“Alien,” “Live and Let Die” and “Homicide: Life on the Street” actor Yaphet Kotto has died. He was 81. Kotto’s wife of 24 years, Tessie Sinahon, revealed the news on Facebook on Monday night.
New York-born Kotto made his big screen debut in films like “Nothing But a Man” and the original “The Thomas Crown Affair”.
In 1973 he broke through with his dual roles of corrupt Caribbean dictator Dr. Kananga and drug kingpin Mr. Big. In 1976 he scored an Emmy nomination for his work as General Idi Amin in the “Raid on Entebbe” mini-series.
Three years later he landed the key supporting role of technician Parker in Ridley Scott’s “Alien” in 1979. Kotto remained steadily employed throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s with movies like “Brubaker,” “The Star Chamber,” “The Running Man,” “Midnight Run,” “Eye of the Tiger,” “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare” and “Two if by Sea”.
He also had an extensive TV career, guest-starring in shows like “seaQuest DSV,” “Murder She Wrote,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Gunsmoke,” “The A-Team,” “Law & Order,” “Daniel Boone,” “Night Gallery” and “Bonanza”. He was also a regular on the seminal NBC series “Homicide: Life on the Street”.
Kotto’s last role was voicing Parker in the “Alien: Isolation” video game. He was also famously missed out roles in “Star Trek” – at one point he was considered to play Captain Jean-Luc Picard before the role went to Patrick Stewart. Later he was up for a part in “Star Trek: First Contact” in its early stages.
Kotto is survived by his wife and six children.
Source: Variety