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Who is Yaphet Kotto? Yaphet Kotto Bio/Wiki
Yaphet Frederick Kotto was an American actor best known for his role as Lieutenant Al Giardello in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999). He was born on November 15, 1939, in New York City, New York, U.S.
At the age of 81, he died on March 15, 2021. There was no mention of a cause of death.
RIP the great Yaphet Kotto.
“Can I finish my coffee? It’s the onIy thing good on this ship.” pic.twitter.com/cOzpPzUWSs
— gary graham (@thegarygraham) March 16, 2021
Age
He was 81 years old.
Wife
Tessie Sinahon is the wife of Yaphet Kotto.
Tessie Sinahon is from the Philippines, but nothing else is known about her.
Children
With his two ex-wives, Kotto has six children.
Career
His TV credits include appearances on The A-Team and Law and Order, with Lieutenant Al Giardello in seven seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street, for which he also served as a scriptwriter.
Alien (1979), a science fiction/horror film, and The Running Man, a science fiction/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, are two of his films (1987). In the James Bond film Live and Let Die, he played the main villain Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big (1973).
In the comedy thriller Midnight Run (1988), he played FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley opposite Robert De Niro.
Lieutenant Al Giardello was played by Kotto in the long-running television series Homicide: Life on the Highway. He wrote the book Royalty and even scripted episodes of Homicide. He voiced “Parker” in the video game Alien: Isolation in 2014, reprising his role from the 1979 film Alien.
Death Cause
Tessie Sinahon, Kotto’s wife, first announced the news on Facebook, and Kotto’s agent confirmed his death to Variety. Sinahon said, “You played a villain on some of your movies but for me you’re a real hero and to a lot of people also. A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being,”
I’m saddened and still in shocked of the passing of my husband Yaphet of 24 years. He died last night around 10:30pm…
Posted by Sinahon Thessa on Monday, 15 March 2021
RIP Yaphet Kotto, a brilliant magnetic presence, bringing gravitas & naturalism to deep space or underground Bond lair. So memorable as Parker in Alien, Kananga (Mr Big) in Live & Let Die, Smokey James in Blue Collar or in the simmering funny rage of Midnight Run’s Alonzo Mosely. pic.twitter.com/3LSuGSQQ8X
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) March 16, 2021
The great actor Yaphet Kotto has died. His wife just posted this information. I was fortunate to have been a FB friend and to have heard great stories from him. (He told a story involving him and Robert Mitchum which is one of the great actor tales of all time.) pic.twitter.com/ob02UUQ14o
— Jim Beaver (@jumblejim) March 16, 2021
Yaphet Kotto. My Mom’s favorite. He’s one of those actors who deserved more than the parts he got. But he took those parts and made them wonderful all the same. A star. Rest well, sir. pic.twitter.com/BqeuVc7DSB
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 16, 2021
RIP to a singular screen presence and one of the best to ever do it
Yaphet Kotto Forever pic.twitter.com/hvAwQdFP40
— John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) March 16, 2021