reunited with Frankenheimer and Lancaster for "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962), one of his most acclaimed performances. He followed it playing a doctor in "The Interns" (1962). Savalas guest starred on "Alcoa Premiere," "The Untouchables" again, "The Eleventh Hour," "The Dakotas," "Grindl" (the pilot), and "Empire." He played support roles in some comedies, "The Man from the Diners' Club" (1962) with Danny Kaye