Actor Richard Kiel has passed away in a California hospital at the age of 74. Born in Detroit, this distinctive, towering presence was known for his appearances in films such as notorious B Movie EEGAH and TV show The Wild Wild West. He was also the original choice for The Incredible Hulk series before producers decided he had the wrong build (Kiel didn’t mind as he found the contact lenses and make up for The Hulk difficult to deal with).
However it was his turn as a monster in another franchise that brought him to wider attention, when he took the role of Jaws in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME in 1977. With his steel teeth he was the perfect villain for the more flamboyant Bond era ushered in by Roger Moore. The scene where he killed Nadim Sawalha at the pyramids haunted many a childhood. Kiel played an enormous part in the character’s development – for starters Jaws never existed in the Ian Fleming novel and was supposed to have been eaten by a shark in the script. A test screening led to him being spared and included in following instalment MOONRAKER, where he was given a love interest.
Kiel went on to find fame later on in Adam Sandler’s HAPPY GILMORE, as well as lending his voice to 007 videogame Everything Or Nothing and the animated movie TANGLED. He died on Wednesday afternoon. The cause of death has yet to be made known.
Source: Variety
