# RIP, Yaphet Kotto **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [March 16, 2021, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020 "2021-03-16T13:46:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/1 "2021-03-16T13:46:50Z")
I remember first seeing him in **Live and Let Die** playing the villain. It was an awful, disappointing movie, but not because of him. Because I remembered his odd name, I noticed when he showed up elsewhere – in **Alien** six years later and as Idi Amin in TV’s **Raid on Entebbe**. He sort of dropped off my radar for years, then suddenly popped up in films like **The Star Chamber** and **The Puppet Masters** He was 81 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/2 "2021-03-16T13:50:18Z")
I recall him getting a push for playing Amin in Raid on Entebbe. I also recall him being in Live and Let Die, but no details, and yeah, disappointing movie. He made it to 81, not bad for these days. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/3 "2021-03-16T14:03:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I remember first seeing him in **Live and Let Die** playing the villain. It was an awful, disappointing movie, but not because of him. Because I remembered his odd name, I noticed when he showed up elsewhere – in **Alien** six years later and as Idi Amin in TV’s **Raid on Entebbe**. He sort of dropped off my radar for years, then suddenly popped up in films like **The Star Chamber** and **The Puppet Masters** > > He was 81 He did seven seasons of Homicide: Life of on the Streets. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/4 "2021-03-16T14:07:01Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > He did seven seasons of Homicide: Life of on the Streets. Never watched that show. Good to know, though. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/5 "2021-03-16T14:08:20Z")
I wish I could find it on the internet, but I remember seeing Rick Moranis telling a funny anecdote about appearing with Yaphet Kotto on “The Dini Petty Show” (a Canadian daytime talk show of no great distinction) and admitting they were both there just to get a free trip to Toronto (where Kotto’s girlfriend lived at the time). ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/6 "2021-03-16T14:17:47Z")
Aw, geez. I think the first thing I saw him in was _Alien_, but I was 12 in 1979. I also remember him from Michael Moore’s TV show, where he tried to hail a cab in Manhattan (somewhere on Amsterdam, IIRC), and couldn’t get one. But cabs kept pulling over for a white guy, who happened to be a convicted violent felon. He was appearing in _Homicide_ at the time of the show. He must have had a good sense of humor to be willing to do that. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/7 "2021-03-16T14:31:17Z")
Here’s a clip from the very fine [Midnight Run](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlj9wg9q6f8). Kotto wasn’t outstanding in the movie (Charles Grodin overshadowed everybody, including DeNiro), but he was a memorable presence. And from the clip it looks like he was a very large dude. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/8 "2021-03-16T14:36:49Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > He did seven seasons of Homicide: Life of on the Streets. > > Never watched that show. Good to know, though. It was a very good show especially in the early years. The origin of Det John Munch who went on to be on 10 different shows. Andre Braugher got to show why he is a national treasure. It’s the first time I noticed future Oscar winner Melissa Leo. Yaphet Kotto was very good as Lt Al Giardello. The show is based on a non-fiction book by David Simon who spent a year with the Baltimore Homicide Division. He produced and helped write the show then went on to make The Wire. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/9 "2021-03-16T14:49:12Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I remember first seeing him in **Live and Let Die** playing the villain. It was an awful, disappointing movie, but not because of him. It also had the best response to Bond announcing himself: > Bond: My name is… > Mr. Big: Names is for tombstones, baby! He was also the first black actor to play the Moorish title role in a film adaptation of _Othello_. I have not seen it but now I’m going to have to track it down. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/10 "2021-03-16T15:04:58Z")
Sad to hear. I really enjoyed his work. I think of him most from: **Brubaker** **Alien** **Midnight Run** and **Live and Let Die** ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/11 "2021-03-16T21:48:39Z")
I remember him from Running Man too. He was at least raised Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2021, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/12 "2021-03-16T22:32:46Z")
Anyone else see **Blue Collar**? It is an outstanding 1978 Richard Pryor movie in which I was introduced to - and have never forgotten - Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel. Seek it out if you have not seen it. mmm ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/13 "2021-03-17T00:29:36Z")
Perfect foil in Midnight Run. Good night Sweet Prince. RIP ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/14 "2021-03-17T01:07:48Z")
First time we ever saw him was ALIEN. He stole every scene he was in. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/15 "2021-03-17T01:37:42Z")
Aw, man. He was great in “Homicide”. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/16 "2021-03-17T01:52:43Z")
I first spotted him in an old TV movie called Night Chase with David Janssen. > **[Night Chase (TV Movie 1970) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066139/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_32)** > > Night Chase: Directed by Jack Starrett. With David Janssen, Yaphet Kotto, Victoria Vetri, Elisha Cook Jr.. A taxi driver hired to drive a fugitive criminal to the Mexican border forms an unlikely friendship with his passenger. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/17 "2021-03-18T00:12:22Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > First time we ever saw him was ALIEN. He and Harry Dean Stanton were so perfect together. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/18 "2021-03-18T00:21:57Z")
Seems tailor-made: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eziR_5JHD0U/hqdefault.jpg "Homicide: Life on the Streets") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eziR_5JHD0U) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/19 "2021-03-18T05:49:23Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > He and Harry Dean Stanton were so perfect together. Right. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020/20 "2021-03-18T06:40:42Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > Seems tailor-made: > > [https://youtube.com/watch?v=eziR\_5JHD0U&t=128](https://youtube.com/watch?v=eziR_5JHD0U&t=128) Yes it does. That’s from the TV movie that served as the finale. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-yaphet-kotto/938020.md?page=2)