Yaphet Kotto
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- November 16, 1939 in New York City, New York, U.S.A
- Died
- March 15, 2021
- Active Years
- 1955–2018 (64 Years)
- Total Credits
- 102 credits in database
Biography
Yaphet Frederick Kotto was an American actor born on November 16, 1939, in New York City, New York, and he passed away on March 15, 2021, at the age of 81. He was known for numerous film roles and for starring as Lieutenant Al Giardello in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1999. His film credits include the 1973 James Bond movie Live and Let Die, where he portrayed the main villain Dr. Kananga and Mr. Big, as well as the science fiction and horror film Alien in 1979. He also appeared in the science fiction and action film The Running Man in 1987 and played FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley opposite Robert De Niro in the 1988 comedy thriller Midnight Run.
Career overview
Yaphet Frederick Kotto was an American actor born on November 16, 1939, in New York City, New York, and he passed away on March 15, 2021, at the age of eighty-one. Over the course of his career, Kotto accumulated ninety-six known acting credits across film and television.
In television, Kotto starred in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1999, playing the role of Lieutenant Al Giardello. On the big screen, he appeared in numerous prominent feature films. He portrayed the main villain, Dr. Kananga and Mr. Big, in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die in 1973. His other notable film roles include the science-fiction and horror film Alien in 1979, the Arnold Schwarzenegger science-fiction and action film The Running Man in 1987, and the comedy thriller Midnight Run in 1988, where he appeared opposite Robert De Niro as FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
102 titles- King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen (2018) as Self
- Witless Protection (2008) as Ricardo Bodi
- BaadAsssss Cinema (2002) as Self
- Stiletto Dance (2001) as Captain Rick Sands
- The Ride (2000) as Carter
- Homicide: The Movie (2000) as Al Giardello
- Inside 'Live and Let Die' (1999)
- The Defenders: Payback (1997) as Judge Williams
- Two If by Sea (1996) as FBI Agent O'Malley
- The World of James Bond (1995) as Self
- Dead Badge (1995) as Captain Hunt
- Out-of-Sync (1995) as Quincy
- Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan (1995) as Marty Talbot
- The Puppet Masters (1994) as Ressler
- The Corpse Had a Familiar Face (1994) as Detective Martin Talbot
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) as Al Giardello
- seaQuest DSV (1993) as Captain Jack Clayton
- Extreme Justice (1993) as Larson
- It's Nothing Personal (1993) as Lt. Tom Riley
- The American Clock (1993) as Isaac
- Almost Blue (1993) as Terry
- Intent to Kill (1992) as Captain Jackson
- Chrome Soldiers (1992) as Perry Beach
- Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) as Doc
- Hangfire (1991) as Police Lieutenant
- Law & Order (1990) as Al Giardello
- The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (1990) as Kelly
- The Trials of Rosie O'Neill (1990) as ADA Kelley
- After the Shock (1990) as William McElroy
- Father Dowling Mysteries (1989) as Lt. Fleming
- Ministry of Vengeance (1989) as Mr. Whiteside
- Prime Target (1989) as Gilmore Brown
- Tripwire (1989) as Lee Pitt
- A Whisper to a Scream (1989) as Jules Tallard
- The Jigsaw Murders (1989) as Doctor Tyrone Fillmore
- Midnight Run (1988) as Alonzo Mosely, Special Agent, F.B.I.
- The Running Man (1987) as William Laughlin
- In Self Defense (1987) as Lt. Tyrell
- Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel (1987) as General Sorenson
- Terminal Entry (1987) as Col. Styles
- Pretty Kill (1987) as Harris
- Desperado (1987) as Bede
- The Park Is Mine (1986) as Eubanks
- Harem (1986) as Agha Kislar
- Eye of the Tiger (1986) as J.B. Deveraux
- Harem (1986) as Agha Kislar
- The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985) as Convict
- Warning Sign (1985) as Major Connolly
- Badge of the Assassin (1985) as Detective Cliff Fenton NYPD
- Playing with Fire (1985) as Fire Chief Walker
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Lt. Bradshaw
- The A-Team (1983) as Charles Struthers
- For Love and Honor (1983)
- The Star Chamber (1983) as Detective Harry Lowes
- Women of San Quentin (1983) as Sgt. Therman Patterson
- For Love and Honor (1983) as Sgt. China Bell
- American Playhouse (1982) as Jocko
- Fighting Back (1982) as Ivanhoe Washington
- A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion (1982) as Denmark Vessey
- Hill Street Blues (1981) as Calvin Matthias
- Brubaker (1980) as Dickie Coombes
- Othello (1980) as Othello
- Rage! (1980) as Ernie
- Alien (1979) as Parker
- Blue Collar (1978) as Sam 'Smokey' James
- Drum (1976) as Blase
- Raid on Entebbe (1976) as President Idi Amin - Jr.
- The Monkey Hustle (1976) as Daddy Foxx
- Crunch (1976) as Richard "Crunch" Blackstone
- Doctors' Hospital (1975)
- Sharks' Treasure (1975) as Ben Flynn
- Friday Foster (1975) as Colt Hawkins
- Report to the Commissioner (1975) as Richard 'Crunch' Blackstone
- Truck Turner (1974) as Blue
- Live and Let Die (1973) as Kananga/Mr. Big
- Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary (1973) as Self
- Across 110th Street (1972) as Lt. William Pope
- Bone (1972) as Bone
- The Limit (1972) as Mark Johnson
- The Limit (1972) Director
- The Limit (1972) Story
- The Limit (1972) Producer
- Man and Boy (1971) as Nate Hodges
- Night Gallery (1970) as Buckner
- The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970) as Sonny Boy Mosby
- Night Chase (1970) as Ernie Green
- Hawaii Five-O (1968) as LCpl. John T. Auston
- The Name of the Game (1968) as Wyman Jackson
- The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) as Carl
- 5 Card Stud (1968) as Little George
- Mannix (1967) as Gabe Johnson / Gabriel Dillon
- The High Chaparral (1967) as Sgt. Major Creason
- Cowboy in Africa (1967) as Musa
- Tarzan (1966)
- The Big Valley (1965) as Lobo Brown
- The Big Valley (1965) as Damien
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Luke
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Jonah
- Nothing But a Man (1964) as Jocko
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- Bonanza (1959) as Child Barnett
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Piney Biggs
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Yaphet Kotto best known for?
Yaphet Kotto is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Two If by Sea (1996), The Puppet Masters (1994), Seabiscuit (2003), Cold Mountain (2003).
When and where was Yaphet Kotto born?
Yaphet Kotto was born on November 16, 1939 in New York City, New York, U.S.A. They passed away on March 15, 2021.
How many credits does Yaphet Kotto have?
Yaphet Kotto has accumulated over 102 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1955 to 2018.
What is Yaphet Kotto's background in cinema and television?
Yaphet Frederick Kotto was an American actor born on November 16, 1939, in New York City, New York, and he passed away on March 15, 2021, at the age of 81. He was known for numerous film roles and for starring as Lieutenant Al Giardello in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1999. His fi...
Yaphet Kotto by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Alien (1979) as Parker — aged about 39
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) as Al Giardello — aged about 53
- Night Gallery (1970) as Buckner — aged about 30
- Hill Street Blues (1981) as Calvin Matthias — aged about 41
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Lt. Bradshaw — aged about 44
- The A-Team (1983) as Charles Struthers — aged about 43
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