THE FINAL FRONTIER
YAPHET KOTTO 1939-2021
A powerhouse performer in some genre greats
ALAMY
Yaphet Kotto always saw himself as a revolutionary presence on screen. “That was my plan, to play parts that would open up the doors for others,” he reflected in 2015, “and it worked.” Born in Harlem, New York City, Kotto began on Broadway. With his imposing frame and authoritative, resonant voice he proved a memorable TV player in such episodic fare as Hawaii Five-0 and The High Chaparral.