--- name: "Yaphet Kotto" canonical: "https://film.one/person/yaphet-kotto" fi1m_id: "yaphet-kotto" imdb_id: "nm0001433" tmdb_id: 5050 wikidata_id: "Q266270" roles: ["Actor"] born: "16 November 1939" died: "15 March 2021" reviewed_on_fi1m: 4 average_fi1m_score: 84 average_as: "actor" average_over: 4 updated: "2026-09-24T06:39:07.668792+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Yaphet Kotto ## Identity Yaphet Kotto - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/yaphet-kotto - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** yaphet-kotto - **IMDb ID:** nm0001433 - **TMDB ID:** 5050 - **Wikidata ID:** Q266270 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaphet_Kotto, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q266270, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001433/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5050 Actor. Born 16 November 1939 in New York City, New York, U.S.A. Died 15 March 2021. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 16 November 1939, New York City, New York, U.S.A - **Died:** 15 March 2021 - **Active:** 1973–1993 - **Also known as:** Yaphet Frederick Kotto, 耶佛·哥圖 - **Average Fi1m score:** 84, as actor, over 4 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 79 (2), 1980s 88 (1), 1990s 89 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 84 to 79 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 4 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Crime 2, Thriller 2, Action 1, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Drama 1 - **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $270m across 3 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaphet_Kotto, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q266270, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001433/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5050 ## Streaming the US now - **Netflix:** [*Alien*](https://film.one/film/alien.md) (92) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Yaphet Kotto > Yaphet Kotto could give a man authority without making him remote. We value him most in a group, where he makes the comedy funnier and the danger harder to dismiss. In *Alien* (1979), Yaphet Kotto’s Parker seems to have spent too much time with the rest of the crew. He belongs alongside Harry Dean Stanton and Tom Skerritt, sharing the unpolished ease of people who no longer need to impress one another. We were frightened for this crew because Kotto and the others made their everyday familiarity so convincing. Ridley Scott can take his time frightening us once the actors have made the people worth worrying about. His breakthrough, as a Bond villain in *Live and Let Die* (1973), made obvious use of his imposing presence. The auto worker Smokey in *Blue Collar* (1978), directed by Paul Schrader, offered another use for it, grounded in work and the people doing it. Those parts suggest why casting him simply as a threatening figure was limiting. He could supply force, but his ease within a group gave a scene more than someone formidable to look at. In *Midnight Run* (1988), Martin Brest lets Kotto’s FBI agent Alonzo Mosely be funny without behaving as though he knows he is in a comedy. His authority holds amid Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin’s quarrelling and the competing demands of the supporting cast. The pursuit sometimes interrupts conversations we would rather keep hearing, but Kotto helps make those interruptions welcome. Making Mosely foolish would have been the easy option; taking him seriously is much funnier. The limitation was often the work available: heavies and authority figures, with fewer chances to lead a film. Even *Alien* leaves members of its crew less fully written than they deserve, asking the actors to make up the difference. Television gave Kotto a longer stretch as Lieutenant Al Giardello in *Homicide: Life on the Street* (1993–1999). The station commander was another authority figure, though the length of the part at least allowed more time in his company. Start with *Midnight Run*: Kotto takes the job seriously enough to make us laugh. ## Biography Yaphet Kotto was an American actor. He made his professional stage debut at the age of 19 in a production of Othello and later appeared on Broadway in The Great White Hope. He trained at the Actors Studio and began his screen career in the mid-1960s. Kotto is known for his film roles including Carl in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Dr Kananga/Mr Big in Live and Let Die (1973), Parker in Alien (1979), Dickie Coombes in Brubaker (1980), William Laughlin in The Running Man (1987) and Alonzo Mosely in Midnight Run (1988). On television he played Lieutenant Al Giardello in the series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999). He also voiced Parker in the video game Alien: Isolation (2014). Kotto was born in New York City on 15 November 1939 and died in Manila, Philippines, on 15 March 2021. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, variety.com.* ## On Fi1m (4) - *Homicide: Life on the Street* (1993), Fi1m 89, as Al Giardello — [page](https://film.one/tv/homicide-life-on-the-street.md) - *Midnight Run* (1988), Fi1m 88, as Alonzo Mosely, Special Agent, F.B.I. — [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-run.md) - *Alien* (1979), Fi1m 92, as Parker — [page](https://film.one/film/alien.md) - *Live and Let Die* (1973), Fi1m 66, as Kananga/Mr. Big — [page](https://film.one/film/live-and-let-die.md) ## Complete filmography (91) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Witless Protection* (2008), as Ricardo Bodi - *Stiletto Dance* (2001), as Captain Rick Sands - *The Ride* (2000), as Carter - *Homicide: The Movie* (2000), as Al Giardello - *Inside 'Live and Let Die'* (1999), Actor - *The Defenders: Payback* (1997), as Judge Williams - *Two If by Sea* (1996), as FBI Agent O'Malley - *Out-of-Sync* (1995), as Quincy - *Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan* (1995), as Marty Talbot - *Dead Badge* (1995), as Captain Hunt - *The Puppet Masters* (1994), as Ressler - *The Corpse Had a Familiar Face* (1994), as Detective Martin Talbot - *seaQuest DSV* (1993), series, as Captain Jack Clayton - *Almost Blue* (1993), as Terry - *Extreme Justice* (1993), as Larson - *It's Nothing Personal* (1993), as Lt. Tom Riley - *Homicide: Life on the Street* (1993), series, as Al Giardello — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/tv/homicide-life-on-the-street.md) - *The American Clock* (1993), as Isaac - *Intent to Kill* (1992), as Captain Jackson - *Chrome Soldiers* (1992), as Perry Beach - *Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare* (1991), as Doc - *Hangfire* (1991), as Police Lieutenant - *The Trials of Rosie O'Neill* (1990), series, as Kelly, ADA Kelley - *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Al Giardello — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) - *After the Shock* (1990), as William McElroy - *Tripwire* (1989), as Lee Pitt - *Ministry of Vengeance* (1989), as Mr. Whiteside - *Prime Target* (1989), as Gilmore Brown - *The Jigsaw Murders* (1989), as Doctor Tyrone Fillmore - *Father Dowling Mysteries* (1989), series, as Lt. Fleming - *A Whisper to a Scream* (1989), as Jules Tallard - *Midnight Run* (1988), as Alonzo Mosely, Special Agent, F.B.I. — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-run.md) - *Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel* (1987), as General Sorenson - *The Running Man* (1987), as William Laughlin - *Terminal Entry* (1987), as Col. Styles - *In Self Defense* (1987), as Lt. Tyrell - *Desperado* (1987), as Bede - *Pretty Kill* (1987), as Harris - *The Park Is Mine* (1986), as Eubanks - *Eye of the Tiger* (1986), as J.B. Deveraux - *Harem* (1986), as Agha Kislar - *Harem* (1986), series, as Agha Kislar - *The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1985), series, as Convict - *Warning Sign* (1985), as Major Connolly - *Playing with Fire* (1985), as Fire Chief Walker - *Badge of the Assassin* (1985), as Detective Cliff Fenton NYPD - *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Lt. Bradshaw - *Women of San Quentin* (1983), as Sgt. Therman Patterson - *For Love and Honor* (1983), series, Actor - *For Love and Honor* (1983), as Sgt. China Bell - *The Star Chamber* (1983), as Detective Harry Lowes - *The A-Team* (1983), series, as Charles Struthers - *Fighting Back* (1982), as Ivanhoe Washington - *A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion* (1982), as Denmark Vessey - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Jocko - *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, as Calvin Matthias — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md) - *Rage!* (1980), as Ernie - *Brubaker* (1980), as Dickie Coombes - *Othello* (1980), as Othello - *Alien* (1979), as Parker — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/alien.md) - *Blue Collar* (1978), as Sam 'Smokey' James - *Raid on Entebbe* (1976), as President Idi Amin - Jr. - *The Monkey Hustle* (1976), as Daddy Foxx - *Drum* (1976), as Blase - *Crunch* (1976), as Richard "Crunch" Blackstone - *Friday Foster* (1975), as Colt Hawkins - *Doctors' Hospital* (1975), series, Actor - *Sharks' Treasure* (1975), as Ben Flynn - *Report to the Commissioner* (1975), as Richard 'Crunch' Blackstone - *Truck Turner* (1974), as Blue - *Live and Let Die* (1973), as Kananga/Mr. Big — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/live-and-let-die.md) - *Across 110th Street* (1972), as Lt. William Pope - *The Limit* (1972), as Mark Johnson · Director, Story, Producer - *Bone* (1972), as Bone - *Man and Boy* (1971), as Nate Hodges - *Night Gallery* (1970), series, as Buckner - *Night Chase* (1970), as Ernie Green - *The Liberation of L.B. Jones* (1970), as Sonny Boy Mosby - *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Lance Corporal John T. Auston - *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Wyman Jackson - *5 Card Stud* (1968), as Little George - *The Thomas Crown Affair* (1968), as Carl - *Mannix* (1967), series, as Gabe Johnson / Gabriel Dillon - *Cowboy in Africa* (1967), series, as Musa - *The High Chaparral* (1967), series, as Sgt. Major Creason - *Tarzan* (1966), series, Actor - *The Big Valley* (1965), series, as Lobo Brown, Damien - *Nothing But a Man* (1964), as Jocko - *Daniel Boone* (1964), series, as Luke, Jonah - *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Child Barnett - *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Piney Biggs ## Gallery - ![Photo of Leif Erickson as John Cannon and Yaphet Kotto as the leader of an all African-American group of cavalry soldiers from the television program The High C (1968)](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-d16aae49fe68.jpg) Photo of Leif Erickson as John Cannon and Yaphet Kotto as the leader of an all African-American group of cavalry soldiers from the television program The High C (1968) — NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Leif_Erickson_Yaphet_Kotto_The_High_Chaparral_1968.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Yaphet Kotto](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-26a77fe03aea.jpg) Yaphet Kotto — Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Yaphet_Koto.jpg/1280px-Yaphet_Koto.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Yaphet Kotto at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2014](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-f5a37b58d4f5.jpg) Yaphet Kotto at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2014 — Rob DiCaterino from Clifton, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Yaphet_Kotto_%2815655080302%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Yaphet Kotto at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2014](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-88c3c028e4b3.jpg) Yaphet Kotto at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2014 — Rob DiCaterino from Clifton, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Yaphet_Kotto_%2815655080302%29_%28headshot%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Yaphet Kotto](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-3459f0a0040c.jpg) Yaphet Kotto — Image via TMDB - ![Yaphet Kotto](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-0151fddcce76.jpg) Yaphet Kotto — Image via TMDB - ![Yaphet Kotto](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-4dd3d5437831.jpg) Yaphet Kotto — Image via TMDB - ![Yaphet Kotto](https://film.one/media/person/59544/gallery-126689c28991.jpg) Yaphet Kotto — Image via TMDB --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/yaphet-kotto