MGM/UARichard Kiel, best known for his role as the steel-toothed James Bond movie villain Jaws, has died at age 74.
The 7'2" Detroit-born actor passed away in a hospital in Fresno, California on Wednesday, three days shy of what would have been his 75th birthday, The Los Angeles Times reported. The cause of his death was not revealed.
Kiel, who was tall due to the hormonal condition acromegaly, played the assassin Jaws, who uses his mouth as a deadly weapon, in two James Bond films—The Spy Who Loved Me, released in 1977, and the 1979 movie Moonraker. Both starred Sir Roger Moore as British superspy 007.
The latter star tweeted that he was "totally distraught" to learn about his former co-star's death. He and Kiel recently reunited for an interview with BBC Radio 4.
I am totally distraught to learn of my dear friend Richard Kiel's passing. We were on a radio programme together just a week ago. Distraught
? Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) September 11, 2014Can't take it in.
? Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) September 11, 2014"I was very put off by the description of the character and I thought, 'Well, you know, they really don't need an actor. It's more of a monster part,'" Kiel said on the program, regarding his role of Jaws. "So I tried to change that view of it."
"I said, if I were to play the part, I want to give the character some human characteristics, like perseverance, frustration," he said.
Richard Kiel, beloved by fans as Jaws ? one of Bond?s greatest ever adversaries ? has sadly passed away. Our thoughts are with his family.
? James Bond (@007) September 11, 2014Jaws was not the first role that required dental work. Kiel donned gold caps to play the henchman Reace in the 1976 movie The Silver Streak, which starred Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory star Gene Wilder and comedian Richard Pryor.
"But I kill people with a gun, so totally different," Kiel said on BBC Radio 4.
Kiel also played Mr. Larson, the former boss of Adam Sandler's title character in the 1996 comedy film Happy Gilmore. Sandler tweeted on Thursday that the actor was "one of the nicest, funniest guys" and "a special man."
Richard Kiel was one of the nicest, funniest guys I've ever met.
I'll never forget hanging out with him & how good he was to everyone.
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) September 11, 2014Richard was a special man.
My thoughts are with his family.
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) September 11, 2014Kiel began his onscreen career in the 1960s, appearing in B-movies such as The Phantom Planet, Eegah and The Human Duplicators. During that time, he taught math at a night school in Burbank, California. He has also worked as a writer and producer.
Over the next few decades, he appeared on TV shows such as The Wild Wild West, Land of the Lost, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and the sci-fi comedy Out of This World. He also provided the voice of Vladimir, the "pub thug" who "collects ceramic unicorns" in the 2010 Disney animated movie Tangled.
Kiel is survived by his wife, who is 5"1', and four children, according to The Washington Post.