Sad to hear this news, as Yaphet Kotto passed away yesterday at the age of 81. While maybe not a household name around most circles, he was pretty much an icon of screen for me growing up. He brought such gravitas and believability to his roles, they became immediately cemented into my consciousness. Of course his impressive performance as the hard by jubilant engineer Parker in Alien, or bringing an equal grandeur alongside a major action star in Running Man, and as the cold Dr. Kananga in Live and Let Die, but even in smaller roles on shows like the A-Team or Star Trek, it was always a pleasure to see him appear on screen, big or small. Later on in his career Mr. Kotto continued on to the seminal role of Lieutenant Al Giardello in Homicide: Life on the Street; a role for which alone I think he deserves outstanding accolades. He brought so many great performances across his career, and it was a pleasure to enjoy each one. He will be missed, and fondly remembered.
Dr. Kananga is a close second, but i will always remember him as the Chief Engineer of the Nostromo. R.I.P Yaphet.
