Telly Savalas

Savalas has a small but entertaining role as a crop duster pilot in the movie Capricorn One.

 

He was 51 when "Kojak" debuted in 1973. That seems about right.

 

Telly played a pretty good nutjob in Dirty Dozen.

 

Germany, too.

By the way, I've seen stuff floating online that when Savalas was a sports television producer in the early 1960s for early ABC, he was the one responsible for hiring Howard Cosell. Is that true? No doubt, Savalas and Cosell loved hanging out on Battle of the Network Stars.

(Savalas is mentioned by name but not seen here. Warning: Hal Linden in a Speedo.)

 

Savalas also lodged a protest that created 10 of the greatest minutes of television history.

In these 10 minutes you will see...

- Telly at his finest (I'll bet a month's paycheck Gabe told him to protest).
- Some 1970's racism!
- Gabe slow playing a hand as well as I've ever seen.
- A young Carter and Fawcett on the same team. Holy shit, that's the greatest locker room ever. Sweet God almighty.
- Howard handling it like a pro.
- Conrad again and again looking like the biggest prick in the world, even in defeat.

If you have never watched it start to finish, please do.

Nothing asks for an oral history more than these 10 minutes.

 

Can Robert Conrad be any more of a cocksucker?

 

Wikipedia says Savalas did indeed hire Cosell. Fascinating.

Interesting that this thread should come up in the wake of Dennis Farina's death. Two guys who both came to acting relatively late, both in their late 30s. Amazing that they both achieved the success they did, given those circumstances.

 

Kotter beat the shit out of Conrad!

 

Cosell at his finest: "Farrah, baby, I'm not in charge of the rules committee! But, clearly, controversy has beset the Battle of the Network Stars! We'll see what happens in a moment!"

Was there anything in TV history more fun than that show, despite Conrad's douchiness?

 

Slow played the hand.

 

"Farrah baby, I'm not in charge of the rules!" - Hell, Conrad MADE that thing.

Always amusing to see this stuff and wonder whatever happened to some of the participating actors who were never heard from again.

Even if the Networks weren't interested in it, I'm sure there are enough out of work actors from well-known shows who would show up for the screen time.
TV Doctors vs. TV Lawyers; Cops vs. Private Detectives; New York set shows vs. LA Set Shows; Villians vs. Heroes; Daytime soaps vs. Primetime soaps; Aliens vs. Humans from Sci-Fi shows;

The ultimate Robert Conrad movie had to be Glory Days in the 80s. Retires from his tire business, goes back to college, plays football, wins the starting qb job despite having no arm and almost hooks up with one of the friends of his daughter. I think the point of the scene was to show that Conrad could have done it - if he wanted to - but being the man of high moral character he tells her - "not going to happen."