Yaphet Kotto, Bond villain and "Alien" actor, is dead

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Yaphet Kotto (center), James Moore, Julius W. Harris and Jane Seymour in a scene from "Live and Let Die": "A real hero for many people"

Photo: Sunset Boulevard / Corbis / Getty Images

When "Live and Let Die" was released in 1973, it wasn't just the premiere for Roger Moore as secret agent 007. In the eighth film in the series, James Bond also faced a black adversary for the first time.

Yaphet Kotto played the role of the corrupt Caribbean diplomat and drug lord Dr.

Kananga aka Mr Big, who not only kills Bond.

It was the breakthrough for the then 34-year-old actor.

Yaphet Kotto died on Monday evening.

This was announced by his wife Tessie Sinahon on Facebook: "I am sad and still shocked about the death of my husband," she wrote.

“You played a villain in some of your films, but you are a real hero to me and to a lot of people too.

A good man, a good father, a good husband, and a decent person, as is very seldom found. ”

Kotto was born in New York in 1939.

He made his debut as an actor in 1960 in the Shakespeare drama "Othello".

After his role as the Bond villain, he played among others the engineer Dennis Parker in Ridley Scott's science fiction horror film "Alien" from 1979. For this role, Kotto said he had turned down more lucrative offers.

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Kotto as engineer Dennis Parker in "Alien - The uncanny creature from a strange world"

Photo: ddp images

Kotto starred in around 60 films in his career.

In the eighties he was seen as William Laughlin at the side of Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Running Man" (1987) and as Robert Redford ally Richard Coombes in "Brubaker" (1980).

Kotto turned down the offer to play the role of Jean-Luc Picard in "Spaceship Enterprise - The Next Century".

A decision he later regretted.

One of his last roles was that of Lt.

Al Giardello in the US hit series "Homicide", which he played from 1993 for seven seasons.

Kotto was married three times and had six children.

According to his wife, her husband still had a few film offers, wanted to publish a book and set up a religious community based on the teachings of yoga master Yogananda.

He was 81 years old.

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