Dr Kananga/Mr Big (Yaphet Kotto)
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Dr Kananga/Mr Big played by Yaphet Kotto
Born in New York City, New York, USA on 15th November 1939
Starred In Live And Let Die (1973)
Profile
Dr Kananga appears in the pre-title sequence with Solitaire representing the island of San Monique at a meeting. He later appears in many other scenes, usually with Solitaire and Tee Hee in tow.
The alter-ego of Kananga, Mr Big, is introduced to Bond first where he dismisses Bond's trademark introduction telling him "Names are for tombstones baby". It is not until later that he finds out that Mr Big and Kananga are the same person.At the end of the film Kananga is strangely happy when Bond disrupts his plans. He tells Bond he has been only a minor annoyance, and that poppies are hardy and will grow back. Nevertheless he does attempt to kill both Bond and Solitaire by feeding them to sharks, but Bond manages to gain the upper hand using his magnetic Rolex. He then forces Kananga to swallow a compressed air pellet causing him to inflate and explode.
About
To promote his drugs operations Dr Kananga uses the character of Mr Big to run the chain of Fillet of Soul restaurants in New York and New Orleans. This dictator turned New York drug dealer uses his alter ego as a means to achieve his objective.
Kananga grows vast qualities of poppies on San Monique covered under camouflaged nets. With the help of Baron Samedi and imitation scarecrows this ensures the local population doesn’t go near them. His plan is to then flood the American market with two tons of heroin distributed through Fillet of Soul restaurants, free. This will force other dealers out of business getting Kananga a monopoly on the American drugs market.
A menacing but sophisticated character, Kananga is more with giving orders and threats, and the occasional witticism, than physical violence personally. He like most villains, leaves his henchmen to do the work for him. §
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