Yaphet Kotto, the actor known for his role in “Alien” and as the James Bond villain Mr. Big in “Live and Let Die”, died at age 81, his wife announced on Facebook. “He died last night at around 10:30 pm Philippine time. This is a very painful time for me to inform all of my husband’s fans, friends and family,” wrote Tessie Sinahon.
It is unclear what caused Kotto’s death.
He was born in New York City in 1939 and, at 16, was studying at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio. He made his stage debut at the age of 19 in “Othello”.
Kotto’s first major film role came in 1972 as Lieutenant Pope on “Across 110th Street”. A year later, Kotto became the first Black Bond villain.
“You played a villain in some of your films, but for me you are a true hero and for many people too. A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being, very rare to find,” Sinahon said .
Kotto’s work as Smokey James in “Blue Collar” in 1978 and coach Dennis Parker in “Alien” in 1979 earned him much praise, as did his long career as Lieutenant Al Giardello in the TV series “Homicide: Life on the Street “from 1993 to 2000 He was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 and every year thereafter until 1999.
Kotto made his last appearance in cinema in 2008, as Ricardo Bodi, in “Witless Protection”. He leaves Sinahon and six children.