"Kojak" was based on a couple of things, actually.

Most directly, it was a continuation of the popular and award-winning telefilm "The Marcus-Nelson Murders," which aired in 1973 on CBS. That film introduced audiences to Detective Theo Kojak, an honest cop who suspects some of his fellow detectives of framing a young black man for murder. The film, in particular the character, was a hit, and so later that year CBS premiered the "Kojak" series.

However, before either the show or the movie was the book, though it had a different title and a complete absence of Kojak.

"Justice in the Back Room" was a non-fiction book by Selwyn Raab that alleged police brutality and the forcing of false confessions by the New York Police Department. The telefilm tackles the same issues, but hands the crusading work to a hero cop instead of a tenacious journalist.

The book is worth looking up if you're a fan of the show -- it was nominated for a prestigious Edgar Award in 1968 for best true crime book of the year. Raab has also written other books, mostly focusing on the mafia in America.

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.