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Yaphet Kotto

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Biography

Yaphet Kotto, originally called Yaphet Frederick Kotto, is an African-American actor, author, and music producer born on November 15, 1937, in New York City.…more

Born

11/15/1937, New York, New York

Birth Name

Yaphet Frederick Kotto

Gender

Male

Credits

Star (2)

Role
- Homicide: Life on the Street
  Al Giardello
  - S 7: Ep 22 Homicide: The Movie
    2/13/00
  - S 7: Ep 23 Forgive Us Our Trespasses
    5/21/99
  - S 7: Ep 21 The Why Chromosome
    5/14/99
  - S 7: Ep 20 Lines of Fire
    5/7/99
  - S 7: Ep 19 Identity Crisis
    4/30/99
  - + 118 More Credits
- For Love and Honor
  James "China" Bell
  - S 1: Ep 12 The Real Thing
    1/15/84
  - S 1: Ep 11 Bloodline
    1/15/84
  - S 1: Ep 10 The Price of Dreams
    12/27/83
  - S 1: Ep 9 Mixed Signals
    12/20/83
  - S 1: Ep 8 Team Work
    12/13/83
  - + 7 More Credits
Guest Star (26)

Role
- Law & Order
  Al Giardello
  - S 8: Ep 6 Baby, It's You
    11/12/97
- SeaQuest DSV
  Jack Clayton
  - S 1: Ep 5 Treasures of the Tonga Trench
    10/9/93
- James Bond, Jr.
  Dr. Kananga (a.k.a. Mr. Big)
- The Trials of Rosie O'Neill
  Paul Kelly
  - S 1: Ep 16 Conflict of Interest
    6/9/91
- Freddy's Nightmares
  Doc
- Perry Mason
  General Sorenson
  - S 10: Ep 7 The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel
    11/15/87
- Murder, She Wrote
  Lt. Bradshaw
  - S 4: Ep 8 Steal Me A Story
    11/15/87
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985)
  Convict
  - S 1: Ep 13 Prisoners
    12/8/85
- Hill Street Blues
  Calvin Matthias
  - S 6: Ep 1 Blues in the Night
    9/26/85
- The A-Team
  Charlie
  - S 1: Ep 8 The Out-of-Towners
    3/15/83
- Fantasy Island
  Big Gus Bailey
  - S 6: Ep 15 Return to the Cotton Club / No Friends Like Old Friends
    2/26/83
- Night Gallery
  Buckner
  - S 2: Ep 38 The Messiah on Mott Street
    12/15/71
- Gunsmoke
  Piney Biggs
  - S 16: Ep 10 The Scavengers
    11/16/70
- The Name of the Game
  Wyman Jackson
  - S 3: Ep 6 The Time Is Now
    10/23/70
- The David Frost Show
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 106 January 26, 1970
    1/26/70
- Daniel Boone
  Jonah
  - S 5: Ep 17 Jonah
    2/13/69
- Mannix
  Gabe Johnson/Gabriel Dillon
  - S 2: Ep 18 Death in a Minor Key
    2/8/69
- Hawaii Five-O
  John Auston
  - S 1: Ep 15 King Of The Hill
    1/8/69
- The High Chaparral
  Sgt. Maj. Creason
  - S 2: Ep 10 The Buffalo Soldiers
    11/22/68
- Daniel Boone
  Luke
  - S 5: Ep 7 Big, Black and Out There
    11/14/68
- Bonanza
  Child Barnett
  - S 10: Ep 2 Child
    9/22/68
- The Big Valley
  Damien
  - S 3: Ep 15 The Buffalo Man
    12/25/67
- Tarzan (1966)
  Kesho
  - S 2: Ep 3 Thief Catcher
    9/29/67
- Cowboy in Africa
  Musa
  - S 1: Ep 3 Incident at Derati Wells
    9/25/67
- Death Valley Days
  Guest Star
  - S 15: Ep 26 A Man Called Abraham
    6/21/67
- The Big Valley
  Lobo
  - S 2: Ep 11 The Iron Box
    11/28/66
Writer (1)

Role
- Homicide: Life on the Street
  Writer
  - S 7: Ep 18 Self Defense
    4/9/99
  - S 6: Ep 20 Secrets
    4/17/98
  - S 5: Ep 20 Narcissus
    5/2/97

Trivia and Quotes

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Trivia
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- (2008) Yaphet is currently co-starring in the comedy Witless Protection.
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- Yaphet co-starred with soul music pioneer Isaac Hayes in Truck Turner (1974).
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- Yaphet claims to have proof that he is the great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. According to Kotto, the Queen's son Albert (later King Edward VII) had an illicit affair with Princess Nakande, daughter of King Doualla Manga Bell, which produced Alexander Bell, Kotto's great-grandfather.
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Quotes
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- Yaphet Kotto: I do have a favorite kind of director, which is the kind who allows me to create. Some haven't allowed me to create and I think by doing that they don't need an actor. They need a puppet.
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- Yaphet Kotto: I'm afraid that I'm either going to have to write myself something or direct something if I'm going to get somewhere.
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- Yaphet Kotto: All I'm being offered now are parts that are authority figures. I've done that. And that's not what I want. I want something different.
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