No./7 The man who took on Arnie, Bond and the Alien
Remembering Yaphet Kotto, the character actor who always punched above his weight
WITH A STARE that could freeze wet paint, and a raspy voice that could then strip it off the walls, Yaphet Kotto was always able to bring a piercing intensity to the roles he played. Chief among them is Parker, the engineer from Alien who seems, for so long, like the only member of the Nostromo crew who might be able to take on the titular terror and give it a good old hiding.
But the American actor was also wonderful alongside Richard Pryor and Harvey Keitel in Paul Schrader’s underrated 1978 movie Blue Collar, gave good foil to Arnie in The Running Man, and brought grace and warmth to his signature TV role, as Lieutenant Al ‘Gee’ Giardello in the groundbreaking Homicide: Life On The Street.
He even brought class to his Bond villain, Dr Kananga, in that most problematic/proper dodgy of 007 movies, Live And Let Die, somehow managing to sell lines like, “Names is for tombstones, baby,” with gusto. That ability to embrace humour is fully displayed as the beleaguered FBI agent, Alonzo Mosely, in Martin Brest’s classic action comedy Midnight Run, fixing Robert De Niro with that withering stare, and the slowest of slow-burns.
He actually reprised the role in 2008 Larry The Cable Guy comedy Witless Protection, until a legal challenge from Universal saw the character’s name change for all future releases. That was his final appearance in front of the camera — he lived out the rest of his days in the Philippines with his wife before passing away in March. He will be much missed. CHRIS HEWITT