Honoring the life of a legendary Hollywood villain, Richard Kiel

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Jaws, Kanamit, Otto Chopper -- the list of terrifying Villians Richard Kiel played spans over fifty years. Alongside the likes of Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, even Adam Sandler.

But in the small town of Coarsegold where Kiel called home for many years, he was famous for his love of family, and community.

Former Madera County Film Commissioner Brian Wilkinson said, "He loved the mountain area up here. He loved living up here. He wasn't the Hollywood type, that wasn't for him. I think that's the legacy is that family is way more important than career."

It wouldn't be until 1991, when he would show his true colors to Hollywood, writing and starring in the Giant of Thunder Mountain, filmed near his home in the Sierra foothills.

The film grossed less than $140,000. And made it to few theaters outside of the MET Cinema in Oakhurst. Here the film is a relic cherished by many, including the man who found it stashed away in this small theater.

"We started to pull out the film and we looked and it said Giant of Thunder Mountain," said Matt Sconce. "And it was the copy I watched as a child. And I realized we have to save this so even though we went digital, we don't have any film machines going anymore, we keep that here in the theater where we first saw his movie."

And where it'll be seen for many years to come.