10/24/1973 Kojak arrives

October 24, 1973.  Kojak premiered on this date, giving CBS a huge hit and making Telly Savalas a big star.  Theo Kojak's lollipops and "Who loves ya, baby?" became as famous as his bald head and Greek heritage.  It was a cop show set in New York City, inspired by a TV movie called The Marcus-Nelson Murders, also starring Savalas, and itself inspired by the Wylie-Hoffert murders which occurred in 1963.

The show won four Emmy Awards, among a ton of nominations, and mystery writer Joe Gores won an Edgar for a script.