Yaphet Kotto

Biography

Yaphet Frederick Kotto (November 16, 1939 – March 15, 2021) was an American actor known for numerous film roles, as well as starring in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-99) as Lieutenant Al Giardello. His films include the science-fiction and horror film Alien (1979), and the Arnold Schwarzenegger science-fiction and action film The Running Man (1987). He portrayed the main villain Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die (1973). He appeared opposite Robert De Niro in the comedy thriller Midnight Run (1988) as FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley.

Known For

Law & Order

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Murder, She Wrote

The A-Team

Bonanza

Mannix

Hawaii Five-O

Hill Street Blues

All Movies (71)

• King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen2018 · as Self
• Witless Protection2008 · as Ricardo Bodi
• BaadAsssss Cinema2002 · as Self
• Stiletto Dance2001 · as Captain Rick Sands
• The Ride2000 · as Carter
• Homicide: The Movie2000 · as Al Giardello
• Inside 'Live and Let Die'1999
• The Defenders: Payback1997 · as Judge Williams
• Two If by Sea1996 · as FBI Agent O'Malley
• The World of James Bond1995 · as Self
• Out-of-Sync1995 · as Quincy
• Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan1995 · as Marty Talbot
• Dead Badge1995 · as Captain Hunt
• The Puppet Masters1994 · as Ressler
• The Corpse Had a Familiar Face1994 · as Detective Martin Talbot
• Almost Blue1993 · as Terry
• Extreme Justice1993 · as Larson
• It's Nothing Personal1993 · as Lt. Tom Riley
• The American Clock1993 · as Isaac
• Intent to Kill1992 · as Captain Jackson
• Chrome Soldiers1992 · as Perry Beach
• Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare1991 · as Doc
• Hangfire1991 · as Police Lieutenant
• After the Shock1990 · as William McElroy
• Tripwire1989 · as Lee Pitt
• Ministry of Vengeance1989 · as Mr. Whiteside
• Prime Target1989 · as Gilmore Brown
• The Jigsaw Murders1989 · as Doctor Tyrone Fillmore
• A Whisper to a Scream1989 · as Jules Tallard
• Midnight Run1988 · as Alonzo Mosely, Special Agent, F.B.I.
• Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel1987 · as General Sorenson
• The Running Man1987 · as William Laughlin
• Terminal Entry1987 · as Col. Styles
• In Self Defense1987 · as Lt. Tyrell
• Desperado1987 · as Bede
• Pretty Kill1987 · as Harris
• The Park Is Mine1986 · as Eubanks
• Eye of the Tiger1986 · as J.B. Deveraux
• Harem1986 · as Agha Kislar
• Warning Sign1985 · as Major Connolly
• Playing with Fire1985 · as Fire Chief Walker
• Badge of the Assassin1985 · as Detective Cliff Fenton NYPD
• Women of San Quentin1983 · as Sgt. Therman Patterson
• For Love and Honor1983 · as Sgt. China Bell
• The Star Chamber1983 · as Detective Harry Lowes
• Fighting Back1982 · as Ivanhoe Washington
• A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion1982 · as Denmark Vessey
• Rage!1980 · as Ernie
• Brubaker1980 · as Dickie Coombes
• Othello1980 · as Othello
• Alien1979 · as Parker
• Blue Collar1978 · as Sam 'Smokey' James
• Raid on Entebbe1976 · as President Idi Amin - Jr.
• The Monkey Hustle1976 · as Daddy Foxx
• Drum1976 · as Blase
• Crunch1976 · as Richard "Crunch" Blackstone
• Friday Foster1975 · as Colt Hawkins
• Sharks' Treasure1975 · as Ben Flynn
• Report to the Commissioner1975 · as Richard 'Crunch' Blackstone
• Truck Turner1974 · as Blue
• Live and Let Die1973 · as Kananga/Mr. Big
• Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary1973 · as Self
• Across 110th Street1972 · as Lt. William Pope
• The Limit1972 · as Mark Johnson
• Bone1972 · as Bone
• Man and Boy1971 · as Nate Hodges
• Night Chase1970 · as Ernie Green
• The Liberation of L.B. Jones1970 · as Sonny Boy Mosby
• 5 Card Stud1968 · as Little George
• The Thomas Crown Affair1968 · as Carl
• Nothing But a Man1964 · as Jocko

All TV Shows (27)

• seaQuest DSV1993 · as Captain Jack Clayton
• Homicide: Life on the Street1993 · as Al Giardello
• The Trials of Rosie O'Neill1990 · as Kelly
• The Trials of Rosie O'Neill1990 · as ADA Kelley
• Law & Order1990 · as Al Giardello
• Father Dowling Mysteries1989 · as Lt. Fleming
• Harem1986 · as Agha Kislar
• The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents1985 · as Convict
• Murder, She Wrote1984 · as Lt. Bradshaw
• For Love and Honor1983
• The A-Team1983 · as Charles Struthers
• Hill Street Blues1981 · as Calvin Matthias
• Doctors' Hospital1975
• Night Gallery1970 · as Buckner
• Hawaii Five-O1968 · as LCpl. John T. Auston
• The Name of the Game1968 · as Wyman Jackson
• Mannix1967 · as Gabe Johnson / Gabriel Dillon
• Cowboy in Africa1967 · as Musa
• The High Chaparral1967 · as Sgt. Major Creason
• Tarzan1966
• The Big Valley1965 · as Lobo Brown
• The Big Valley1965 · as Damien
• Daniel Boone1964 · as Luke
• Daniel Boone1964 · as Jonah
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• Bonanza1959 · as Child Barnett
• Gunsmoke1955 · as Piney Biggs