Everyone remembers the teeth. Those terrifying, gleaming metal chompers that could bite through a cable car wire. When Richard Kiel stepped onto the screen as Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me, he became an instant nightmare for a generation of Bond fans. But honestly, if you look past the 7-foot-2 frame and the villainous snarl, there was a completely different guy underneath. He wasn't a monster. He was a family man who spent four decades building a life with one woman.
Finding a lasting marriage in Hollywood is basically like finding a needle in a haystack, especially when you’re a character actor known for being a "giant." Yet, Richard Kiel and wife Diane Rogers managed to pull it off. They didn't just stay married; they actually liked each other. They stood together through health crises, career shifts, and the literal physical reality of a two-foot height difference.
The Reality of Richard Kiel and Wife Diane Rogers
Richard Kiel didn't have the easiest start with romance. His first marriage to Faye Daniels lasted about 13 years before they called it quits in 1973. It's a common story in the industry. But things changed fast when he met Diane. They tied the knot in 1974, just as his career was about to explode into the stratosphere with the 007 franchise.
Diane Rogers was 5 feet 1 inch tall.
Richard was 7 feet 2 inches.
Think about that for a second. That is a 25-inch gap. Most people would focus on the optics—how they looked walking down the street or how they even managed to dance. But Diane famously brushed it off. She once said that despite the height difference, they "saw eye to eye on so many things." It wasn't about the physical; it was about the headspace. They were a team.
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They had four kids together: Richard Jr., Bennett, Christopher, and Jennifer. By the time Richard passed away in 2014, they also had nine grandchildren. You've gotta wonder how he handled being a dad with that much physical presence. Friends called him the "Gentle Giant," and by all accounts, he was exactly that at home in California.
Living With Acromegaly Behind the Scenes
Most people know Richard had acromegaly. It’s a hormonal disorder where the pituitary gland pumps out way too much growth hormone. It’s what gave him his iconic look—the heavy brow, the massive hands, the towering height. But acromegaly isn't just a "look." It’s a brutal medical condition.
It messes with your joints. It strains your heart. It makes simple movement a chore.
For the Richard Kiel and wife duo, this meant life wasn't always glamorous premieres and Bond parties. In 1992, Richard was in a nasty car accident that messed up his balance. After that, he usually needed a cane or a walker to get around. Later in life, he used a mobility scooter. Imagine being that big and losing your mobility. It's a lot for a spouse to handle. Diane was his rock through the surgeries and the physical therapy. She wasn't just his wife; she was his partner in navigating a world that isn't built for people over seven feet tall.
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Faith and the Battle with Alcoholism
Here’s something most fans don’t realize: Richard struggled hard with alcohol. It’s a side of him he eventually became very open about. He credited his "born-again" Christian faith for helping him kick the habit.
He didn't want to be the guy who drank himself into an early grave and left Diane to raise four kids alone. That fear—the fear of leaving his wife stranded—was a massive motivator. He reportedly watched a Christian television program one morning, prayed for help, and claimed he never had the urge to drink again. Whether you're religious or not, you have to respect the discipline it took to stay sober for the sake of his family.
He even turned down high-paying beer commercials later in his career. He felt it would be hypocritical to take the money after alcohol almost destroyed his home. That’s a level of integrity you just don’t see often.
Why Their Marriage Actually Lasted
Why did they make it 40 years? Honestly, it seems like they kept their private life private. They didn't live in the middle of the Hollywood "scene." They lived in places like Coarsegold, California—far away from the paparazzi and the ego-feeding machines of Los Angeles.
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- They shared a core value system (faith).
- They prioritized the kids over the "fame."
- They adapted to Richard's changing physical needs without drama.
Diane wasn't an actress looking for a spotlight. She was just Diane. And Richard, despite being one of the most recognizable faces (and sets of teeth) in the world, just wanted to be a husband.
When Richard died on September 10, 2014—just three days before his 75th birthday—it wasn't some scandalous ending. He passed away in a hospital in Fresno due to heart disease, which is a common complication of acromegaly. He left behind a legacy of being a "villain" on screen, but to Diane and their kids, he was the guy who fought through physical pain every day to be present.
Insights for the Rest of Us
There is a lesson in the story of Richard Kiel and wife Diane. It’s about looking past the "Jaws" of life—the scary, outward challenges—and focusing on the internal alignment. If you're looking to build a relationship that lasts 40 years, here is what worked for the Kiels:
- Values over Optics: Don't worry about how you "look" to the world. A 2-foot height difference means nothing if your goals are the same.
- Accountability: Richard’s decision to get sober was a gift to his wife. Being a good partner means fixing your own issues so they don't become your partner's burden.
- Resilience: Health problems are inevitable. How you face them together defines the marriage.
Richard Kiel proved you can be a giant in the movies and a humble man at home. Diane proved that standing by your partner means being there for the cane and the wheelchair, not just the red carpet.
If you're interested in more about Richard's life, his autobiography Making It BIG in the Movies goes into much more detail about his early years as a bouncer and a cemetery plot salesman before he found Diane and the Bond fame. It's a solid read if you want to see the man behind the metal teeth.