Walter Gotell (March 15, 1924 – May 5, 1997) was a German actor, best known for his role as General Gogol, head of the KGB, in the Bond films.

Walter Gotell as Morzeny (left) in ‘From Russia With Love’.

Born in Bonn, Germany he started in films as early as 1942 usually playing German henchmen in films like Ice Cold in Alex (1958) and The Guns of Navarone (1961).

Gotell’s first role in the James Bond films came in 1963, when he played the henchman Morzeny in From Russia with Love.

Starting in the late 1970s, he played the recurring role of General Gogol in the James Bond series, beginning with The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977. The character returned in Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), A View to a Kill (1985) and The Living Daylights (1987). As the Cold War developed, the role of leader of the KGB was seen to change attitudes to the West – from direct competitor to collaborator. His final appearance, as the Cold War began to become less imminent, sees him transferred to a different, more diplomatic role.

Throughout his career, Gotell also made numerous guest appearances in a wide array of television series.