Character sheet for the novel and James Bond film Live and Let Die.
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The Book
The Robber
The Robber
The man who runs Ouroboros Bait and Tackle, Incorporated, a shell company for Mr. Big's operations based in Florida. He is responsible for the attempted murder of Felix Leiter.- Cold Sniper: Nonchalantly shoots pelicans, people, and presumably everything in between with his rifle.
- The Dragon: Fits this role better than Tee Hee does in the book.
- Eaten Alive: Ends up being eaten alive by a shark.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Dies after falling in the very same shark tank he attempted to kill Leiter with.
- I Surrender, Suckers: A variation. While dangling over the Shark Pool he attempts to reason with Bond by claiming that Leiter's maiming was an accident caused by his own stupidity. Bond, both seeing through his lies and not at all happy someone would talk trash about his best friend, presently fighting for dear life, punts the Robber into the tank.
Mr. Big
Buonaparte Ignace Gallia, a.k.a. Mr. Big
- Achilles' Heel: It is noted that he has chronic heart problems. But it is not what does him in.
- Bald of Evil: Bald, polished as such, "except for some grey-brown fluff above the ears."
- The Dreaded: Because of his striking appearance and use of voodoo imagery, many are convinced that he is the zombie of the voodoo god Baron Samedi, and are terrified of crossing him.
- Freudian Excuse: It goes by in half a sentence, Bond has the impression of a "ghastly misfit" who was "feared" and therefore hated, and now sees fate and the world as to take revenge on.
- Karmic Death: He is eaten by sharks and barracudas, the same fate that he had stored for Bond and Solitaire.
- Large and in Charge: Six-foot-six, twenty stone (280 pounds) heavy.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Bond notes that only the files on him know his real name.
- Red Right Hand: His ash-grey skin.
- Significant Monogram: When he was young, other children called him "Big Boy" or "Big" after his initials, Buonaparte Ignace Gallia. The nickname became "Big Man" or "Mr. Big" as he got older, and he decided to keep it. Very befitting for the leader of a Harlem mob.
- Wicked Cultured: In contrast to the poorly-educated Jive Turkeys that make up his mob, he speaks perfect English and shows a keen knowledge of history and classical art.
- Worthy Opponent: Considers Bond this, and Bond - privately, at least - holds the same opinion of him.
The Film
MI6
Bond's Allies
Solitaire
Solitaire
"I know who you are, what you are, and why you've come."
Played by: Jane Seymour
The Big Bad's Fortune Teller whose genuine ability gave him an edge in the criminal underworld.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: She's the only character in the whole series to beat Bond in a game of cards, one of his biggest talents, fair and square. Even the usually cool Bond freezes in shock for a second. To add insult to injury, it was a game Bond was teaching her how to play.
- Fortune Teller: She has the ability to see the future by reading tarot cards.
- Girl of the Week: The main Bond Girl of this film.
- Human Sacrifice: She was going to be sacrificed in a ceremony presided by Baron Samedi in the climax for having failed Kananga. Bond rescues her.
- Meaningful Name: "Solitaire" is a card game, referring to her use of tarot cards. It is also the French word for "solitary," referring to her (alleged) Virgin Power.
- Ms. Fanservice: Wears a very loose-fitting nightie in one scene, through which her body and breasts are clearly visible when she moves around.
- Mysterious Backer: It's implied she sent Bond a tarot card warning him that Rosie Carver was leading him to his death.
- Sex–Face Turn: Solitaire switches sides after Bond sleeps with her, but it was clear she held at least some grudge against Kananga already. When Bond tells her that he stacked the deck of cards predicting they would become lovers, she's neither upset nor surprised.
- Tarot Motifs: About par for the course for a Fortune Teller. A modern deck, often marketed as the Tarot of the Witches, was actually designed for the film.
- Token White: The only white person working for Kananga.
- Unlimited Wardrobe: She never seems to wear the same outfit for more than one scene. Then again, she works for a Caribbean Prime Minister/drug lord.
- Virgin Power: Her precognition is dependent upon her virginity.
- You Have Failed Me: She was to be executed by Kananga before Bond rescues her.
Strutter
Strutter
"Kind of obvious you weren't coming out front. Not even with that clever disguise you're wearing."
Played by: Lon Satton
A CIA agent from Harlem who has been working on the Mister Big case for a while.
- Friend on the Force: A colleague of Felix Leiter, he's this by extension to Bond.
- Kidnapped by an Ally: In traditional Bond fashion, he points a gun at Bond the first time they meet in a backyard alley in Harlem.
- Sacrificial Lion: He is killed by Kananga's henchmen with the funeral procession trick in New Orleans.
- Token Enemy Minority: He and Quarrel Jr. are the only black men of note to help Bond against Kananga, who besides Solitaire, has an all-African-American gang.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: The audience gets to know little about him before his death.
Quarrel Jr.
Quarrel Jr.
"My regards to Baron Samedi, man: right between the eyes!"
Played by: Roy Stewart
A Caribbean fisherman who helps Bond. He is the son of the Cayman islander, Quarrel, who appeared in Dr. No, and he is acquainted with Bond and Felix Leiter, just like his father was.
- Badass Boast: To him, the invincible, laughing Baron Samedi is no match for a simple headshot.
- Dead Guy Junior: Named after his father Quarrel, who died in Dr. No.
- Hero of Another Story: Nothing is said about how he met Bond.
- Like Father, Like Son: A fisherman and ally of secret agents, just like his father.
- Mistaken for an Imposter: Rosie Carver grows suspicious of him to the point of pointing at him with her revolver, only for Bond to introduce him as Quarrel Jr.
- Only One Name: He only goes by one name, just like his father.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: In the original book, it was Quarrel who helped Bond, since it was released before his death in Dr. No. Since the film continuity had that come first, Jr. was created to take his place.
- Token Enemy Minority: He and Strutter are the only black men of note to help Bond against Kananga, who besides Solitaire, has an all-African-American gang.
Kananga's Gang
Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big
Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big
"There is only one proper way to do this...and one proper time."
Click here to see him as Mr. Big
Played by: Yaphet Kotto Other Languages
The main antagonist. A corrupt Caribbean Prime Minister who doubles as a drug lord in Harlem.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: In the book he's a 6'6", twenty stone giant of a man, with an ash-grey complexion. Here he's (once he takes the mask off) the handsome Yaphet Kotto.
- Adaptational Dye-Job: He's Bald of Evil in the novel. In the film, he has a full head of hair.
- Adaptational Job Change: He's a SMERSH operative in the novel. In the film, he's prime minister of a fictional Caribbean island and working independently.
- Adaptation Name Change: In the book, his real name was Buonapart Ignace Gallia, and he made his pseudonym, Mr. Big, out of his initials. In the film, he's named Dr. Kananga after the real-life owner of the crocodile farm where part of the film was shot.
- Bad Boss: Zigzagged; he's controlling and abusive to Solitaire, but the worst he does to Whisper is shoot the couch he's sitting on, causing it to inflate and explode. And we all know what happens when a human gets a shark gun pellet in them...
- Big Bad: The main antagonist of the film.
- The Chessmaster: With Solitaire's help, he's two steps ahead of Bond throughout much of the movie.
- Complexity Addiction: The methods by which he has interfering MI-6 agents killed are all highly elaborate, including trying to have Bond Fed to the Beast on three separate occasions. However, his methods are so unexpected they're actually pretty successful at catching highly trained MI-6 agents unawares, with the obvious exception of Bond.
- Corrupt Politician: A corrupt Caribbean Prime Minister and a drug lord.
- Diabolical Mastermind: While Kananga is a departure from megalomaniac supervillains trying to Take Over the World, his Evil Plan still involves large criminal resources.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation: In the novel, he survives a boat explosion only to be eaten by various sea creatures. In the film, he explodes after swallowing a compressed air bullet.
- Faux Affably Evil: In the climax, he acts condescendingly affable after he gets the drop on Bond and Solitaire.
- Fed to the Beast: Instead of just shooting Bond, Kananga tries to feed him to a succession of hungry beasties; first snakes, then crocodiles, then finally sharks.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: The compressed pellet gun was not his in the first place but he uses it for fun on the couch Whisper was sitting on and puts one of the pellets on the table, allowing Bond to take it with the magnet on his watch.
- Jive Turkey: Talks like this as Mr. Big.
- Large and in Charge: Similar to his literary counterpart, he's six-foot-four and has a heavy build.
- Latex Perfection: His mask when pretending to be Mr. Big. Also a rare case of the actor actually wearing a real-life version of the trope instead of having a second actor play the second character.
- Living a Double Life: It's revealed that Kananga doubles as Mr. Big, a ruthless Harlem drug lord.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: His many bizarre methods of assassination and execution seem designed to create some degree of plausible deniability, as well as to sow fear among his enemies. Russia and North Korea are known to employ similar methods for the same reasons.
- Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: He's named Dr. Kananga and is the Big Bad of the film.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: While "Mr Big" is a character from the book, the "Dr Kananga" side of him is based on notorious Haitian dictator Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, both using and abusing Voodoo to maintain an iron grip on their subjects (Kananga also has Baron Samedi as an ally / underling, while Duvalier claimed to actually be Baron Samedi), both possessing doctorates, both being tyrannical rulers of Caribbean island nations etc. The Kananga name itself however comes from Ross Kananga, the real-life owner of the crocodile farm featured in the movie.
- Older Than They Look: He apparently knew both Solitaire's mother and grandmother when they were virgins; assuming he's roughly the same age as the grandmother and that both women had their daughters in their twenties, Kananga would have to be at least in his mid-to-late sixties. Like many things in the film, it's deliberately left ambiguous whether he's just naturally young-looking or has been preserving his youth through mystical means.
- "Pop!" Goes the Human: Dr. Kananga's demise is certainly the most ridiculously unrealistic of all Bond villains. Bond forces him to swallow a pellet of compressed air. The pellet unloads in Kananga's throat, and causes him to swell up like a balloon and rise up to the air until he explodes. With no blood, bones or flesh left. This leaves Bond to quip the following:Bond: He always did have an inflated opinion of himself.
- President Evil: He's the prime minister of San Monique who moonlights as a drug kingpin.
- Psycho Knife Nut: At the end of the film he cuts a captive Bond's arm with a knife to draw blood for attracting sharks, then when Bond gets free Kananga comes at him with the knife and shows off both some elaborate knife fighting techniques as well as a gleeful joy at slicing people. Bond manages to disarm him pretty easily though.
- Race Lift: There's no indication he's half-white like his book counterpart was.
- Scary Black Man: Mr. Big knows how to be quite ruthless. He inspires this even as Kananga, if Rosie Carver's fear is anything to go by.
- Simple, yet Awesome: His plan. No complex schemes, doomsday devices or plans for world domination, just a straightforward plan to take over the drug market in the U.S. by flooding it with free product to put his competitors out of business and allow him to take over and it would've worked had Bond not interfered.
- Slasher Smile: Exhibits this when cutting a captive Bond's arm with a knife to draw blood for attracting sharks, as well as when he comes after Bond with the knife after the latter gets free. Both these scenes demonstrate that, underneath his sophisticated persona, Kananga is a vicious, sadistic psychopath.
- Villain with Good Publicity: He masquerades under the guise of only wanting the best for the inhabitants of San Monique.
- Villainous Breakdown: He gets a bit testy when Solitaire's powers seem to be faltering, and she shows disrespect, but largely keeps his temper in check. After a failed test with Bond's fingers at risk, he explodes in anger.
- Villainous Crush: It's implied he has one on Solitaire, as evidenced when he rants at her for sleeping with Bond; he says that she knew that he "would have given her love when the time was right." Sheesh, you really expect a girl to wait that long, Kananga?
Tee-Hee
Tee-Hee Johnson
"Oh, the other's twice as simple. You just put your hand in his mouth... and pull his teeth out! Heh heh!"
Played by: Julius Harris
Kananga's primary henchman and bodyguard, who has a mechanical pincer for a hand (he lost his arm to a crocodile in the crocodile farm he runs).
- Achilles' Heel: He manages to get Bond on the ropes in a fair fight, but Bond gets the upper hand by cutting the artificial tendons of his mechanical arm.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: His book counterpart is described as being quite overweight. In the film, he has a fairly normal build.
- Adaptational Badass: In the book he's a perfectly ordinary mook whose only quirk is giggling while torturing people and who dies very early on. The film ups him to second-in-command, gave him a mechanical arm with a pincer so vicious that it can make Dr. No himself blush, and has him pull a Dragon Their Feet scene after the climax.
- Affably Evil: He's pretty likable and talks to Bond as if he were an old friend rather than an enemy and even says it's good to see him again before their last fight.
- An Arm and a Leg: He had his arm bitten off years ago by a crocodile he claims he got careless with. He doesn't seem resentful about it though and still speaks affectionately about the crocodile in question.
- Artificial Limbs: His dual pincer-tipped mechanical arm. The edge is apparently an Absurdly Sharp Blade and he can punch through walls and solid wood with it.
- Ascended Extra: He was a minor henchman in the novel. In the film, he's one the main henchman.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: While Mr. Big's men are generally well dressed, Tee-Hee has many suits and isn't afraid of fighting in them.
- Bald of Evil: Not a hair on his head and is a persistent right-hand man for a nefarious drug lord.
- Cool Shades: Always wears huge sunglasses outside.
- Deadpan Snarker: Natch for a guy named Tee-Hee.
- Death by Falling Over: In the book, his neck snaps when Bond kicks him down a staircase.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation: In the novel, Bond kills him by throwing him off a balcony. In the film, he throws him off a train.
- Disney Villain Death: In the film, Bond throws him out the window of a speeding train.
- The Dragon: In the film, he's the second-in-command to Mr. Big.
- Dragon Their Feet: He isn't present during the skirmish in Mr. Big's HQ but instead fights Bond on the train in the epilogue where he's tossed out of the window, similar to Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me.
- Fat Bastard: In the book. Not so much in the films.
- Four Eyes, Zero Soul: He wears huge '70s sunglasses and is The Dragon for a drug lord.
- Giggling Villain: Well, with a name like "Tee-Hee," what did you expect?
- Hidden Depths: Proves to be very knowledgeable about crocodilians. The way Harris plays the scene, it comes off as a genuine interest rather than just villainous gloating.
- The Hyena: He tends to laugh over almost everything.
- Meaningful Name: He sure is cheerful. Think Fluffy the Terrible.
- Perma-Stubble: He has a five o'clock shadow, albeit it's quite hard to notice.
- Perpetual Smiler: Always a grin on his face.
- Red Right Hand: His mechanical arm.
- Scary Black Man: You don't want him after you.
- Shout-Out: A primary villain who wears red and has a prosthetic hook to replace a hand that got eaten by a crocodile definitely brings Captain Hook to mind.
- Sinister Shades: Always wears huge sunglasses outside.
Baron Samedi
Baron Samedi
"Good morning Boss, it's sure going to be a beautiful day."
Played by: Geoffrey Holder
A tall and mysterious henchman working for Kananga. He has strange ties to the Voodoo cult on San Monique and plays the role of Baron Samedi, the Voodoo loa of cemeteries, in a show for tourists as well as during the Human Sacrifices on San Monique. The final shot of the film suggests he was a lot more than just a tourist attraction.
- Affably Evil: He's quite the treat when he's not using his talents for his boss.
- Ambiguously Human: In a rare case for the James Bond franchise, it's never made clear whether he's the real Loa or just a charismatic human. The ending heavily implies the former.
- Bald of Evil: He has a shiny dome.
- Borrowin' Samedi: He acts the part of Baron Samedi, and there is an implication that he may be the Baron himself.
- Canon Foreigner: No such character appears in the novel, although many people in Harlem and elsewhere believe Mr. Big to be a manifestation of Samedi himself or perhaps his zombie. Mr. Big encourages this beneficial belief by keeping a Baron Samedi totem near his desk.
- The Dragon: He's this (in the supernatural department) to Kananga. But given that he's the one who leads the voodoo cult on San Monique, it's implied that Samedi works with Kananga rather than for him.
- The Dreaded: He's widely feared by the people of San Monique who believe him to be a powerful Voodoo figure which Kananga uses to keep them away from his poppy fields.
- Enigmatic Minion: And how. See Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane.
- Everyone Hates Hades: If he is the real Baron Samedi, it's unclear why he's working for a criminal mastermind like Dr. Kananga; according to Vodoun myth, while Baron Samedi is the Lord of the Dead, he's actually a benevolent and easygoing spirit.
- Evil Is Bigger: Stands out a very imposing 6'6, towering over Bond and even having a couple of inches on Kananga.
- Evil Is Hammy: Easily one of the most theatrical Bond villains ever.
- Evil Laugh: Geoffrey Holder's trademark laugh. A particularly strange and memorable one. He even ends the film with it.
- Evil Sorcerer: If he's not just a very good performer, then he's the only Bond villain in the film series to have magic powers.
- Evil Sounds Deep: Geoffrey Holder's trademark voice. His one line in the movie makes it really clear.
- Greater-Scope Villain: If we are led to believe that he was the real, genuine Baron Samedi, then it can be inferred that he was either merely pretending to be a minion of Kananga, or was never really a minion at all.
- The Hyena: He goes into battle whooping with laughter.
- Immortality: Maybe, maybe not. There's a reason he is called "the man who cannot die," after all...
- Karma Houdini: Bond beats him up and throws him into a coffin filled with poisonous snakes, seemingly killing him. He appears on the engine of Bond's train, alive and well, laughing and tipping his hat before the end credits roll.
- Large Ham: Geoffrey Holder is quite enjoying himself.
- Magical Flutist: He plays a sinister melody when Bond and Solitaire meet him during their exploration of San Monique (without his Baron Samedi attire). The flute conceals a microphone.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Is he the real thing, or just a really good performer? To date he's the only villain in the entire franchise whose nature is cast into doubt by the narrative in this way.
- Paper Tiger: Bond dispatches him with ease. For a certain value of "dispatch."
- Perpetual Smiler: He's always smiling. That being said, given that he's almost always disguised as (or maybe he straight up is) a Voodoo loa, it comes off as really terrifying.
- Scary Black Man: It's safe to say that the previous entries cement him as this.
- Signature Headgear: Top hats. And the one he wears when he enters in Kananga's hideout under the Fillet of Soul restaurant.
- Slasher Smile: He almost always has a big grin on his face and it's quite unnerving.
- Skull for a Head: His face painting when he confronts Bond in the climax.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: He spends most of his screentime in a loincloth and with No Shirt, Long Jacket.
- Wham Shot: The final scene where he is alive, well, and laughing at the front of a speeding train implies that he really was the actual Baron Samedi all along.
Rosie Carver
Rosie Carver
"But you couldn't. You wouldn't. Not after what we've just done."
Played by: Gloria Hendry
A CIA agent who secretly works for Kananga.
- Bad Liar: Bond tells Rose to lead him to wear Baines was killed, but it's in a different place from where she first said he died. This confirms Bond's suspicions.
- Crazy-Prepared: Is wise enough to at least have a gun handy when trying to dispose of Bond, or when she suspects something's afoot with Quarrel.
- Double Agent: She's a CIA agent that secretly works for Kananga.
- Expy: For Coffy, or almost any woman in a Blaxploitation movie.
- The Load: She's a rookie agent who's useless to Bond's investigation; however much of this is likely Obfuscating Stupidity.
- Ms. Fanservice: She has a Walking Swimsuit Scene on Quarrel Jr.'s boat and very short white dress with nothing underneath while on the island.
- The Mole: Secretly working for Kananga to lure Bond into a trap, and it's implied she did the same to Barnes.
- Race Lift: She's white in the novel.
- Screaming Woman: She's afraid of everything. It's all an act until she sees the scarecrows...
- You Have Failed Me: Kananga has his booby-trapped scarecrows kill her when it's clear that Bond's interrogation is going successfully.
Whisper
Whisper
"Your champagne, sir!"
Played by: Earl Jolly Brown
Another of Kananga's henchmen. He tries to off Bond on several occasions, by killing Bond's driver in New York while the taxi is on motion or sending a venomous snake in Bond's bathroom.
- Butt-Monkey: Ends up getting trapped by an inflatable couch when Kananga shoots it with the shark gun.
- The Dragon: Runs Kananga's drug facility on San Monique.
- Fat Bastard: A quite portly mook.
- Meaningful Name: Cannot speak any louder than his name suggests. In the novel, this is because he lost all of one lung and part of the other to tuberculosis when he was young.
- Only Known By His Nickname: He's only called Whisper for the whole film.
- Room Disservice: Poses as a room service waiter to distract Bond while the snake is set up in position.
- The Quiet One: He rarely talks, what with him not being able to talk audibly and all.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: The last time he's seen is when Bond traps him in a steel canister. Is he still trapped in it?
Cab Driver
The Cab Driver
"Right on, brother!"
Played by: Arnold Williams Other Languages
A cab driver on Kananga's payroll. Bond hires him twice, falling twice into a trap.
- '70s Hair: An afro.
- Affably Evil: He's not openly hostile to Bond, he just drives him to the carefully laid out ambushes.
- Karma Houdini: Takes Bond and Solitaire into a trap at a local airport; Bond escapes, and the driver is never seen again.
- Motor Mouth: The most talkative of all of Kananga's henchmen.
- Not My Driver: Twice, though he doesn't reveal it the first time.
- The Nicknamer: Calls Bond "Jim" the second time they meet.
Adam
Adam
"You made one big mistake back on that island, Bond."
Played by: Tommy Lane
One of Kananga's thugs. He perishes at the end of the speed boat chase against Bond in Louisiana.
- '70s Hair: A less conspicuous afro than the cab driver's afro.
- Determinator: He is the most tenacious of Kananga's mooks to chase Bond.
- Mooks: He's one of Kananga's mooks, and the most notorious during the speed boat chase against Bond.
- Hero Stole My Bike: More like "Villain Stole My Bike": Knocks out J.W. Pepper's brother-in-law and steals his very swift speed boat.Adam: I'd like to borrow that boat if I may.
Other Characters
Ms. Caruso
Ms. Caruso
"Such a delicate touch..."
Played by: Madeline Smith
A young, beautiful, dark haired, nubile and buxom Italian agent who is seen sleeping with Bond in the opening after the credits. Apparently his skills as a lover made quite an impression on her. She is very nearly caught in an embarrassing state of undress by M when M comes in the morning to talk with Bond, and actually is caught in an embarrassing state of undress by Ms. Moneypenny, who silently agrees not to humiliate the poor girl by letting her hide in the closet with her clothes. When Bond finally finishes with M, he finds a fully dressed Ms. Caruso in the closet, assures her they are alone and proceeds to undress her with his new magnetic watch.
- Closet Shuffle: Where she hides when M shows up unexpectedly.
- Foreign Fanservice: She's Italian and obviously a very attractive woman.
- Innocent Fanservice Girl: Once they're alone again, she doesn't mind getting undressed by Bond.
- Last-Name Basis: "Ms. Caruso" is the only name she is given.
- Ms. Fanservice: Spends most of her onscreen time covered in a Modesty Bedsheet.
- The Nudifier: She ends up on the receiving end of Bond's magnetic watch when he unzips her dress - and she likes it.
