Kojak

This series, a vehicle for star Telly Savalas, stands out in my mind as becoming more as it developed. The location filming in NY jogs memories of those who visited or lived in the city at that time. The plots frequently involved The Mob, which reflects the time. Some stories were patently unrealistic, but every time I'd complain about such, the camera would move into the street and that winter grating steam would wind around the sound of shoe leather, giving a pretty good suggestion of Dashielle Hammett (sp?). Interesting guest stars would occasionally show up, George Savalas proved a very natural actor and some of the humor appeared unforced and ad lib. A better show than much of the drivel in that decade.

I remember this show like the back of my hand going through the dimensions of time and space itself. "Kojak" was the brainchild of creator and executive producer Abby Mann that aired for 118 episodes from October 24,1973 until March 18, 1978 for CBS-TV where it was a ratings winner in prime-time for the five great seasons it was on the air. Telly Savalas was the undisputed king of detectives as N.Y. Lt. Theo Kojak who had a sense of style and grace,who had the lollipops,was a ladies man with a sense of family values and drove that great big gas- gussing Buick for a cop car around the slimy streets of Manhattan and all parts of the city. Kojak had a knack for solving crimes his own way and bringing in the baddies with his old Greek standards mixed in with the Noo Yawk(New York)attitude.

However,the stories that made that show were some of the best ever since some of the episodes dealt with racial issues,police corruption, women's rights,and the harrowing issue of alcoholism and drugs. However,several of the guest stars who appear on the show were just starting out but in turn had some grand performances including up and coming actors like Harvey Keitel and Paul Micheal Glaser(aka Starsky from Starsky and Hutch),to Christopher Walken, Janet DuBois, Sherman Hemsley, Esther Rolle, and Haywood Nelson(What's Happening!)to having special guest appearances by Danny Thomas and former NFL Great Rosey Grier. Other guest stars included Tina Louise, Dabney Coleman, John Ritter, former Bond-girl Maud Adams, Sylvester Stallone,Forrest Tucker,James Woods, Shelley Winters,and Sammy Davis, Jr. Great cop show while it lasted,and to this day I still have the original "Kojak" game from Milton Bradley for the heyday(circa,1975).

After the success of "Kojak's" five year-run on CBS from 1973-1978, and some 11 years after the series' finale, ABC picked it up for six made for television movies during the mid-1980's as part of the network's "Mystery Movie" line-up.

Telly Savalas was a grizzled film and TV veteran when he got the spotlight in 1973, with KOJAK. It was a most deserved turn in the sun. Telly took this character and made it his own...the ethnicitity, the old world charm, the brains behind the tough NYPD detective lieutenant that had a genuine compassion for the crime victims he encountered. Telly was the man! The scripts were outstanding, especially in the first season, when penned by Jack Laird, Robert Foster and Halston Wells. The direction was cineamatic quality by the likes of Leo Penn, Jeannot Szwarc and Joel Oliansky. Memorable episodes as SIEGE OF TERROR, DEAD ON HIS FEET, LAST RITES FOR A DEAD PRIEST, THERAPY IN DYNAMITE...I could go on and on. It's also the breeding ground where James Woods, Steven Keats, Harvey Keitel and David Proval cut their small screen dramatic teeth. It's time for this TV legand to be released uncut and unedited on video.

Sure, Dragnet was in a category all its own and Naked City did pave the way for Kojak, but the grit was too shiny and fake. I grew up in NYC and later, after I moved away, when I watched Kojak in syndication I would get so homesick. What got to me the worst wasn't seeing landmarks like The Angry Squire or Washington Square, but by shooting on city streets, the NYC detritus was blowing down the sidewalk. Yes, that made me lonesome for home. Kojak was a show by, for, and about New Yorkers. Kojak's attitude was a New York cop's attitude, he was tough and glib and underneath that layer was the soft chewy center.

Law & Order owes a huge debt to Kojak. I knew I would have to watch L&O because of what I can only describe as Kojakisms, and it is a disservice to Kojak (& to Telly) that he is only remembered for "Who Loves Ya, Baby?". Kojakisms were as rich and varied as literature.

Here are some of my favorites:

"That's the way the baklava crumbles, baby"

"Whatever you do, don't you so much as double park anywhere near Manhattan South, 'cause you'll get a Hear Ye and a Hear Ye and a greeting you'll never forget."

"Light a candle, baby; a Get Well card won't do."

"...kiss off Goldilocks, your porridge is getting cold."

"You could package that with a wrap-around deodorant and still come out with a stink."

"...the Internal Affairs shoo-flies, they're gonna be all over us like a groom on a honeymoon. And lemme tell ya something, we all better be virgins or have a pretty good story."

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may; there's a chill in the air.'

"The wine, it smells beautiful baby, but the company, strictly down the tubes."

"Ya know what a vendetta is? It's when a whole bunch of people kill a whole bunch of people for years and years and years and like that!"

" Yer no good! And that's the end of the story!"

Absolutely one of the best shows ever.

This was definitely a groundbreaking show with such an indomitable lead in Telly Savalas, whose screen presence is all but unmatched. It was clear to me when they released this set that its purpose was to promote the new Kojak series with Ving Rhames (since canceled), but I still assumed the release of one season must lead to the release of the remaining three.

Apparently not so.

After contacting Universal Home Video on this issues, I have been informed that they have no intention at all of releasing the rest of Kojak on DVD, must to my chagrin and annoyance. What a lousy way to treat the loyal fans of the show and loyal customer base for these unreleased shows! I highly recommend everyone who wants to see more Kojak contact Universal Home Video at the address below and demand the release of seasons 2-4.

http://www.universalstudios.com/homepage/html/contact_us