Richard Kiel, the hulking actor best known as Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, died September 10th at the age of 74. The man who stood 7′ 2″ was typecasted for his massive height and strength. His most notable roles include the alien from the classic Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man”, the monster of the 60’s film Eegah and, of course, the metal-mouthed Jaws from the James Bond movie franchise. Younger audiences may remember him more fondly as the muscly giant from Happy Gilmore that threatened the antagonist (“Guns don’t kill people, I kill people”). Kiel’s family submitted this letter to fans:
It is with very heavy hearts that we announce that Richard has passed away, just three days shy of his 75 th birthday. Richard had an amazing joy for life and managed to live every single day to the fullest. Though most people knew of him through his screen persona, those who were close to him knew what a kind and generous soul he was. His family was the most important thing in his life and we are happy that his last days were spent surrounded by family and close friends. Though his passing was somewhat unexpected, his health had been declining in recent years. It is nice to think that he can, once again, stand tall over us all.
With love,
The Kiel Family
Source: Slashfilm