The Haircut Story Site

A Young Telly Savalas by MattM

As a teenager in the long-haired 1970s, I was always different. Unlike other guys, I preferred my hair short. I liked how sharp and neat it looked, how easy it was to care for, and it gave me a sense of individuality to look different from practically all the other boys. Plus it always seemed more masculine to me to have short hair. No other boys I knew got their hair cut short unless it was forced upon them by their parents, but I willingly got crewcuts and buzzes of my own accord. And it was just fine with my parents; they were thrilled that their son wanted to have short hair. I had been going to the same barber, Jake, since I was a kid. He'd always had very short hair, either a crewcut or buzz, and I guess looking up to him played a part in me liking mine short too. My hair was dark blonde and wavy when it grew out.. Being the 70s, Kojak was a very popular show. It got to the point that whenever I'd go for a cut, Jake always joked with me about getting Kojaked. "Kojak this time?", he'd ask as he caped me up. "I'll pass", I'd always say with a laugh. So time went by and I continued to get crewcuts or buzzes of varying lengths. One day while watching Kojak, it struck me that he really did look cool with that shiny, bald head. But could I do that? No way! Or could I? It would take some guts, that was for sure. It got to the point where I couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time I went in for a cut, Jake would still joke with me about a Kojak cut. I wanted to say yes, but I chickened out every time. Finally one hot early summer day when I was 17, I steeled myself and decided that today was the day. I had gotten lazy with my hair for awhile, and I had nearly 4 inches of wavy hair on my head, almost a record for me. When I got to the shop, Jake was just finishing up a short summer buzz on a young lad who didn't look happy about it. Almost all of his blonde hair was on the cape and floor, and he had a sour look on his face. "Oh hi, Alex. You haven't been here in awhile", Jake said as he uncaped the boy and sent him on his way. "Yeah, I've gotten lazy", I laughed. "Well good that you've come to your senses. Have a seat, there's four ahead of you", Jake replied. So with that I took a seat in the waiting area. The other cuts consisted of another summer buzz for a boy, a businessman's cut for a middle-aged man, and two trims for a couple of 20-somethings. More customers came in as I watched the cuts. As my turn drew closer, I was getting both nervous and excited. Soon Jake had finished with the last customer before me. "Your turn, Alex.", he said as he swiveled the waiting chair toward me. I walked over and sat in the chair and he fastened the paper strip and cape around my neck. "Kojak this time?", Jake asked. "Yes!", I said determinedly. "Really?!" asked Jake. "Yeah. I've been thinking about it for awhile", I responded. "Well okay", Jake laughed. "You're gonna look awesome!" With that he picked up the clippers, no guard attached. As they buzzed to life, it hit me. This was it! Before long I was going to look just like Telly Savalas! Jake began around the sides and back just like a normal cut. With no guard, the clippers felt cold, and I could feel the vibrations more than ever. It sure did feel good. As he ran the clippers up the back and sides, I could see my hair falling on the cape and floor. In just a couple of minutes, he made short work of the sides and back. Now it was time for the top. He came around to the front of me, raised the buzzing clippers to my forehead, and slid them back. The customers in the waiting area watched in amazement as Jake buzzed every last hair off my head. Huge chunks of my hair rained down, and the cold clippers on the top of my head felt wonderful. After running the clippers over my head one last time to catch any strays, he turned off the clippers. All of my dark blonde hair was on the cape and floor. "If you think that felt good, wait til you feel the next step", Jake told me. He grabbed a hot towel and wrapped it around my head. It felt great on my scalp, and as it softened the stubble I could hear Jake mixing up a mug of shaving lather. Then he took the towel off and came at me with the mug and brush. He began to lather my head with the brush. Having shaving cream put all over my head was a completely new feeling, and it smelled a bit minty. After he'd covered my head, he took the straight razor and began shaving right on top. Wow! The feeling caused chills to go down my spine. "I think you're really going to like this. Nice and cool, and no shampoo or anything", said Jake as he continued to glide the razor over the top. Soon the top was done, and he move to the sides and back. With gentle precision, he removed every last vestige of my hair. The shaving felt so good that I didn't want him to stop. I could feel his hand going all over my head as he checked for missed spots. All to soon he was done and wiping my head with a towel. I could feel the air movement in the shop, and my scalp felt cool. "You look like a young Telly Savalas!" laughed Jake as he draped my head in a cold towel. "Woah!", I exclaimed at the ice cold feeling on my head. After he'd removed the towel, Jake brought over a bottle of aftershave. "This may sting a little", he said before he applied it. It did, but it wasn't too bad. "Ready to see?", Jake asked. "I guess so", I replied. Without further ado he spun me around to face the mirror. There under the striped cape sat a young man with a glistening, completely bald head. I reached up to feel it. Talk about amazing, just cool, baby smooth skin.. Sort of like a soft billiard ball. "It looks really good. Do you like you it?", Jake asked. "Yeah, it's going to take some getting used to though", I responded. You watch; I bet you won't want to grow it back!", Jake laughed. After giving my head a final rub he uncaped me. As I was paying, a father in the waiting area pointed at me and said to his long-haired son, "I should have Jake cut your hair just like his!". The kid's face paled at that suggestion, and I had a little chuckle. When I got home, my parents were surprised. "That's what you wanted, a bald head?", my dad laughed. "Yeah. I've been thinking about how cool Kojak looks, and I wanted the same style." "Well you're certainly different from all the other boys your age", my dad chuckled. "And I'm glad of that", he added. I could tell mom wasn't as sure, because she didn't say much. I guess it's hard for a mother to see her little boy a skinhead. That night as I watched Kojak on TV, I rubbed my head and thought about how we had the same haircut now. That really made me feel cool. When I took a shower that night, the spray of the water on my bald head felt great, and I liked not needing any shampoo. And when I went to bed, the feeling of the pillow was great too. The next day I debuted my new look to my friends. They were surprised, but they were all used to seeing me with very short hair, so it wasn't as big of a shock on me as it would have been on someone else. All agreed that they liked it.

About a week went by, and my hair began to grow in. I found myself missing the shiny look and the smooth, clean feel. So one day as I shaved my face, I sprayed shaving cream on my head too. Working top to side and around to the other side, being careful and taking my time, I did a good job of it. When I went into the kitchen, my mom noticed. "I see you shaved your head again", she remarked. "Yeah",I said. "Could I keep it shaved?", I asked. "I really like it". "Well to be honest, "I'm starting to too. It you want to keep your head bald, it's alright with me. You really do look handsome, like a young Telly Savalas", she said, echoing Jake's words as she rubbed my head and laughed good-naturedly. "Thanks mom!" I said. "You're welcome. Besides, it'll save on haircuts.", she said. So from then on, I continued to shave my head regularly.. When it was almost time to go back to school, I went to see Jake. He looked up as I entered the shop, and said, "Well just like I suspected; you've been shaving your own head! "How's it going, Kojak?" he asked. "Good, I just popped in to say hi." I said, "I take it your parents are okay with it?", he asked. "Yeah. Even my mom likes it", I said.. "Well that's good, Since you're here, I'll shave it for if you want. You've got a bit of stubble there", he said. "Okay", I agreed. In short order I was in the chair. No clippers this time, and the hot towel, hot lather and straight razor felt wonderful again. "Soon you'll be debuting this bald look to all the girls at school", Jake joked as he finished me up. "I'm a little nervous about that", I admitted. "Don't sweat it", Jake reassured me. "Some won't like it, but others will. And the good ones will like you for you, bald head and all. Carry yourself with confidence and let them see that you like it, and you'll be fine." And he was right. When I went back to school, some girls were put off by it and wouldn't give me the time of day, but others like it and told me how nice i looked, One girl named Casey, whom I'd always had a bit of a crush on, wouldn't leave me alone. She was always wanting to hang out and do things. and in short order we were dating. She loves to rub and kiss my head. I kept it shaved for senior pictures, prom, and graduation. And I still go to Jake for a shave now and then. Soon Casey and I will be attending college together. I can't wait to see what the future brings.

Comments
I could really identify with this story,i also grew up in the 1970's and long hair was the fashion then,i would try to grpw mine but would get fed up with it after a few months,and get it cut really short again.One night there was a talen show on tv,and one of the contestants, a singer, had a shaved head,i thought completely bald looked so cool,i realised that was the look i wanted,and ive been shaving my head ever since.
by Eddy on 21 Sep 2024
It's interesting how things change. Nowadays, if a kid wants o look different from the others he would let his hair grow long.
by Comment on 12 Sep 2024
I remember how shocked people were when Telly, who was a character actor in Hollywood for years, emerged in the "Kojak" role. I remember reading he had shaved his head for a specific role and decided it was easier to maintain as he was already balding pretty well at the time. He sometimes wore toups for roles, as he did when he did an episode of "The Fugitive," It was a big stink for some when he mentioned during the "Kojak" days he was living with a woman. A crazy woman called a radio talk show and told the host that "TERRY SAVALASS' was a Communist because he was "bald like (the Soviet leader) Kruschchev" and "lived in sin." Telly ruled. The host laughed out oud. Telly's brother George, who played Detective Stavros on "Kojak" had a full mop of hair.
by Phlat-toppr on 12 Sep 2024
My real name is close to Telly and when I was a boy his show became a success. My Dad would tease me by asking if I wanted to look like him. I was around 6 so said no but I did think his totally bald head looked handsome and cool. It was completely bizarre in the 70s wherein seemed the norm for many men to want their ears covered and no tapering or clippers.
by Barbershop Thill on 11 Sep 2024
esto es genial, aunque hubiera sido mejor si su chica lo hubiera afeitado alguna vez también o al menos acompañarlo, sigue escribiendo.
by FCM Historias on 10 Sep 2024
What a great story i loved it,I also never had the balls as a boy to go and have my hair shaved off like the Kojak style?. I loved that show, grew up in the 1960's and 1970's, my hair was always cut short back and sides as a boy, some times weekly and other times every 2 weeks or so, some off the kids called it the pee-pot style in school, I was always okay with it and liked the shorter length i had it cut like that intil i went to the army, there our 1sr haircut was short back and sides clipper shaved, but there was a time that I wanted my hair cut in a square cut like the other boys in my class when I turn 18, I have a haircut fatish and so I always looked how the barber cuts the other boys and mens hair, one day when I was about 14 a few days after my haircut I took my dad's razor and shaved my sides and back my mother saw I had shaved my sides and back and ask me why I had shaved it I did not know what to say so I just sed I didn't know why, i yust wanted to feel how it feels when it is shaved with a razor to when it's cut by clipper, between 2000 and 2005 I shaved all my hair off, I loved the shaved head style and the smooth head feeling, i shaved it every day sometimes in the morning and evening, at times i got bit lazy and left it to grow a bit yust to go back to the barber's and ask for a head shave they always did it only with clipper what a feeling when my head was smooth, at times i will leaf it and let it grow for a week or so and then go back to the barber's and have them cut it with a no2 6mm sides/back and the top to a no6 20mm or I would ask the barber to shave my sides and cut the top in a short tables top, I was never the buzz cut type of guy although I had a few buzz cuts in my life. for the last 8 or 9 years I have my hair cut in a low, mid or high fade and then at times I had my sides and back shaved like a high and tight with the top cut with a no5 15mm to the crown area and the fringe cut longer,I where my hair cut short with a shaved part comb to the side with a comb over fringe... would not mind now to have my hair all shaved off in a skinhead style is there eny one who needs to get rid of there �'� hair I will cut and shaved it all off you will have no say, you will then be a real boldy... your hart will skip a beat while you're head will be nice and smoooooooooooooth...oooha come to PAPPA PAPPA WILL AND SHALL BE HERE AS YOUR BARBER
by Skin fade on 10 Sep 2024
Cool, cool story! We used to kid a guy who shaved his head, and he took it in good humor. We asked him if he was trying to pass himself off as "Kojak's" brother--"Off-Jak!" :)
by Head-sheen on 09 Sep 2024
Great story! I had a very similar experience in the 70's. I eventually got the"Kojak cut" from my barber but didn't keep it shaved.
by Anthony on 09 Sep 2024
I am jealous of you having the balls to get your head shaved back then. I never even got a crew or buzz cut until the mid 90’s.

I don’t think my parents would have cared as my dad had been in the military and my uncle(mom’s brother) I am told , asked for, and kept his head shaved growing up on the farm.

Unfortunately I had the stigma of big pointed ears and everyone (maybe except me) knew I was gay. Needless to say I hid behind relatively long hair (my mom never let me grow it long like most guys in late 70’s and 80’s.

It wasn’t until college that I discovered that I wouldn’t get teased anymore about these things. I always knew that once my hair started going short, I would eventually end up with a bald head.

Had I shaved it at that age, I doubt I would have ever grown it back.

Please tell us what happened when you went to college…. Hopefully you have stayed a baldy since then.
by Paul’s on 09 Sep 2024