Bond Villain Richard Kiel Dies at 74

Richard Kiel, the towering actor who played the villain "Jaws" in two James Bond films has died. He was 74.

Kiel, who had broken his leg last week, died at the Saint Agnes medical centre in Fresno, California.

However, the hospital did not reveal the cause of his death citing patient confidentiality, reports The Guardian.

Standing 7 feet 2 inches tall, Kiel is remembered by a whole generation of Bond fans for his role of "Jaws" in the bond movie "The Spy who loved me". The character of "Jaws" was initially supposed to die at the end of the film. But the character became very popular with fans and Kiel was brought back to repeat the role again in the next bond film, Moonraker.

 "I had convinced the producer that Jaws should have some characteristics that were human to counteract the steel teeth. I guess I overdid it - I became too likable to kill off!" he said in a 2009 interview. "So they brought me back, and Moonraker was the most successful box office success for the Bond series for a long, long time," he said, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

 A memorable scene from "The Spy who loved me" is Kiel fighting a shark in a tank. Another spectacular scene is Kiel driving a car off a cliff and falling to a roof of a building. Surprisingly, he survives to tell about it. In "Moonraker", he falls from an airplane and survives. He also survives a high speed tram crash in the film.

Kiel had taken a step back from acting after a truck accident several years ago, said Kiel's agent, Steve Stevens.

"He was a very loyal friend and client for over 35 years, a terrific husband and father, and was not only a giant actor but a giant man," Stevens said, reports The Guardian.