Biography for
Yaphet Kotto More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

15 November 1937, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name

Yaphet Frederick Kotto

Height

6' 4" (1.93 m)

Spouse

Tessie Sinahon	(12 July 1998 - present)
Antoinette Pettyjohn	(29 January 1975 - ?) (divorced) 2 children
Rita Dittman	(1960 - 1975) (divorced) 3 children

Trade Mark

Often plays police detectives and military officers.

Trivia

Oldest son, Fred, is a very successful San José Police Dept. California (USA) officer.

He is the son of a Cameroonian crown prince.

Has a Bay Area hardcore punk band named after him.

Moved from Littleton, Colorado to Canada, because he felt it would be safer to live there. Two years after moving, he saw the news coverage on Columbine, and recognized some of the kids fleeing the school.

Both parents are African Jews. In an interview he said being fully Black and Jewish gave other kids even more reason to pick on him growing up in New York City. However, to this day, he remains a devout, practicing Jew.

Campaigned for Steve Forbes during his bid for the Republican nomination for the Presidency in the 2000 primaries.

Turned down the role of Lando Calrissian in 'Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back' (1980). He feared that Lando would be killed in the movie, and that he would be forever typecast.

Personal Quotes

"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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