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Yaphet Kotto has died, star in "Live And Let Die," and "Alien." (Original Post) Archae Mar 2021 OP
81....now THAT makes me feel old! NewHendoLib Mar 2021 #1
Oh, I remember that face-- dawg day Mar 2021 #2
He gave a masterful performance as Idi Amin in "Raid On Entebbe". Aristus Mar 2021 #3
That's the role I thought of first. Nevilledog Mar 2021 #12
A commanding presence on the screen gratuitous Mar 2021 #4
G! ananda Mar 2021 #5
Loved him in that role. n/t whathehell Mar 2021 #7
He had such great "attitude" in ALIEN. Mike 03 Mar 2021 #6
It was a turning point in science fiction movies, with characters that seemed more human. Towlie Mar 2021 #13
RIP Mr. Big. n/t PoliticAverse Mar 2021 #8
Bummer wryter2000 Mar 2021 #9
Four of the seven Nostromo crew are now gone. Towlie Mar 2021 #10
The alien is still kicking too. It won't die. n/t Whiskeytide Mar 2021 #19
Don't forget Midnight Run themaguffin Mar 2021 #11
Was great on Homicide Life On The Street. maveric Mar 2021 #14
Yaphet Kotto Can't Get A Cab (1994) #YaphetKottoDay eppur_se_muova Mar 2021 #15
I remember that wryter2000 Mar 2021 #20
and yet his work in MIDNIGHT RUN with De Niro and Grodin is one of his best ZonkerHarris Mar 2021 #16
FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley!! He was magnificent in that role! RIP, sir, and bullwinkle428 Mar 2021 #18
Riveting scene stealer. He gave his roles an extra oomph. oasis Mar 2021 #17
Fine actor, R.I.P. nt yaesu Mar 2021 #21
He was great in a little known sci-fi flick from 1985 Yeehah Mar 2021 #22
Blue Collar with Richard Pryor watrwefitinfor Mar 2021 #23
That scene in Blue Collar is one I could never watch again. Paul Schrader directed! winstars Mar 2021 #25
Blue Collar lame54 Mar 2021 #24
RIP Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Mar 2021 #26

Aristus

(66,481 posts)
3. He gave a masterful performance as Idi Amin in "Raid On Entebbe".
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 11:17 AM
Mar 2021

I'm almost sorry to say it was a better performance than that of Forest Whittaker, whom I adore.

Kotto looked a lot more like Amin than Whittaker did, too.

gratuitous

(82,849 posts)
4. A commanding presence on the screen
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 11:19 AM
Mar 2021

His expressive face made me think that though he might be present here, Kotto was also in on a really interesting conversation that the rest of us couldn't hear. Chadwick Boseman had that kind of face, too.

Towlie

(5,328 posts)
13. It was a turning point in science fiction movies, with characters that seemed more human.
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 12:11 PM
Mar 2021

 
?

Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) were union types, whose main concern was that they weren't getting paid enough. You'd never see anything like that in an old classic like Forbidden Planet.

Parker: "We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space."

Towlie

(5,328 posts)
10. Four of the seven Nostromo crew are now gone.
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 11:57 AM
Mar 2021

 
?

Died:
Yaphet Kotto (Parker)
John Hurt (Kane)
Harry Dean Stanton (Brett)
Ian Holm (Ash).

Still alive:
Veronica Cartwright (Lambert)
Tom Skerritt (Dallas)
Sigourney Weaver (Ripley)

eppur_se_muova

(36,307 posts)
15. Yaphet Kotto Can't Get A Cab (1994) #YaphetKottoDay
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 12:32 PM
Mar 2021

Unsung comedy genius Rusty Cundieff (Chappelle's Show) explores the racial dynamics involved in getting a cab in Manhattan in this social experiment from TV Nation, Michael Moore's short-lived comedy newsmagazine (1994-1995).



Some social consciousness to go with that acting talent ...

ZonkerHarris

(24,273 posts)
16. and yet his work in MIDNIGHT RUN with De Niro and Grodin is one of his best
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 12:36 PM
Mar 2021

RIP sir, you will be missed.

bullwinkle428

(20,631 posts)
18. FBI Agent Alonzo Mosley!! He was magnificent in that role! RIP, sir, and
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 12:46 PM
Mar 2021

thank you for all of your amazing work throughout your career.

watrwefitinfor

(1,400 posts)
23. Blue Collar with Richard Pryor
Tue Mar 16, 2021, 02:05 PM
Mar 2021

Most intense, unforgetable scene I ever saw in a movie was Kotto getting locked in the paint room at the auto factory with the paint turned on and the ventilation turned off. I will never forget it.

Blue, the paint was. Took him maybe three to five minutes that seemed like an eternity to die a horrible death, suffocated by the paint. And every minute the camera spent on his face - well, you just held your breath too, and died with him he was that good. The movie was okay, but definitely worth seeing just for that one scene.

Great as G, the droll, unlikely black Italian "boss" in Homicide and in any number of roles in a few classic tv westerns like The Big Valley where he and Stanwyck had some nice scenes together. And Bonanza comes to mind, playing a shanghied prisoner held in a mine - memorable roles he always played to perfection.

No other like him. I'm enjoying reading here about some of his roles I never even knew about.

Wat

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