In a career spanning 50 years in both television and film, 7’ 2” tall Richard Kiel created a number of memorable characters.
One of his most popular roles was as an alien on the classic Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man.” He was a series regular as well as on Barbary Coast and The Night Stalker.
In addition, he had a recurring role as “Voltaire,” the assistant to the evil Dr. Loveless (diminutive actor Michael Dunn) on The Wild, Wild West. Other guest starring roles, primarily as a villain, included appearances on The Man from U.N.C.L.E., It Takes a Thief, Simon & Simon and The Monkees.
In film, he was best known as the metal-toothed “Jaws” in the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. Fans also enjoyed characters he created in Happy Gilmore and Silver Streak. In one of his last roles, he voiced the character of Vlad in Disney's Tangled.
Kiel died on September 10, 2014, in Fresno, California. He was 74.