Richard Kiel

Actor Richard Kiel's towering 7'1.5" height granted him a five-decade career in Hollywood playing henchmen, strongmen and costumed creatures, as well as a brief flirtation with stardom as the steel-toothed Jaws in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1976) and "Moonraker" (1979). Though rarely afforded top billing or even dialogue, Kiel was a memorable presence on countless television shows like "The Twilight Zone" (CBS, 1959-1964) and "The Wild, Wild West" (CBS, 1965-1969) and features like "The Longest Yard" (1974) and "Silver Streak" (1976). His turn as Jaws opposite Roger Moore's James Bond in "Spy" struck a chord with audiences, which earned him a second franchise appearance in "Moonraker" and a newfound career as a heroic, even comic character actor in "Cannonball Run II" (1984) and other films. Health issues curtailed Kiel's acting career in the new millennium, though his popularity in the Bond films continued unchecked, thanks to voiceover reprisals as Jaws in various video game spin-offs. Though Kiel made his name playing larger-than-life or supernatural characters, his lasting fame came from the degree of humanity that he brought to each of those roles. His death on September 10, 2014 brought fond remembrances from co-stars and fans alike.