Roger Moore 'distraught' at death of Bond villain and friend Richard Kiel
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Version 0 of 1. Sir Roger Moore has said he is "totally distraught" at the death of Richard Kiel, who played steel-toothed villain Jaws in two James Bond films. Kiel appeared with Moore on Radio 4's The Reunion only last week to talk about the films. Moore, 86, said: "I am totally distraught to learn of my dear friend Richard Kiel's passing. We were on a radio programme together just a week ago. Distraught. Can't take it in." Kiel, who was 7ft 2in tall, died at the age of 74 at a hospital in California. He was one of the most memorable villains in two of Roger Moore's best Bond films, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979). He was also cast as Mr Larson in Adam Sandler's 1996 golf comedy Happy Gilmore, and voiced the villain Vlad in 2010's animated princess tale Tangled. Kiel, who was born in Detroit, made his small-screen debut in a 1960 episode of Laramie called Street of Hate. He worked as a bouncer at a Los Angeles nightclub before being recruited by Arch Hall for the lead role in Eegah (1962), about teens who stumble across a rampaging prehistoric caveman. Between acting jobs and writing screenplays he also worked as a cemetery-plot salesman and night school maths tutor. He was chosen to play the green monster in the television series The Incredible Hulk but was deemed not "bulky" enough and swiftly replaced by Lou Ferrigno. Kiel was reportedly relieved because he only had sight in one eye and the full contact lenses required by the role bothered him. He is said to have turned down the role of Darth Vader to play Jaws, which he felt offered greater acting potential as the character was not encased in a mask. Moore's stunt-double reportedly also filled in for Kiel because he was afraid of heights. "He was a very loyal friend and client for 35 years, a terrific husband and father, and was not only a giant actor but a giant man," said Steve Stevens, Kiel's agent. Stevens said Kiel had taken a step back from acting after he was involved in a truck accident several years ago and was faced with walking difficulties. He remained active on the autograph circuit for avid Bond fans. The accident forced him to walk with a cane and later he used a motorised wheelchair. His website said his current project was Cassius Clay, about the 19th century crusader against slavery. Kiel's television credits include roles in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964), The Wild Wild West (1965) and Barbary Coast (1975). • Peter Bradshaw on Richard Kiel's Jaws: the Bond villain whose bark was worse than his biteVideo: Jaws' best bites |