Real-Life Boogeymen Actors Who Were Just as Scary Off-Camera

Telly Savalas earned his stripes as a decorated WWII soldier before he became the adored Kojak (1973). His presence in Hollywood was comparable to that of a “godfather.” Savalas was respected because of his gambling tendencies and his intolerance for diva behavior. Remarkably, he was also a skilled poker player and a trained psychologist.