Yaphet Kotto

• Name — Yaphet Kotto • Birth Name — Frederick Samuel Kotto • Born — 15 November 1939 • Birthplace — New York City, U.S. • Died — 15 March 2021 • Place of death — Manila, Philippines • Years Active — 1963–2014 • Height — 6 ft 4 in • Occupation — Actor • Children — 7

Kotto was born in New York City. His mother, Gladys Marie, was an American nurse and U.S. Army officer of Panamanian and Antiguan descent. His father, Avraham Kotto (who was, according to his son, originally named Njoki Manga Bell), was a businessman from Cameroon who immigrated to the United States in the 1920s. Kotto's father was raised Jewish and his mother converted to Judaism. The couple separated when Kotto was a child, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. By the age of 16, Kotto was studying acting at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio.

At age 19, Yaphet Kotto 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. In 1967, he released a single, "Have You Ever Seen the Blues" / "Have You Dug His Scene" (Chisa Records, CH006). In 1973, he landed the role of the James Bond villain Mr. Big in Live and Let Die, as well as roles in Across 110th Street and Truck Turner. He played a police officer, Richard "Crunch" Blackstone, in the 1975 film Report to the Commissioner. Kotto portrayed Idi Amin in the 1977 television film Raid on Entebbe. He starred as an auto worker in the 1978 film Blue Collar. The following year he played Parker in the sci-fi–horror film Alien. He followed with a supporting role in the 1980 prison drama Brubaker. In 1983, he guest-starred as mobster Charlie "East Side Charlie" Struthers in The A-Team episode "The Out-of-Towners". In 1987, he appeared in the futuristic sci-fi movie The Running Man, and in 1988, in the action-comedy Midnight Run, in which he portrayed Alonzo Moseley, an FBI agent. A memo from Paramount indicates that Kotto was among those being considered for Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, a role which eventually went to Patrick Stewart. • Illustration — Kotto acting alongside Leif Erickson in the television series The High Chaparral in 1968 Kotto was cast as a religious man living in the southwestern desert country in the 1967 episode "A Man Called Abraham" on the syndicated anthology series Death Valley Days, hosted by Robert Taylor. In the story line, Abraham convinces a killer named Cassidy (Rayford Barnes) that Cassidy can change his heart despite past crimes. When Cassidy is sent to the gallows, Abraham provides spiritual solace. Bing Russell also appeared in this segment. Kotto retired from film acting in the mid-1990s, though he had one final film role in Witless Protection (2008). However, he continued to take on television roles. Kotto portrayed Lieutenant Al Giardello in the long-running television series Homicide: Life on the Street. As a black Sicilian proud of his Italian ancestry, the character was a breakout for television. He has written the book Royalty and also wrote scripts for Homicide. In 2014, he voiced Parker for the video game Alien: Isolation, reprising the role he played in the movie Alien in 1979.

Kotto's first marriage, in 1959, was to a German immigrant, Rita Ingrid Dittman. They had three children and divorced in 1976. Later, Kotto married Toni Pettyjohn, and they also had three children together before divorcing in 1989. Kotto married his third wife, Tessie Sinahon, who was from the Philippines, in 1998. Yaphet Kotto was raised in the Catholic faith and attended Holy Cross Grammar School, in the Soundview section of the Bronx during the early to mid-fifties. Kotto became Jewish, and versed in the Hebrew liturgy and incorporated Jewish prayers at turning points throughout his life. He said his father "instilled Judaism" in him. In 2000, he was living in Marmora, Ontario, Canada.

Kotto died at the age of 81 on March 15, 2021, near Manila, Philippines. His wife announced the news on Facebook.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 1966–1967 — The Big Valley — "Lobo" Brown Damien — 2 episodes • 1967 — Death Valley Days — Abraham — Episode: "A Man Called Abraham" • 1968 — Bonanza — Joshua "Child" Barnett — Episode: "Child" • The — Sergeant Major — Episode: "The Buffalo Soldiers" Western Heritage Bronze Wrangler Award for Best Fictional Television Drama • Daniel Boone — Luke — Episode: Big, Black and out There • 1969 — Mannix — Gabe Johnson / Gabriel Dillon — Episode: "Death in a Minor Key" • Hawaii Five-O — Marine Lance Corporal John T. Auston — Episode: "King of the Hill" • Daniel Boone — Jonah — Episode: "Jonah" • 1970 — Gunsmoke — Piney Biggs — Episode: "The Scavengers" • Night Chase — Ernie Green — Television film • 1971 — Night Gallery — Buckner — Episode: "The Messiah on Mott Street" • 1976 — Crunch — Richard "Crunch" Blackstone — Television film • 1977 — Raid on Entebbe — President Idi Amin Dada — Television film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie • 1980 — Rage! — Ernie — Television film • 1982 — A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion — Denmark Vesey • 1983 — The A-Team — Charlie "East-Side Charlie" Struthers — Episode: "The Out-of-Towners" • For Love and Honor — Sergeant James "China" Bell — Television film • Women of San Quentin — Sergeant Therman Patterson • 1983–1984 — For Love and Honor — Sergeant James "China" Bell — 12 episodes • 1985 — Playing with Fire — Fire Chief Jim Walker — Television film • The — Eubanks • Badge of the Assassin — Detective Cliff Fenton NYPD • Alfred Hitchcock Presents — Convict — Episode: "Prisoners" • 1986 — Harem — Agha Kislar — Television film • 1987 — Desperado — Bede • In Self Defense — Lieutenant Tyrell • Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel — General Sorenson • Murder, She Wrote — Lieutenant Bradshaw — Episode: "Steal Me a Story" • 1989 — Prime Target — Gilmore Brown — Television film • 1990 — After the Shock — William McElroy • 1992 — Chrome Soldiers — Perry Beach • 1993 — It's Nothing Personal — Lieutenant Riley • 1993 — The American Clock — Isaac • 1993 — seaQuest DSV — Captain Jack Clayton — Episode: "Treasures of the Tonga Trench" • 1993–2000 — Homicide: Life on the Street — Lieutenant Al Giardello — Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (1996–1999) • 1994 — The Corpse Had a Familiar Face — Detective Martin Talbot — Television film • 1994 — TV Nation — Himself — Pilot episode • 1995 — Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan — Marty Talbot — Television film • 1997 — The Defenders: Payback — Judge Williams • Law & Order — Lieutenant Al Giardello — Episode: "Baby It's You" • 2000 — Homicide: The Movie — Al "Gee" Giardello — Television film • 2000 — The Ride — Carter • 2001 — Stiletto Dance — Captain Rick Sands

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Ref. • 2014 — Alien: Isolation — Dennis Parker, Technician — Voice role; Nostromo Edition

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