Telly

"People know that singing is not my bag," says Telly Savalas on the liner notes to this 1974 release, "but if I say, 'Hey, this is how Telly feels about this or that song,' I can't mistakes. I can only make mistakes by pretending to be a great singer".

A classic example of the "famous actor makes a record" genre, Telly uses his ill-begotten allotment of vinyl to thrill us with mediocre versions of "Something", "You and me against the world", "Rubber bands and bits of string", and many (far too many) others. Unfortunately, Telly's classic New York drawl gets drowned out by the music on all but a few of the tracks, making this album practically worthless even to die-hard Kojak fans.

What is an actor doing making a record, you ask? Telly answers this question by modestly saying, "I was asked to make a record". One has to wonder exactly who did the asking, though.

Melissa K. says:
Good singer or not, I'd lap up every line that came out of his mouth. (04-24-2012)

shirley says:
i am 60 and i am lusting after a dead man. telly was so damn hot. i used to watch kojak when i was young, and it wasn't until i started watching kojak on hulu that i realized how beautiful he was. and that deep voice yes. rip . he was made for that role. best damn cop and cop show ever. all of the characters on that show were perfect. rip george savalas too who love ya baby i do (10-07-2011)

di (di.is.kojak.fan@googlemail.com) says:
Since 1973 I am a big fan of Telly/Kojak and now many years later, I still watch his films/ series and enjoy his music. For me he is still the best. Sweet greetings from a Dutch Telly Savalas fan. (04-04-2011)

Zone Fighter says:
I just watched the Kojak episode and he's listed in the credits as the singer of Azure Dee, and I think it sounds like him. (12-11-2010)

Pete Cox (elpedro13@hotmail.co.uk) says:
I have a vrtually mint copy of the vinyl LP,"Telly",cat,#mcf 2699 for sale to the highest bidder,please e-mail me if interested.Regards,Pete,"Who loves ya baby".Lollipop anyone,so kool. (03-31-2010)

David E. (daezer@nyc.rr.com) says:
Hey - I'm looking for help to identify which episode of Kojak featured a conversation between Kojak and Crocker where Crocker said he'd dated a Vassar girl? Please email me at daezer@nyc.rr.com if you know!

THANKS! (09-10-2009)

Cassie (ifthecrownfits@rocketmail.com) says:
I am searching for a recipe made by Telly Savalas for "Marinated Leg of Lamb." I know it's a longshot, but I thought I'd see if anyone can point me in the right direction. It was published between 1970-1978 in the Columbus Dispatch, but my mother lost her copy of the recipe. Years and years later she still talks about it. Any suggestions? (02-23-2009)

andres (elflex@gmail.com) says:
Excelente actuación de Savalas en Kojak, sus movimientos, sus gestos, el movimiento de sus manos, su expresión, todo esto debería ser aprendido por estudiantes de teatro. Un personaje querible, entrañable, correcto, actúa con una gran naturalidad que solo los grandes actores pueden desarrollar, como R. de Niro o M. Mastroiani. Es lindo volver a ver en TV a Kojak actualmente en Argentina. Saludos (09-02-2008)

eileen 2.com (greencarperts) says:
I just finished working at a ny hospital, I was catching a cab and Telly Savalas was in the cab and invited me to share the cab, I acceped, and told the driver to drop me off at my apt.on 72st Telly said I'll by you a drink, of course I replyed we went for a drink and we had suck a woderful time ,we end up at my apt what an evening we had passion allnight long .. he made me breakfast and made love all am Isaw Te for 6 years... Iwas his lover his friend all these years, he wanted to marry me, but I could'nt he had a wift, and I couldn't do that... Telly had his teeth on my heart, what a wonderful man, I will love him with all my heart, all the days of my life. He loved me with all his heart, I miss him so.. (04-30-2008)

Mona B (monab@nnymail.com) says:
I desperately need to find a poem recited by Telly Savalas on The Tonight Show I believe where most of the lines ended...."but not today." Any suggestions where I'd find it. Thanks. (12-09-2007)

julie thrasher (juliethrasher@btinternet.com) says:
l have be a fan of telly since l was 12yr l am now 44yr still a fan of telly . l ahve flim of telly and record and tape . l would like to hear from other fan of telly and family ie son christo savalas (11-09-2007)

GREEK says:
He shaved his head for the movie Cleopatra.....and the rest is history. (09-24-2007)

hanniballecturer (hanniballecturer@gmail.com) says:
All I ever hear about Telly Savalas is good things, he must have really been a great person. (08-11-2007)

Nikol (c.nikka@seznam.cz) says:
Hallo everybody,
I´m very happy ´cause tomorrow on our tv will start KOJAK !!!
Have a nice day :-) (04-10-2007)

julie thrasher (juliethrasher@btinternet.com) says:
lhave be fan of telly since l was 12yr l am now 43yr. l have every flim telly made . l think he was great actor . the l like is kojak and l listen to telly music. l name my cat theo andkojak because both where bold on head (03-16-2007)

Julia Atkinson (julia@atkinson5308.fsnet.co.uk) says:
Ah, memories! My late mother was a big Telly Savalas fan and insisted on buying this atrocity. She played the damn thing to death and even now, 33 years later, I still know all the words to "Rubber Bands and Bits of String". (03-01-2007)

dragster says:
Don't knock the Kojak.....well, he tried at least.......!! (02-09-2007)

Elizibeth (butterflys2blossomes@yahoo.com) says:
PLEASE...Hello! Anyone have a copy of Visions (Visions Of Death 1972 TV movie)? It would be for my father's birthday and it would mean so much to him. Please email me if so. Thanks!! :) butterflys2blossoms@yahoo.com (01-22-2007)

Annie says:
Who did the asking? I don't know but I suspect it may have been my cousin - John Cacavas, who was Telly's best friend and a famous composer who also worked on Telly's tv series. I remember when my cousin sent us a copy of Telly's record and I remember we listened to it once and never again! The music is good (that's my cousin!) but the singing....omgosh! haha (11-13-2006)

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