* 13. September 1939 in Detroit, Michigan

† 10. September 2014 in Fresno, Kalifornien

was an American actor. He became known for his role as a walker in the James Bond films “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker: Top Secret”.

His height of 2.17 meters was unusual, which was due to the hormonal disorder acromegaly. At the age of 18 he was already over two meters tall. Kiel was originally a mathematics teacher until a producer noticed him and gave him a guest role in an episode of the series At the Foot of the Blue Mountains. From then on he appeared again and again in television series and soon became a well-known face on American television.

In the mid-1970s, the producers of the James Bond series became aware of him. They gave him the role of “biter”. Since a car accident in 1991, Kiel had used a walker or a battery-operated wheelchair for longer distances because he had problems with his balance. Kiel died on September 10, 2014 at Saint Agnes Medical Center Hospital in Fresno. He had been admitted there a week earlier after breaking his leg.

Kiel was married to Faye Daniels from 1960 to 1973. The marriage remained childless and ended in divorce. From 1974 until his death, his second marriage was to Diane Rogers. Four children were born from this marriage.