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Richard Kiel
Age: 70
Height: 7' 1 1/2"
Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Born: Sep. 13th, 1939
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Richard Kiel's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: Towering 7' 2" tall actor who has cornered the market on playing giants, intimidating henchman, bayou swamp monsters and steel toothed villains! Kiel worked in numerous jobs including as a night club bouncer and a cemetery plot salesman, before breaking into film & TV in several minor roles in the late 1950s / early 1960s. Noted amongst these was the alien "Kanamit" in the classic "The Twilight Zone" (1959) episode "To Serve Man", and terrorizing Arch Hall Jr. while clad in a loincloth in the prehistoric caveman meets virile teenage drama Eegah (1962).
Kiel turned up in two episodes of the classic horror TV series "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (1974). On one occasion playing a Native American evil spirit with the ability to transform into various animals. On his second appearance, Kiel was unrecognizable as a Spanish moss covered, Louisiana swamp monster bought to life by a patient involved in deep sleep therapy.
However, his biggest break came in 1977 when he was cast as the unstoppable, steel toothed henchman "Jaws" in the finest Roger Moore (I) film of the Bond series The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Such was Kiel's popularity with movie audiences, that his character was brought back for the next Bond outing Moonraker (1979). However, audiences were quite split on opinions when Kiel's "Jaws" character changes sides near the film's conclusion and assists 007, Roger Moore (I), in saving the Earth.
Over the next few years, Kiel appeared in relatively non-demanding comedy or fantasy type films taking advantage of his physical stature and presence. Kiel then decided to try his hand behind the camera and co-wrote and produced, plus took the lead role, in the well received family movie The Giant of Thunder Mountain (1991). Demand for Kiel's unique attributes dropped very sharply in the 1990's, leading to only a handful of roles including reprising his "Jaws" character in the Matthew Broderick (I) film Inspector Gadget (1999). In 2002, Kiel penned his informative autobiography entitled "Making it BIG in the movies".
TRIVIA:
- He is best known for playing Jaws, a giant and seemingly unstoppable assassin with steel teeth who battled James Bond in _The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)_ (qv) and _Moonraker (1979)_ (qv).
- Owns a film production company in Oakhurst, California.
- His son "Richard George" appears in the film _The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)_ (qv). He is the little boy on the beach pointing out to the upcoming car that "James Bond" is driving from the water.
- Original choice to play the title character in the television series _"The Incredible Hulk" (1978)_ (qv). After 2 days of filming, it was decided that he was not "bulky" enough for the role. He was paid for the two movies of the week and replaced by 'Lou Ferrigno' (qv). Kiel was happy this happened because he only had sight in one eye and the full contact lens were bothering him.
- In 1992, he was in a serious automobile accident which affected his auto-balance and now walks using a walking stick or rides a battery powered scooter around if he has to go very far. In the movie _Happy Gilmore (1996)_ (qv), he is never seen walking and almost all of his scenes are from the waist up. There are only two full body scenes and both times he is leaning on something. The first is a post, the second is a man.
- Worked as a bouncer at a Los Angeles nightclub, before being recruited by 'Arch Hall Sr.' (qv) for the lead role in _Eegah (1962)_ (qv).
- Interviewed about "Eegah" in Tom Weaver's book "Eye on Science Fiction" (McFarland & Co., 2003).
- Appeared in a National Geographic special produced by 'David L. Wolper' (qv) in which he portrayed Big Foot.
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