He stood seven feet, two inches tall. That’s not a Hollywood camera trick or a clever use of forced perspective. When Richard Kiel joined the James Bond franchise, he didn't just play a henchman; he created a physical landmark. Most villains in the 007 universe are disposable. They show up, they try to kill Roger Moore, and they usually end up meeting a gruesome, often ironic, demise before the credits roll.
Jaws was different.
The giant with the mercury-filled mouth and the indestructible frame became a global phenomenon. Honestly, it's hard to overstate how much he stole the spotlight in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Audiences weren't just terrified of him; they were weirdly charmed by him. That’s probably why he’s one of the few recurring villains in Bond history who wasn't the head of a global syndicate. He was just the muscle, but he had the soul of a leading man.
The Birth of the Steel-Toothed Giant
When producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli was looking for someone to play the role of a silent, unstoppable killer, he didn't just want a big guy. He wanted someone who felt supernatural. Richard Kiel had already been working in the industry for years, often cast in "monster" roles because of his acromegaly, a hormonal condition that resulted in his massive stature and distinct facial features.
But Kiel was a smart actor. He knew that if he played Jaws as a mindless brute, the character would be forgotten in a week.
He famously suggested that the character should have some human traits. He wanted Jaws to be a bit "klutzy." He wanted him to feel frustration when things didn't go his way. Have you ever noticed that look of sheer annoyance on his face when a car won't start or when he hits his head? That was all Kiel. He didn't want a robot. He wanted a person.
The Pain Behind the Smile
Let’s talk about those teeth. They were miserable.
The prosthetic teeth used by Richard Kiel in James Bond were made of chromium-plated steel. They were sharp. They were heavy. They were incredibly painful to wear. In fact, Kiel could only keep them in his mouth for about 30 seconds to a minute at a time before he’d start gagging.
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Think about that for a second. Every iconic scene where Jaws is looming in the shadows or biting through a cable car wire was filmed in tiny, agonizing bursts. The "biting" was usually done with liquorice or soft wood painted to look like metal, but the close-ups required the real deal. It’s a testament to his acting that he managed to look menacing while his mouth was essentially being tortured by a hunk of industrial metal.
Why Jaws Changed the Bond Formula Forever
Before The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond villains were mostly one-and-done. You had Oddjob, who got electrocuted. You had Tee Hee, who got thrown off a train. But after the first test screenings of The Spy Who Loved Me, the reaction to Kiel was so overwhelmingly positive that the ending was changed.
In the original script, Jaws was supposed to die in the shark tank. Simple. Classic.
But the producers saw the gold they had. They filmed an alternate ending where Jaws surfaces from the water after killing the shark, looks around, and just starts swimming away. It was a meta-moment for the franchise. It signaled that the fans had a say in who lived and who died.
This led directly to his return in Moonraker (1979).
The Moonraker Controversy
If you ask hardcore Bond purists about Moonraker, they’ll usually groan. The movie went full sci-fi to capitalize on the Star Wars craze, and Jaws underwent a massive tonal shift. He went from a terrifying silent stalker to a comedic figure who falls in love with a tiny blonde woman named Dolly.
Some people hated it. They felt it neutered the character.
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However, Richard Kiel loved it. He saw it as the natural evolution of the "humanity" he tried to bake into the character from the start. Seeing a seven-foot giant acting shy and smitten was a masterclass in physical comedy. It also allowed Jaws to do something almost no other Bond villain has ever done: he switched sides. He helped Bond. He became a hero.
The Physical Reality of Being Richard Kiel
Being that big isn't just a career asset; it’s a lifestyle challenge. On the Bond sets, everything had to be reinforced. Furniture, vehicles, even the floors sometimes needed extra bracing.
Kiel wasn't just "tall." He was a presence that shifted the gravity of a room. Roger Moore, who was a fairly tall man himself at over six feet, looked like a child standing next to him. This height disparity created a unique visual language for the Moore era of Bond. It leaned into the "larger than life" comic book aesthetic that defined the late 70s.
Interestingly, despite his terrifying on-screen persona, Kiel was known as one of the gentlest people in the industry. He was a devout Christian, a family man, and someone who took the responsibility of being a "public figure" very seriously. He spent decades attending fan conventions, always willing to flash that (thankfully prosthetic-free) smile for the cameras.
Beyond the 007 Universe
While we always associate Richard Kiel with James Bond, his career was surprisingly varied.
- He played the alien in the famous Twilight Zone episode "To Serve Man."
- He was the original choice for The Incredible Hulk TV series (he even filmed scenes before being replaced by Lou Ferrigno because the producers wanted more muscle mass).
- He had a hilarious turn in Happy Gilmore as Mr. Larson, the man with a nail in his head.
Even in Happy Gilmore, he used his Bond legacy. When he shouts, "And YOU can count on me meeting YOU in the parking lot," he’s utilizing that same physical intimidation he perfected in the 70s, but with a comedic twist that showed he was in on the joke.
The Technical Legacy of the Jaws Character
From a filmmaking perspective, Jaws represented a peak in practical effects and character design. There was no CGI to make him look bigger. There were no digital touch-ups to make the teeth glint. Everything was done with lighting, physical acting, and clever set design.
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When Jaws bites through the cable in Rio de Janeiro, that wasn't just a stunt. It was a high-stakes mechanical setup. The cables were real, the heights were real, and the danger was palpable. Kiel actually had a profound fear of heights, which makes his performance on the cable car even more impressive. He was terrified the whole time, yet he stayed in character as an indestructible killing machine.
Why He Still Matters in 2026
We live in an era of "disposable" cinema. Villains are often generic CGI clouds or nameless henchmen who disappear as soon as the fight scene ends. Richard Kiel’s Jaws remains the gold standard for how to make a character iconic without needing a single line of dialogue (until the very end of his second film).
He proved that physical presence is a form of storytelling. You don't need a monologue to explain your motivation if you can convey a whole spectrum of emotion through a frustrated sigh or a confused tilt of the head.
Actionable Insights for Bond Fans and Film Buffs
If you're revisiting the Richard Kiel era or looking to understand why he remains a top-tier cinematic icon, here is how to appreciate his work through a modern lens:
- Watch the eyes, not the teeth. In The Spy Who Loved Me, pay attention to Kiel’s eyes during the train fight. He isn't just "acting mean." He’s reacting to the environment. Notice how he looks genuinely surprised when Bond uses a magnet on his teeth. That "human" reaction is why we like him.
- Contrast the eras. Watch The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker back-to-back. Look at the transition from horror-adjacent villainy to slapstick comedy. It is one of the most drastic character arcs in the entire 25-film Bond series.
- Appreciate the scale. Look for shots where Jaws is framed against normal-sized objects—telephones, cars, or doorways. It helps you realize the logistical nightmare it must have been to block those scenes.
- Look for the cameos. Kiel’s influence is everywhere. From parodies in Austin Powers to the way giant characters are written in modern blockbusters, the "lovable giant villain" trope starts and ends with Richard Kiel.
Richard Kiel passed away in 2014, but his shadow still looms large over the world of cinema. He took a role that could have been a footnote and turned it into a legend. He was the man who made us root for the bad guy, even when he was trying to bite our hero's head off. That’s not just acting; that’s magic.
To truly understand the impact of Richard Kiel in James Bond, you have to look past the metal teeth. You have to see the man who took a physical limitation and turned it into a global brand. He wasn't just a "big guy" in a suit. He was an actor who understood that the biggest monsters are the ones who are just a little bit like us.
When you sit down to watch these films today, remember the pain of those steel teeth and the fear of those Rio heights. It makes the performance even more impressive. Jaws didn't just survive the shark tank; he survived the test of time, remaining the most recognizable henchman in the history of film.
For your next steps, seek out the 4K restoration of The Spy Who Loved Me. The detail on the prosthetic work and Kiel's subtle facial movements are far more visible than they ever were on VHS or DVD. It provides a whole new level of respect for the craft he brought to the 007 universe. Check out the behind-the-scenes documentaries on the "Ultimate Edition" Bond releases, which feature interviews with Kiel discussing his specific approach to the psychology of Jaws. Understanding the man behind the metal changes how you see the giant on the screen.