Bond villain Richard Kiel dies at 74

Richard Kiel died at the Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, California, on Wednesday, hospital spokeswoman Kelley Sanchez said. Kiel's agent, Steven Stevens, also confirmed the actor's passing; both declined to offer further details on confidentiality grounds.

Standing 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters) tall, Kiel's biggest cinema role came almost 20 years after his on-screen debut in the "Twilight Zone" in 1959.

The Detroit native played one of James Bond's more notorious enemies, the towering henchman with metal teeth known as "Jaws" featured in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) and "Moonraker" (1979). The role was a mute one, perhaps most succinctly summarized by Bond actor Roger Moore's quip: "His name's Jaws. He kills people."

Giving the henchman a heart

Kiel often spoke of how the recognizable role was one he could never truly escape, but its popularity was down to improvements he requested before agreeing to take the part.

"I had convinced the producer that Jaws should have some characteristics that were human to counteract the steel teeth," he told the Hollywood Reporter in 2009. "I guess I overdid it - I became too likable to kill off!"

The initial "Spy Who Loved Me" film script ended with Jaws' death at the hands of a shark boasting even more formidable ivories, but ultimately two versions were shot and the unplanned one was screened.

"That was one of the big moments for me, watching the blue-collar screening of the movie, 'The Spy Who Loved Me,' and having the reaction of the crowd at the theater when Jaws popped out of the ocean, survived, and swam away," Kiel told BBC Radio 4 recently. "There were hoots and howling, applause. I couldn't believe it."

Space, as opposed to the sea, was the last time Jaws featured in the franchise; but only after the mute monster found love in orbit and escaped a burning space station with his belle.

The role was even resurrected in the 1999 movie "Inspector Gadget" when Kiel played the character named "Famous big guy with silver teeth." Kiel had the hormonal condition acromegaly, which might have contributed to his height.

Making it big in the movies

"My best part would probably be Captain Drazak in 'Force 10 form Navarone.' A lot of people don't even know it's me because I had a big beard and a great costume," Kiel once told Entertainment Weekly. "As Jaws, I start off as a bad guy and turn into a good guy, whereas in this I appear to be a good guy and turn into a really nasty guy."

Kiel played many other roles in shows and films including "The Man from U.N.C.L.E," "The Wild Wild West," and "Barbary Coast." More recently, he played a cameo in the kooky Adam Sandler golf comedy "Happy Gilmore," playing a fan who quickly turns angry when his admiration is shunned by the protagonist.

He took a turn behind the camera in 1991, co-writing, producing and starring in family film "The Giant of Thunder Mountain."

His aptly-titled autobiography, published in 2002, was called "Making it Big in the Movies."

msh/sb (AFP, AP, Reuters)