Jaws, played by Richard Kiel.

Jaws: The Best James Bond Nemesis

Jaws with Dolly as the space station is about to blow.

Jaws is an antagonist and nemesis of James Bond 007. He first appeared in the James Bond movies "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker," with Roger Moore playing 007. He also has made appearances in subsequent video games and television series. Jaws is played/voiced by Richard Kiel.


Ian Fleming had a henchman in his novel "The Spy Who Loved Me" named Horror. Horror has steel-capped teeth. The steel teeth were the defining aspect of his character (aside from his massive size), and Richard Kiel as Jaws wore steel dentures while playing the character. Jaws almost perished at the end of "The Spy Who Loved Me," but he was so popular that he survived to appear in the next film, "Moonraker."

Jaws cutting a cable car line - his way

They were thinking of casting Jaws in the film after "Moonraker" as well, and he was on the set (former James Bond actors often return to subsequent productions, it is a big family). However, they just couldn't come up with a role for him.

The Spy Who Loved Me

Jaws about to get a taste of James Bond.

Jaws is the minion of Karl Stromberg in "The Spy Who Loved Me." Jaws had an Egyptian temple's collapse on him, being hit by a van, being thrown from a fast-moving train, sitting in a car that goes over a cliff in Sardinia, an underwater battle with sharks, and the destruction of Stromberg's fortress.

Jaws during the fight on the cable car high above Rio de Janeiro.

In "Moonraker," Jaws is the minion of Hugo Drax. Jaws is more humorous in "Moonraker" than in "The Spy Who Loved Me," and he even turns against Drax at the end and helps James Bond defeat Drax. In "Moonraker," Jaws acquires a girlfriend, Dolly, who never speaks. Jaws survived falling thousands of feet after wrecking his own parachute by landing on a circus tent/trapeze net, crashes through a building in a runaway cable car but walked out dusting off his suit, and falling over a high waterfall. When Jaws is aboard Drax's spaceship with Dolly and the ship is about to fall apart, he finally speaks his first and only lines: "Well, here's to us." They float off into space together and are presumed to have survived their return to Earth.

James Bond Jr.

Jaws in "James Bond Jr."

In the animated spin-off "James Bond Jr.," Jaws is part of SCUM with partner Nick Nack.


Jaws has a metallic chin as well as teeth in James Bond Jr. and speaks regularly.

GoldenEye 007

Jaws in "GoldenEye 007."

Jaws appeared in a bonus mission in the 1997 Nintendo 64 video game "GoldenEye 007."

Jaws in GoldenEye 007.

In the game, Jaws is a surviving henchman of the dead Hug Dax, and James Bond must defeat him to win the bonus round.

007: Everything or Nothing at All

Jaws in video game 007: Everything or Nothing at All.

In the 2004 video game "007: Everything or Nothing at All," Jaws is a henchman to Nikolai Diavolo. Jaws faced electrocution inside a train that falls over the side of a bridge. He also drives a tanker intending to blow up the New Orleans waterfront barriers. He further appears in a fight on an elevator, equipped with a flamethrower. James Bond has to shoot the flamethrower and blow Jaws up, but when James Bond gets back down to the ground underneath the elevator, there is no sign of Jaws.

007 Legends

Jaws in 2010 video game "007 Legends Reloaded."

Activision came out with "007 Legends" and "007 Reloaded," which features Jaws from his "Moonraker" appearance. The video game was written by Bruce Feirstein, who wrote screenplays for several James Bond flicks ("The World is Not Enough," "Tomorrow Never Dies," "GoldenEye"). "Skyfall" stars Rory Kinnear (Tanner) and Naomie Harris (Moneypenny), along with Daniel Craig, make appearances.

James Bond 007: The Duel

Jaws appeared in the 1993 Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game James Bond 007: The Duel. He appears first toward the end of the first stage.


Jaws then appeared at the end of the game in the underground lair as the big boss.

Richard Kiel's Passing

Richard Kiel passed away on 10 September 2014. I wrote up a brief memorial for him here.


RIP Richard. A true legend.

2020