Richard Kiel Net Worth

Front Page News

Richard Dawson Kiel net worth is
$500 Thousand

Richard Dawson Kiel Wiki Biography

Richard Kiel was born on the 13th September 1939, in Detroit, Michigan USA, and was an actor, comedian, and voice artist, probably best known for his role as Jaws in the James Bond movies such as “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977) and “Moonraker” (1979). Kiel’s career started in 1960 and ended in 2014 with his passing.

Have you ever wondered how rich Richard Kiel was at the moment of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Kiel’s net worth was as high as $500,000, an amount earned through his successful acting career. In addition to playing in the movies, Kiel also worked in numerous TV series, which improved his wealth.

Richard Kiel Net Worth $500,000

Richard Kiel grew up in Michigan, and from an early age he suffered from a hormonal condition known as acromegaly, which reflected on his height which grew to 217 cm. Before his acting career, Kiel worked various jobs including as a nightclub bouncer and a cemetery plot salesman.

In 1960, Kiel debuted on television in one episode of “Klondike”, while in 1961 he appeared in “The Phantom Planet” and the TV movie “The Phantom”. In 1962, he played in “Eegah” as a prehistoric caveman, and also in an episode of the cult series “The Twilight Zone”. Kiel continued with roles in such movies as “House of the Damned” (1963), “Lassie’s Great Adventure” (1963), and he also in four episodes of “The Wild Wild West” (1965-1968). In 1974, Kiel had a part in Robert Aldrich’s Oscar-nominated movie called “The Longest Yard” starring Burt Reynolds. In the mid-‘70s, Richard appeared in “Flash and the Firecat” (1975), “Gus” (1976), and in Arthur Hiller’s Oscar-nominated comedy “Silver Streak” (1976) alongside Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, and Jill Clayburgh. From 1975 to 1976, Kiel played in 14 episodes of the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated series “Barbary Coast” with William Shatner and Doug McClure, all of which increased his net worth.

However, his most notable role came in 1977 when Kiel played the villain named Jaws in Lewis Gilbert’s Oscar-nominated “The Spy Who Loved Me” starring Roger Moore. With a budget of $14 million, the movie grossed over $185 million at the box office, and helped Kiel to increase his net worth significantly. He ended the ‘70s with “Force 10 from Navarone” (1978) starring Harrison Ford, had a lead role in “The Humanoid” (1979), and played Jaws again in “Moonraker” (1979) with Roger Moore, which earned more than $210 million worldwide and received an Oscar nomination.

In the ‘80s, Kiel had a few notable roles including in “Phoenix” (1983), “Cannonball Run II” (1984) with Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, and Frank Sinatra, and in Clint Eastwood’s western “Pale Rider” (1985). Because of his health problems, Kiel’s acting career drastically slowed down, but he still appeared in such movies as “The Giant of Thunder Mountain” (1991) and “Happy Gilmore” (1996) starring Adam Sandler. Most recently, he played in David Kellogg’s “Inspector Gadget” (1999) alongside Matthew Broderick and Rupert Everett, and he filmed “The Engagement Ring”, but the production details are unknown since he died.

Kiel also wrote and published his autobiography entitled “Making It Big in the Movies” in 2002.

Regarding his personal life, Richard Kiel was married to Faye Daniels from 1960 to 1973, and later to Diane Rogers from 1974 until his death. He has four children and nine grandchildren. Kiel was a born-again Christian, and his religion helped him to overcome alcoholism. He injured his head in a car accident in 1992, and from then he had problems with his balance, using a cane for support, and later a scooter and a wheelchair. In September 2014, Richard Kiel died of a heart attack at St. Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, California.


Full NameRichard Kiel
Net Worth$500 Thousand
Date Of BirthSeptember 13, 1939
Died2014-09-10
Place Of BirthDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height7' 1½" (2.17 m)
ProfessionActor
NationalityAmerican
SpouseDiane Rogers (m. 1974–2014), Faye Daniels (m. 1960–1973)
ChildrenBennett Kiel, Christopher Kiel, Richard George Kiel, Jennifer Kiel
IMDBhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001423/
MoviesMoonraker, The Spy Who Loved Me, Happy Gilmore, Tangled, Eegah, Pale Rider, The Longest Yard, Force 10 from Navarone, Inspector Gadget, Cannonball Run II, The Giant of Thunder Mountain, The Human Duplicators, The Phantom Planet, So Fine, The Humanoid, They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way, Aces Go Place...
TV ShowsBarbary Coast, Van Dyke and Company
#Trademark
1Towering height and menacing frame
#Quote
1It is always more fun to play a bad guy than to be yourself as you can create a character unlike your own and be someone you are not for a change.
2Once a Bond fan, always a Bond fan.
3I am actually 7 foot and and one-half inches tall. I say Seven two because it's easier. Unlike some tall skinny guys I am really 'big' weighing around 350 pounds.
4Not only did God deliver me from the bondage of alcoholism, he also blessed my family financially because of my commitment to honor what he had done for me and for not doing what I believed could possibly be destructive to others.
5To be loved is important as is having a sense of accomplishment but to love is equally important in life especially when it is combined with taking action to do something for someone else to make their life better.
#Fact
1Died 3 days before his 75th birthday after a fall at home in which he broke his leg. He may have died from the amount of anaesthetic because of his height.
2Was very good friends with Roger Moore. Between his friendship with Moore and the popularity of Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me(1977), he was asked to come back for Moonraker(1979).
3Despite often playing big, scary people in his career, he was well-known for being a very kind and friendly man who was friends with many people he worked with.
4He died three days shy of his 75th birthday.
5Lived in a custom built house with the floor a few feet below ground level.
6In Spain, he is known as "Tiburón".
7Signed autographs at The Mad Monster Party in Charlotte, NC on March 21-23, 2014. Was also on a Twilight Zone Panel on March 22nd with William Shatner and Anne Serling, Rod Serling's daughter.
8Signed autographs and sold books at OmegaCon. [March 2008]
9Walnut Creek, CA: Attended the Vintage Toys & Memorabilia Show [April 2013]
10Attended The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in Helsingborg, Sweden [October 2009]
11Signing autographs at the Sims and Hankow Astronaut Autograph Show in Burbank, California, due to his portrayal of "Ali" in I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Uses a walking stick normally, but at convention he uses a battery powered scooter. [September 2004]
12Wrote his autobiography "Making It BIG In The Movies. Published by Reynolds & Hearne of London, England. [2002]
13Attended The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in Stockholm, Sweden. [October 2003]
14Autograph session at Bally's Hotel/Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. [December 2006]
15Completed Kentucky Lion, The Cassius Marcellus Clay Story, a historical novel which is co-authored by Pamela Wallace who co-wrote the Academy Award winning screenplay for the movie, Witness (1985), with Harrison Ford. [2003]
16Beaulieu, Hampshire, UK: Selling books and signing autographs at the Motor Museum [May 2013]
17Attended Wondercon in San Francisco, signing autographs. [February 2009]
18Signing autographs at a DVD-Trading market in Cologne, Germany. [January 2004]
19Attended The Scandinavian Sci-Fi, Game & Film Convention in Malmö, Sweden. [May 2000]
20Working on his third book which is "You can be a supersalesman using Christian principles." [2003]
21He was terrified of heights, something not helped by Kiel's gigantic size. He often shuddered at some of the stunts he had to perform as Jaws, so Martin Grace, Roger Moore's stunt double, would fill in for him. He did a superb job of capturing Kiel's movements even though he was a foot shorter, but when watching the films, nobody could tell them apart.
22Offered the role of Chewbacca, but turned it down in favor of playing Jaws. He preferred Jaws because he felt he could bring more to the role whereas Chewbacca required a full costume. Taking the role also meant working for scale and Kiel had been working for so long that he felt such a low salary was beneath him.
23Interviewed in Tom Weaver's books "Eye on Science Fiction" (McFarland & Co., 2003) and "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland & Co., 2010).
24His son "Richard George" appears in the film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). He is the little boy on the beach pointing to the upcoming car that "James Bond" is driving from the water.
25Appeared in a National Geographic special produced by David L. Wolper in which he portrayed Big Foot.
26Owns a film production company in Oakhurst, California.
27Worked as a bouncer at a Los Angeles nightclub, before being recruited by Arch Hall Sr. for the lead role in Eegah (1962).
28In 1992 he was in a serious automobile accident that affected his auto-balance, and he now walks using a walking stick or rides a battery-powered scooter around if he has to go very far. In Happy Gilmore (1996) he is never seen walking and almost all of his scenes are from the waist up. There are only two full body scenes and both times he is leaning on something. The first is a post, the second is a man.
29Once said that people are always confusing him with André the Giant, Fred Gwynne ("Herman Munster" from The Munsters (1964)), or Ted Cassidy ("Lurch" from The Addams Family (1964)), all of whom are deceased.
30Original choice to play the title character in the television series The Incredible Hulk (1978). After 2 days of filming it was decided that he was not "bulky" enough for the role. He was paid for the two movies of the week and replaced by Lou Ferrigno. He was happy this happened because he only had sight in one eye and the full contact lenses were bothering him.
31He is best known for playing Jaws, a giant and seemingly unstoppable assassin with steel teeth who battled James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979).

All pictures

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Engagement RingannouncedPatterson
BloodHounds, Inc2011TV SeriesGiant
Tangled2010Vlad (voice)
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing2003Video GameJaws (voice)
BloodHounds, Inc. #5: Fangs for the Memories2000VideoMortimer
Inspector Gadget1999Famous Big Guy with Silver Teeth
Happy Gilmore1996Mr. Larson
The Giant of Thunder Mountain1991Eli Weaver
The Princess and the Dwarf1989
Superboy1989TV SeriesVlkabok
Think Big1989Irving
Out of This World1988TV SeriesNorman
Qing bao long hu men1985Laszlo
Pale Rider1985Club
Cannonball Run II1984Arnold, Mitsubishi Driver
Mad Mission 3: Our Man from Bond Street1984Big G
Phoenix1983Steel Hand
Simon & Simon1983TV SeriesMark Horton
Hysterical1983Captain Howdy
The Fall Guy1981TV SeriesAnimal
So Fine1981Eddie
Moonraker1979Jaws
The Humanoid1979Golob
They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way1978Duke
Force 10 from Navarone1978Drazak
The Incredible Hulk1977TV SeriesThe Hulk (one scene only)
Young Dan'l Boone1977TV SeriesGrimm
The Spy Who Loved Me1977Jaws
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries1977TV SeriesManager - 'Haunted House'
Silver Streak1976Reace
Land of the Lost1976TV SeriesMalak
Gus1976Tall Man
Starsky and Hutch1976TV SeriesIggy
Barbary Coast1975-1976TV SeriesMoose Moran
Switch1975TV SeriesLoach
Flash and the Firecat1975Milo Pewett
Kolchak: The Night Stalker1974TV SeriesThe Monster / The Diablero
Emergency!1974TV SeriesCarlo
The Longest Yard1974Samson (as Dick Kiel)
Deadhead Miles1973Big Dick
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color1970TV SeriesLuke Brown
The Boy Who Stole the Elephant1970TV MovieLuke Brown
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever1970Blacksmith (uncredited)
Daniel Boone1969TV SeriesLemouche
It Takes a Thief1968TV SeriesWilly
Skidoo1968Beany
Now You See It, Now You Don't1968TV MovieNori
A Man Called Dagger1968Otto
The Wild Wild West1965-1968TV SeriesVoltaire / Dimas
I Spy1968TV SeriesTiny
The Monroes1967TV SeriesCasmir
The Monkees1967TV SeriesMonster
Lassie1963-1966TV SeriesChinook Pete / Dinny
The Las Vegas Hillbillys1966Moose
Gilligan's Island1966TV SeriesThe Ghost Russian Agent
My Mother the Car1966TV SeriesCracks
Honey West1966TV SeriesGroalgo
I Dream of Jeannie1965TV SeriesAli
Brainstorm1965Asylum Inmate (uncredited)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.1964-1965TV SeriesMerry / Thug in Vulcan's Factory
The Human Duplicators1965Dr. Kolos
Two on a Guillotine1965Photographer at Funeral (uncredited)
The Nasty Rabbit1964Ranch foreman (uncredited)
Roustabout1964Strongman (uncredited)
30 Minutes at Gunsight1963TV Short
Lassie's Great Adventure1963Chinook Pete
The Nutty Professor1963Man in Gym (uncredited)
House of the Damned1963The Giant
Eegah1962Eegah
The Twilight Zone1962TV SeriesKanamit
The Phantom1961TV MovieBig Mike
The Phantom Planet1961The Solarite
The Rifleman1961TV SeriesCarl Hazlitt
King of Diamonds1961TV SeriesDoorman
Laramie1961TV SeriesRake - Tolan's helper
Thriller1961TV SeriesMaster Styx
Klondike1960TV SeriesDuff Brannigan
The D.I.1957Ugly Marine (uncredited)

Writer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Giant of Thunder Mountain1991screenplay

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Giant of Thunder Mountain1991executive producer

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Freddy Jenkins Show2014TV Mini-Series short in memory of - 1 episode
Edición Especial Coleccionista2014TV Series in memory of - 1 episode

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Legends2000TV Series documentaryHimself
The Secrets of 007: The James Bond Files1997TV Movie documentaryHimself / Jaws
The World of James Bond1995TV Movie documentaryHimself
Gottschalk Late Night1993TV SeriesHimself
30 Years of James Bond1992TV Movie documentaryHimself
Praise the Lord1986TV SeriesHimself
Late Night with David Letterman1985TV SeriesHimself
The 54th Annual Academy Awards1982TV Special documentaryJaws: For Your Eyes Only musical segment
The New Battlestars1981TV SeriesHimself
The 1980 Sci-Fi Awards1980TV SpecialHimself
The Mike Douglas Show1977-1980TV SeriesHimself - Actor / Himself
Circus of the Stars #41979TV Special documentaryHimself - Performer
Am laufenden Band1979TV SeriesHimself
The Hollywood Squares1979TV SeriesGuest Appearance
Good Morning America1979TV SeriesHimself
La nuit des Césars1979TV Series documentaryHimself
The Making of James Bond - 0071977TV Series documentaryHimself
Van Dyke and Company1976TV SeriesHimself / Ventriloquist
Van Dyke and Company1975TV SpecialHimself
This Morning2013TV SeriesHimself
Soccer AM2012TV SeriesHimself
Piers Morgan's Life Stories2012TV SeriesHimself / Jaws
Totally Tracked Down2010TV SeriesHimself
Welcome to Sweden2007TV SeriesHimself
Gylne tider2006-2007TV Series documentaryHimself
007 in Egypt2006Video documentary shortHimself
Circus Footage2006Video documentary shortHimself / Jaws
After They Were Famous2005TV Series documentaryHimself
The Ultimate Film2004TV Movie documentaryHimself
James Bond: A BAFTA Tribute2002TV Movie documentaryHimself
Best Ever Bond2002TV Movie documentaryHimself
E! True Hollywood Story2002TV Series documentaryHimself
Inside 'Moonraker'2000Video documentary shortHimself
Inside 'The Spy Who Loved Me'2000Video documentary shortHimself

Archive Footage

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1980Saturn AwardAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USABest Supporting ActorMoonraker (1979)

Known for movies


ncG1vNJzZmimlanEsL7Toaeoq6RjvLOzjqugnKCRp7Fut8ieo2amlal6uLvRrZ9o