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Television

This is something I’d watch

Ving Rhames to play Kojak, baby
Who loves ya baby?
That’s what Ving Rhames will soon be saying, as star of a potential series of “Kojak” movies for cable’s USA Network.
Rhames has agreed to take the title role, Lt. Theo Kojak, in a re-envisioning of the classic police drama. The late Telly Savalas originated the lollipop-sucking crime fighter role in the TV series, which last aired on ABC in 1990 but spent the majority of its run on CBS, where it debuted in 1973.
“Ving is such a versatile actor, with a powerful presence and unique persona, so it seemed like a great marriage,” said Jeff Wachtel, USA Network’s executive VP of series and longform programming. “Telly Savalas is so closely identified with the role, we needed someone this unique and powerful.”
Rhames just completed a multi-episode arc of CBS drama “The District,” and stars in Barry Levinson’s upcoming DreamWorks film “Envy” as well as Ron Shelton’s “Dark Blue” for MGM.
He earned a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of Don King in HBO’s “Don King: Only in America” and was widely recognized for his role in “Pulp Fiction.”
Wachtel said that deals with both a top writer and director are in the works for the project, which will start out as a two-hour TV movie, with an option to do a series of movies.
“What’s interesting about classic titles is they often attract unexpected fans,” Wachtel said, “including people who might not normally think about doing television.
“Most people have heard of ‘Kojak’ — so it’s a great brand that we can reinvent and bring something contemporary and special to, to take it to the next level,” Wachtel added.