R.I.P., Yaphet Kotto

R.I.P. to the inimitable Yaphet Kotto, whose rogue's gallery of bold, funny, scary, lovable, and offbeat characters left an indelible mark on studio pictures, the art house, and genre film alike. He's been eaten by the Alien. Headlined seven seasons of HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET and cameoed on THE WIRE. He's beaten the shit out Freddy Kruger with a ball bat. He's dropped grenades from a cropduster while blasting James Brown in order to help save Gary Busey (in EYE OF THE TIGER). He's run alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger on futuristic gladiatorial TV. He's played Othello. He's worked with Paul Schrader, Larry Cohen, William Wyler, and Rod Serling. He's played a Bond villain. He's even been on MURDER, SHE WROTE. Standout performances include BONE, BLUE COLLAR, MIDNIGHT RUN, ACROSS 110TH STREET, and the aforementioned ALIEN.  You can see him deliver award-worthy performances in less prestigious fare like EXTREME JUSTICE, THE PARK IS MINE, THE RUNNING MAN, and TRUCK TURNER. You can even see him uncovering the racial bias of NYC cabbies in a notorious segment from Michael Moore's TV NATION. He was a one of a kind badass, a profound and sincere actor whose performances could turn on a dime from the brave to the sinister to the comical, and he'll be deeply missed.