Yaphet Frederick Kotto (born November 15, 1939) is an American actor
known for numerous film roles, as well as starring in the NBC
television series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993â€"1999) as
Lieutenant Al Giardello. His films include the science-fiction/horror
film Alien (1979), and the Arnold Schwarzenegger
science-fiction/action film The Running Man (1987). He portrayed the
main villain Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big in the James Bond movie Live and Let
Die (1973). He appeared opposite Robert De Niro in the comedy thriller
Midnight Run (1988) as FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley.Kotto was born in New
York City. His mother was Gladys Marie, a nurse and U.S. Army officer.
His father is Avraham Kotto (according to his son, originally named
Njoki Manga Bell), a businessman from Cameroon who immigrated to the
United States in the 1920s. By the age of sixteen, Kotto was studying
acting at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio, and at 19, he made his
professional acting debut in Othello. He was a member of the Actors
Studio in New York. Kotto got his start in acting on Broadway, where
he appeared in The Great White Hope, among other productions.His film
debut was in 1963, aged 23, in an uncredited role in 4 For Texas. He
performed in Michael Roemer's Nothing But a Man (1964) and played a
supporting role in the caper film The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). He
played John Auston, a confused Marine Lance Corporal, in the 1968
episode, "King of the Hill", on the first season of Hawaii Five-O.
known for numerous film roles, as well as starring in the NBC
television series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993â€"1999) as
Lieutenant Al Giardello. His films include the science-fiction/horror
film Alien (1979), and the Arnold Schwarzenegger
science-fiction/action film The Running Man (1987). He portrayed the
main villain Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big in the James Bond movie Live and Let
Die (1973). He appeared opposite Robert De Niro in the comedy thriller
Midnight Run (1988) as FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley.Kotto was born in New
York City. His mother was Gladys Marie, a nurse and U.S. Army officer.
His father is Avraham Kotto (according to his son, originally named
Njoki Manga Bell), a businessman from Cameroon who immigrated to the
United States in the 1920s. By the age of sixteen, Kotto was studying
acting at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio, and at 19, he made his
professional acting debut in Othello. He was a member of the Actors
Studio in New York. Kotto got his start in acting on Broadway, where
he appeared in The Great White Hope, among other productions.His film
debut was in 1963, aged 23, in an uncredited role in 4 For Texas. He
performed in Michael Roemer's Nothing But a Man (1964) and played a
supporting role in the caper film The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). He
played John Auston, a confused Marine Lance Corporal, in the 1968
episode, "King of the Hill", on the first season of Hawaii Five-O.
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