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Yaphet Frederick Kotto (born November 15, 1939) is an American actor, known for numerous film roles, as well as starring in the NBC television series ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' (1993–99) as Lieutenant Al Giardello. His films include the science-fiction/horror film ''Alien'' (1979), and the Arnold Schwarzenegger science-fiction/action film ''The Running Man'' (1987). He portrayed the main villain Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big in the James Bond movie ''Live and Let Die'' (1973). He appeared opposite Robert De Niro in the comedy thriller ''Midnight Run'' (1988) as FBI agent Alonzo Moseley. == Early life == Kotto was born in New York City. His mother was Gladys Marie, a nurse and U.S. Army officer. His father is Avraham Kotto (originally named Njoki Manga Bell), a businessman from Cameroon who immigrated to the United States in the 1920s. In his autobiography titled ''Royalty'', Kotto writes that his father was "the crown prince of Cameroon;" however, Cameroon is a republic and its monarchs now have limited responsibilities as auxiliaries of the state whom they must support at all times. This is a typical example of an intrastate African monarchy. Kotto said he learned that his father's family was royal in adult life while studying his family's lineage, and said he is a descendant of Queen Victoria.〔(Yaphet Kotto Biography (1944-) )〕 According to Kotto, his father was an observant Jew who spoke Hebrew. Kotto's mother, who was of Panamanian descent, converted to Judaism before marrying his father.〔〔http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-02-10/features/1993041159_1_yaphet-kotto-detective-brubaker〕 Kotto claims that his great-grandfather, whom he names "King Alexander Bell," ruled the Douala region of Cameroon in the late-19th century and was also a practicing Jew.〔(Lt. Giardello Doesn't Skip His Prayers. | Society, Social Assistance & Lifestyle > Religion & Spirituality from AllBusiness.com )〕 Kotto has said that his paternal family originated from Israel many centuries ago, migrating to Egypt and then Cameroon, and have been African Jews for many generations.〔 Apart from Kotto's own claims, these genealogical statements remain unsupported by other sources. His claim of being a descendant of Queen Victoria has been denied by the Buckingham Palace press office.〔Bill Zwecker, (''Yaphet Kotto tells of royal `link`'' ) ''Chicago Sun-Times'', March 11, 1997 – High Beam〕 He has said that being a black Jew made it more difficult for him as a child. "It was rough coming up," Kotto said. "And then going to shul, putting a yarmulke on, having to face people who were primarily Baptists in the Bronx meant that on Fridays, I was in some heavy fistfights."〔("People, places & things in the news" ), ''South Coast Today''.〕 The Bell family is indeed a very powerful, well known and respected royal family in the Wouri estuary of what is now the Republic of Cameroon, with authority over the township of Bell. They were leaders of the Duala people long before Cameroon became a republic, and it is actually the European colonists who first called the Duala leaders kings. The first Duala leader to use the title for himself was King Ndumbe Lobe Bell, who succeeded his father Lobé Bébé Bell in 1858 and ruled until 1897. Unfortunately, in 1914 King Rudolf Duala Manga Bell was executed for high treason by the Germans, who suppressed the monarchy. Under the laws of the current Republic of Cameroon (founded 1960), the reigning prince is considered an auxiliary of the state which he must support at all times. On January 24, 2014 Jean Yves Dieudonné Gaston Eboumbou Douala Manga Bell succeeded his father Prince René Douala Manga Bell.〔(www.afrik.com )〕〔https://www.cameroon-tribune.cm/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79154:canton-bell-prince-regnant-officiel&catid=4:societe&Itemid=3〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yaphet Kotto」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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