Richard Kiel, Famous James Bond Villain, Dies at 74
Richard Kiel, the man most famous for playing James Bond villain Jaws in both 'The Spy Who Loved Me' and 'Moonraker,' passed away earlier this afternoon in Fresno, California at the age of 74. He was just a few days away from celebrating his 75th birthday.
TMZ broke the news that Kiel had been in the hospital following an accident in which he broke his leg, although it's unclear if that injury had anything to do with his death.
Kiel first gained notoriety opposite Burt Reynolds in 'The Longest Yard,' and for appearing in episodes of the television series 'The Wild Wild West,' in which he played the assistant to the villainous Miguelito Loveless.
But Kiel is best known for playing the role of 007 villain Jaws opposite Roger Moore in the James Bond films 'The Spy Who Loved Me' and 'Moonraker.' Later in life, he had a supporting role in the Adam Sandler comedy 'Happy Gilmore,' playing Gilmore's former boss Mr. Larson. In 2003, he lent his voice to a James Bond video game, and in 2010, he was the voice of Vlad in the animated film 'Tangled.'