abstract:The Marcus-Nelson Murders is a 1973 TV-movie written by Abby Mann from a book by Selwyn Raab, directed by Joseph Sargent, and starring Telly Savalas, Marjoe Gortner, José Ferrer and Ned Beatty. The police procedural film served as the pilot for the subsequent television series Kojak, although in this version, Savalas' character's name is spelled "Kojack.