Richard Kiel
Biography
Richard Kiel was a male character actor and voice artist. He was born on September 13, 1939, in Detroit, Michigan, USA. Kiel stood 7 feet 3 inches tall and wore size 20 EEEEE shoes. He frequently played intimidating strongmen or gentle giants in film and television. Kiel was married to Diane Rogers from 1974 until his death in 2014. They had four children together. He appeared in numerous films, including The Longest Yard, Silver Streak, Force 10 from Navarone, and Pale Rider. Kiel also provided voice work for animated films such as Tangled. He passed away on September 10, 2014, at the age of 74.
Career overview
Richard Kiel was a character actor known for his intimidating presence on screen. He stood at 7 feet 3 inches tall and frequently played strongmen or gentle giants in his roles. Kiel's acting credits include a wide range of films.
Some of his notable film appearances include The Longest Yard, Silver Streak, Force 10 from Navarone, Cannonball Run II, Pale Rider, and Tangled. He also played a notable role in the James Bond movies The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, as well as the film Happy Gilmore. Kiel's acting career spanned multiple decades, with a total of 80 credits.
Kiel's height and physical presence were often used to his advantage in his acting roles. His tall stature and size 20 EEEEE shoes made him a recognizable figure in the film industry. Despite his intimidating appearance, Kiel's roles often showcased his gentle side, adding depth to his characters. His versatility as an actor allowed him to take on a wide range of roles throughout his career.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration (2019) as Kanamit (archive footage)
- Top Gear: 50 Years of Bond Cars (2012) as Self
- Tangled (2010) as Vlad (voice)
- Welcome to Sweden (2007)
- Best Ever Bond (2002) as Self / Jaws
- Inside 'Moonraker' (2000) as Self
- Inside 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (2000) as Self
- Inspector Gadget (1999) as Famous Big Guy with Silver Teeth
- The Secrets of 007 (1997) as Self
- Happy Gilmore (1996) as Mr. Larson
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996)
- The World of James Bond (1995) as Self
- The Giant of Thunder Mountain (1990) as Eli Weaver
- The Giant of Thunder Mountain (1990) Writer
- Think Big (1989) as Irving
- Superboy (1988)
- Pale Rider (1985) as Club
- Mob Busters (1985)
- Cannonball Run II (1984) as Arnold
- Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street (1984) as Big G
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982) as Self
- Hysterical (1982) as Captain James Howdy
- Simon & Simon (1981)
- The Fall Guy (1981)
- So Fine (1981) as Eddie
- Moonraker (1979) as Jaws
- The Humanoid (1979) as Golob
- Force 10 from Navarone (1978) as Drazak
- They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way (1978) as Duke
- The Phoenix (1978) as Grasshopper
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977)
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) as Jaws
- Young Dan'l Boone (1977)
- Silver Streak (1976) as Reace
- Gus (1976) as Tall Man
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1975) as Self
- Starsky & Hutch (1975) as Iggy
- Switch (1975) as Loach
- Barbary Coast (1975) as Moose Moran
- Van Dyke and Company (1975) as Self
- Flash and the Firecat (1975) as Milo Pewett
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974) as The Monster
- Am laufenden Band (1974) as Self - Guest
- The Longest Yard (1974) as Samson
- Emergency! (1972)
- Deadhead Miles (1972) as Big Dick
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) as Blacksmith (uncredited)
- The Boy Who Stole the Elephant (1970) as Luke Brown
- It Takes a Thief (1968) as Willy
- A Man Called Dagger (1968) as Otto
- Skidoo (1968) as Beany
- Now You See It, Now You Don't (1968) as Nori
- The Monkees (1966) as Monster
- The Monroes (1966)
- Las Vegas Hillbillys (1966)
- The Wild Wild West (1965)
- The Wild Wild West (1965) as Voltaire
- I Dream of Jeannie (1965) as Ali
- Honey West (1965) as Groalgo
- I Spy (1965) as Tiny
- My Mother the Car (1965)
- The Human Duplicators (1965) as Dr. Kolos
- Two on a Guillotine (1965) as Photographer at Funeral (uncredited)
- To Trap a Spy (1965) as Thug in Vulcan's Factory (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Brainstorm (1965) as Asylum Inmate (uncredited)
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Lemouche
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) as Guard (uncredited)
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) as Merry
- Gilligan's Island (1964)
- Roustabout (1964) as Strongman (uncredited)
- The Nasty Rabbit (1964) as Ranch Foreman
- The Nutty Professor (1963) as Man in Gym (uncredited)
- Lassie's Great Adventure (1963) as Chinook Pete
- House of the Damned (1963) as The Giant
- Lassie's Greatest Adventure (1963)
- Eegah (1962) as Eegah
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Phantom (1961) as Big Mike
- The Phantom Planet (1961) as The Solarite
- Thriller (1960) as Master Styx
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Kanamit
- The Rifleman (1958)