Overview (4)

Mini Bio (1)

Spouse (2)

Diane Rogers (1974 - 10 September 2014) ( his death) ( 4 children) Faye Daniels (1960 - 1973) ( divorced)

Trade Mark (2)

Towering height and menacing frame



Deep, baritone voice



Trivia (37)



Original choice to play the title character in the TV series Der unglaubliche Hulk (1977). After two days of filming it was decided that he was not "bulky" enough for the role. He was paid for the two movies of the week and replaced by Lou Ferrigno . He was happy this happened because he only had sight in one eye and the full contact lenses were bothering him.



In 1992 he was in a serious automobile accident that affected his auto-balance, and afterwards walked using a walking stick or riding a battery-powered scooter around if he has to go very far. In Happy Gilmore - Ein Champ zum Verlieben (1996) he is never seen walking and almost all of his scenes are from the waist up. There are only two full-body scenes and both times he is leaning on something--the first is a post, the second is a man.



Worked as a bouncer at a Los Angeles nightclub before being recruited by Arch Hall Sr. for the lead role in Eegah (1962).

Owned a film production company in Oakhurst, CA.





Appeared in a National Geographic special produced by David L. Wolper in which he portrayed Big Foot.



His son "Richard George" appears in the film James Bond 007 - Der Spion, der mich liebte (1977). He is the little boy on the beach pointing to the upcoming car that "James Bond" is driving from the water.



Interviewed in Tom Weaver 's books "Eye on Science Fiction" (McFarland & Co., 2003) and "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland & Co., 2010).



Offered the role of Chewbacca in Krieg der Sterne (1977), but turned it down in favor of playing "Jaws" in James Bond 007 - Der Spion, der mich liebte (1977). He preferred "Jaws" because he felt he could bring more to the role, whereas Chewbacca required a full costume. Taking the role also meant working for scale and he had been working for so long that he felt such a low salary was beneath him.



Was terrified of heights, something not helped by his gigantic size. He often shuddered at some of the stunts he had to perform as "Jaws", so Martin Grace Roger Moore 's stunt double, would fill in for him. The stuntman did a superb job of capturing Kiel's movements, even though he was a foot shorter, but when watching the films, nobody could tell them apart.

Working on his third book which is "You can be a supersalesman using Christian principles." [2003]



Attended The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in Malmö, Sweden. [May 2000]



Signed autographs at a DVD trading market in Cologne, Germany. [January 2004]



Attended Wondercon in San Francisco, signing autographs. [February 2009]



Beaulieu, Hampshire, UK: Selling books and signing autographs at the Motor Museum [May 2013]



Attended autograph session at Bally's Hotel/Casino, Las Vegas, NV. [December 2006]



Attended The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in Stockholm, Sweden. [October 2003]



Wrote his autobiography "Making It BIG In The Movies. Published by Reynolds & Hearne of London, England. [2002]





Signed autographs at the Sims and Hankow Astronaut Autograph Show in Burbank, CA, due to his portrayal of "Ali" in Bezaubernde Jeannie (1965). Uses a walking stick normally, but at convention he used a battery powered scooter. [September 2004]

Attended The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in Helsingborg, Sweden [October 2009]



Walnut Creek, CA: Attended the Vintage Toys & Memorabilia Show [April 2013]



Signed autographs and sold books at OmegaCon. [March 2008]



In Spain, he is known as "Tiburón," which translates to shark.



Lived in a custom-built house with the floor a few feet below ground level.



Despite often playing big, scary people, he was well-known for being a kind and friendly man who was friends with many people he worked with.



Died three days before his 75th birthday in a hospital after a fall at home in which he broke his right leg. He may have died from the amount of anesthetic because of his height which may have affected his enlarged heart.





Originally played the "Jaws" character with the metal teeth in the Richard Pryor Gene Wilder movie Trans-Amerika-Express (1976) before repeating the character in the James Bond movies. In "Silver Streak", however, his character was referred to as "Reece", as "Jaws" was a copyrighted name that belonged to the "James Bond" producers.

Spoke fluent German.





Although Kiel doesn't feature in the screen credits for Das Zauberschwert (1962), the Variety review dated 11 April 1962 provides a cast list which includes "Pinhead No.1" played by "Dick Kiel.".

Has six grandchildren, including: Richard Dawson George James Kiel III (born to son Richard Jr. and his wife Lisa); Cadence Kiel (born to son Bennett and his wife Suzanne).



Has three sons - Richard Dawson George James Kiel Jr., Chris, and Bennett - and a daughter, Jennifer.



Of all the henchmen that appear in the Bond films, he's the only one to appear in two films.



He originally planned to be an attorney, but the death of his father and the loss of the family business in the middle of the late Fifties recession forced him to change his career plans.



Made his acting debut in the television series 'Klondike'.



Personal Quotes (6)

To be loved is important, as is having a sense of accomplishment, but to love is equally important in life, especially when it is combined with taking action to do something for someone else to make their life better.



Not only did God deliver me from the bondage of alcoholism, he also blessed my family financially because of my commitment to honor what he had done for me and for not doing what I believed could possibly be destructive to others.



I am actually 7'1-1/2" tall. I say 7'2" because it's easier. Unlike some tall skinny guys, I am really "big", weighing around 350 pounds.



Once a Bond fan, always a Bond fan.



It is always more fun to play a bad guy than to be yourself, as you can create a character unlike your own and be someone you are not for a change.



My wife is 5'4" and everybody asks how we do it.

