Max von Sydow
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Max von Sydow | |
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Von Sydow at the 2006 San Sebastian International Film Festival | |
Born | Carl Adolf von Sydow 10 April 1929 Lund, Skåne, Sweden |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1949–present |
Spouse(s) | Kerstin Olin (1951–1979; two sons) Catherine Brelet (1997–present) |
Carl Adolf "Max" von Sydow (/vɒn ˈsiːdoʊ/;[1] Swedish: [fɔn ˈsyːdɔv]; born 10 April 1929) is a Swedish actor, who has held French citizenship since 2002.[2] He has starred in many films and had supporting roles in dozens more in many languages, including Swedish, Norwegian, English, Italian, German, Danish, French and Spanish. Von Sydow received the Royal Foundation of Sweden's Cultural Award in 1954, the Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres in 2005 and the Légion d'honneur in 2010.
Some of his most memorable film roles include Knight Antonius Block in Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957), the first of his eleven films with Bergman, and the film that includes the iconic scenes in which he plays chess with Death;[3] Martin in Through a Glass Darkly (1961); Jesus in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965); Oktober in The Quiller Memorandum (1966); Karl Oskar Nilsson in The Emigrants (1971); Father Lankester Merrin in The Exorcist (1973); Joubert the assassin in Three Days of the Condor (1975); Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon (1980); the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again (1983); Liet-Kynes in Dune (1984); Frederick in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986); Lassefar in Pelle the Conqueror (1987), for which he received his first Academy Award nomination; Dr. Peter Ingham in Awakenings (1990); Lamar Burgess in Minority Report (2002) and The Renter in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2012), which earned him his second Academy Award nomination.
Early life
Max von Sydow was born Carl Adolf von Sydow, to a wealthy family, in Lund, Skåne. His father, Carl Wilhelm von Sydow, was an ethnologist and professor of Irish, Scandinavian, and comparative folklore at the University of Lund. His mother, the former Baroness Maria Margareta "Greta" Rappe, was a schoolteacher.[4][5][6] Von Sydow was raised as a Lutheran and later became an agnostic.[7]
He attended the Cathedral School of Lund, and learned German and English starting at the age of nine. At school, he and some friends founded an amateur theatre company. He completed National Service before studying at the Royal Dramatic Theatre ("Dramaten") in Stockholm, where he trained between 1948 and 1951 with the likes of Lars Ekborg, Margaretha Krook and Ingrid Thulin. During his time at Dramaten, he made his screen debut in Alf Sjöberg's films Only a Mother (Bara en mor, 1949), and Miss Julie (Fröken Julie, 1951), a screen version of Strindberg's scathing drama.
Career
In 1955, he moved to Malmö, where he met his mentor, Ingmar Bergman. His first work with Bergman occurred on stage at the Malmö Municipal Theatre. Von Sydow later would work with Bergman on films such as The Seventh Seal (Det sjunde inseglet, 1957), Wild Strawberries (Smultronstället, 1957) and The Virgin Spring (Jungfrukällan, 1960). In The Seventh Seal, von Sydow is the knight who plays a chess game with Death. The chess scenes and the film were international breakthroughs for actor and director alike. It was in these films where von Sydow honed and perfected his craft.
Von Sydow came to dominate the screen as he did the stage, becoming an idol of the international arthouse film scene. Critical recognition came as early as 1954 when he was awarded the Royal Foundation Culture Award. He worked profusely on both stage and screen while in Scandinavia, resisting the increasing calls from the United States to go to Hollywood. After being seen in Bergman's Academy Award–winning films and having been first choice for the title role of Dr. No, von Sydow finally went to America after agreeing to star in the film which led to much greater recognition, in the role of Jesus in George Stevens' all-star epic The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). As his talents were soon in demand in other American productions, von Sydow and his family relocated for some time to Los Angeles. From 1965, he became a regular on the American screen while maintaining a presence in his native Sweden. In 1969, he appeared in John Huston's The Kremlin Letter, and in 1971 gave a powerful, quiet performance in Jan Troell's acclaimed The Emigrants alongside actress Liv Ullman. Though often typecast as a villain, he was rewarded in the United States with two Golden Globe nominations, for Hawaii in 1966 and The Exorcist in 1973.
In the mid-1970s, von Sydow moved to Rome and appeared in a number of Italian films, becoming friendly with another screen legend, Marcello Mastroianni. In the U.S., he played a memorably professional Alsatian assassin in Three Days of the Condor (1975), a role which won him the KCFCC Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he appeared in Flash Gordon (1980), Strange Brew (1983), David Lynch's Dune (1984), and Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). In 1985, he was a member of the jury at the 35th Berlin International Film Festival.[8] He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the Danish film Pelle the Conqueror (1987), which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Von Sydow has since won the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor Award for his title role in Father (1989), the Guldbagge Best Director Award for his only directorial foray, Katinka (Ved vejen, 1988), based on a novel by Herman Bang, and the Best Actor Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival for The Silent Touch (Dotknięcie ręki, 1993). He received international acclaim for his performance as Nobel Prize–winning novelist Knut Hamsun in Jan Troell's biopic Hamsun. He received his third Swedish Guldbagge and his second Danish Bodil for his depiction of a character often described as his King Lear. In 1996, he starred in Liv Ullmann's Private Confessions (Enskilda samtal). Back in Hollywood, he appeared in What Dreams May Come.[citation needed]
He was acclaimed for his role as an elderly lawyer in Scott Hicks' Snow Falling on Cedars. In 2002, von Sydow had one of his largest commercial successes, co-starring with Tom Cruise in Steven Spielberg's science fiction thriller Minority Report. In 2003, he played mentor character Eyvind in the European TV adaptation of the Ring of the Nibelung saga. The show set ratings records and was released in the USA as Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King. In 2007, von Sydow starred in the box-office hit Rush Hour 3. He followed that with Julian Schnabel's award-winning foreign film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, based on the memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby.
Recently, von Sydow appeared in Showtime's drama series The Tudors, where he portrayed Cardinal Otto Truchsess von Waldburg, a German-born clergyman who tries to organize the defeat of King Henry VIII. He also appeared in Martin Scorsese's 2010 film adaptation of Shutter Island and Ridley Scott's 2010 adaption of Robin Hood, playing Robin's blind stepfather, Sir Walter Loxley.
Von Sydow voices the character of Esbern in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which was released on 11 November 2011. He narrated the initial teaser trailer for the game.[9][10]
In April 2013 von Sydow will be honored at the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) Festival in Hollywood, with screenings of two of his classic films, Three Days of the Condor and The Seventh Seal.[11]
Personal life
On 1 August 1951, von Sydow married actress Christina Inga Britta Olin (born 1926 – died 1998); the couple had two sons, Clas and Henrik, who appeared with him in the film Hawaii, playing his son at different ages. He and Olin divorced on 26 February 1979.
Von Sydow married French filmmaker Catherine Brelet on 30 April 1997 in Provence. He received French citizenship in 2002 and holds only French citizenship now.
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1949 | Only a Mother | Nils | |
1951 | Miss Julie | Hand | |
1953 | Ingen mans kvinna | Olaf | |
1956 | Rätten att älska | Bergman | |
1957 | Herr Sleeman kommer | The Hunter | (TV) |
The Seventh Seal | Antonius Block | ||
Wild Strawberries | Henrik Åkerman | ||
1958 | Brink of Life | Harry Andersson | |
Rabies | Bo Stensson Svenningson | ||
The Magician | Albert Emanuel Vogler | ||
1960 | The Virgin Spring | Töre | |
The Wedding Day | Anders Frost | ||
1961 | Through a Glass Darkly | Martin | |
1962 | Adventures of Nils Holgersson | The Father | |
The Mistress | Married Man | ||
1963 | Winter Light | Jonas Persson | |
1965 | 4x4 | Kvist | (segment "Uppehåll i myrlandet") |
The Reward | Scott Swenson | ||
The Greatest Story Ever Told | Jesus Christ | ||
1966 | The Quiller Memorandum | Oktober | |
Hawaii | Reverend Abner Hale | Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama | |
Here's Your Life | Smålands-Pelle | ||
1967 | The Diary of Anne Frank | Otto Frank | (TV) |
1968 | Hour of the Wolf | Johan Borg | |
Black Palm Trees | Gustav Olofsson | ||
Shame | Jan Rosenberg | ||
1969 | Made in Sweden | Magnus Rud | |
The Passion of Anna | Andreas Winkelman | ||
1970 | The Kremlin Letter | Colonel Kosnov | |
1971 | The Night Visitor | Salem | |
The Emigrants | Karl Oskar | ||
The Apple War | Roy Lindberg | ||
The Touch | Andreas Vergerus | ||
1972 | Embassy | Gorenko | |
The New Land | Karl Oskar | ||
1973 | The Exorcist | Father Lankester Merrin | Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture |
1974 | Steppenwolf | Harry Haller | |
1975 | The Ultimate Warrior | Baron | |
Egg! Egg! A Hardboiled Story | The Father | ||
Three Days of the Condor | G. Joubert | KCFCC Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
1976 | Cuore di cane | Professor Filipp Filippovich Preobrazenski | |
Voyage of the Damned | Captain Schroeder | ||
The Desert of the Tartars | Hortiz | ||
Foxtrot | Larsen | ||
Illustrious Corpses | Supreme Court's President | ||
1977 | March or Die | François Marneau | |
Black Journal | Lisa Carpi | ||
Exorcist II: The Heretic | Father Lankester Merrin | ||
1978 | Brass Target | Shelley | |
1979 | Hurricane | Dr. Danielsson | |
1980 | Death Watch | Gerald Mortenhoe | |
Flash Gordon | Ming the Merciless | Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
1981 | Escape to Victory | Major Karl von Steiner—The Germans | aka: "Victory" |
1982 | Flight of the Eagle | Salomon August Andrée | Venice Film Festival Pasinetti Cup for Best Actor |
Conan the Barbarian | King Osric | ||
1983 | Strange Brew | Brewmeister Smith | aka: "The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew" |
Never Say Never Again | Ernst Stavro Blofeld | independently produced James Bond film | |
1984 | Dreamscape | Doctor Paul Novotny | |
Samson and Delilah | Sidka | (TV) | |
The Soldier's Tale | The Devil | ||
Dune | Doctor Kynes | ||
1985 | Code Name: Emerald | Jurgen Brausch | |
Christopher Colombus | King John of Portugal | TV Mini-series | |
The Last Place on Earth | Fridtjof Nansen | TV Mini-series | |
Kojak: The Belarus File | Peter Barak | (TV) | |
Quo Vadis? | The Apostle Peter | TV Mini-series | |
The Repenter | Spinola | ||
1986 | Duet for One | Dr. Louis Feldman | |
Hannah and Her Sisters | Frederick | ||
The Second Victory | Dr. Huber | ||
The Wolf at the Door | August Strindberg | aka: "Oviri" | |
1987 | Pelle the Conqueror | Lassefar | Bodil Award Best Actor European Film Award for Best Actor Guldbagge Award Best Actor Robert Festival Best Actor National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor (3rd place) Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor |
1988 | Katinka | First and only film as director | |
1989 | Red King, White Knight | Szaz | Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie |
Ghostbusters II | Vigo the Carpathian | Voice, dubbed voice | |
1990 | A Violent Life | Pope Clement VII | |
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes | Father Siemes | (TV) | |
Father | Joe Mueller | Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role | |
Awakenings | Dr. Peter Ingham | ||
1991 | The Ox | Vicar | |
Until the End of the World | Henry Farber | ||
Europa | Narrator | (voice) | |
A Kiss Before Dying | Thor Carlsson | ||
The Bachelor | Von Schleheim | ||
1992 | The Best Intentions | Johan Åkerblom, Anna's father | Tokyo International Film Festival Best Actor |
1993 | Och ge oss skuggorna | Eugene O'Neill | (TV) |
Needful Things | Leland Gaunt | Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Actor | |
1994 | Time Is Money | Joe Kaufman | Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Best Actor |
1995 | Citizen X | Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky | (TV) Nominated – CableACE Award for Supporting Actor in a Movie or a Miniseries |
Judge Dredd | Judge Fargo | ||
1996 | Private Confessions | Jacob | (TV) |
Samson and Delilah | Narrator | (TV) (voice) | |
Hamsun | Knut Hamsun | Guldbagge Award Best Actor Valladolid International Film Festival Best Actor | |
1997 | Solomon | David | (TV) |
The Princess and the Pauper | Epos | (TV) | |
Hostile Waters | Admiral Chernavin | (TV) | |
1998 | What Dreams May Come | The Tracker | |
1999 | Snow Falling on Cedars | Nels Gudmundsson | |
2000 | Nuremberg | Samuel Irving Rosenman | TV Mini-series |
2001 | Intacto | Samuel | |
Druids | Guttuart | ||
Sleepless | Ulisse Moretti | ||
2002 | Minority Report | Director Lamar Burgess | Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor |
2004 | Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King | Eyvind | (TV) |
2005 | Heidi | Uncle Alp | |
2006 | The Inquiry | Tiberius | |
2007 | Rush Hour 3 | Reynard | |
Emotional Arithmetic | Jakob Bronski | Nominated – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | |
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly | Papinou | ||
2009 | The Tudors | Cardinal von Walburg | (TV series) (4 episodes) |
Ghostbusters: The Video Game | Vigo the Carpathian | Video Game Voice-over | |
Solomon Kane | Josiah Kane | ||
A Man and His Dog | The Commander | Cameo | |
2010 | Shutter Island | Dr. Jeremiah Naehring | |
Robin Hood | Sir Walter Loxley | ||
The Wolfman (Extended Cut) | Man on train with silver cane (uncredited) | Even though his part was removed from the theatrical cut, there is still a credit for "Assistant to Mr. von Sydow." | |
2011 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Esbern | Video Game Voice-over |
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close | The Renter | Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Georgia Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
2012 | Truth & Treason | Frank Fikeis | |
Branded | Joseph Pascal |
References
- ^ Say How? A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures
- ^ "Han bryter med Sverige". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ^ Philip French, Screen Legends, The Observer, 10 February 2008 [1]
- ^ Max von Sydow Biography
- ^ [2]
- ^
- ^ Gordon Gow (1976). "The Face of the Actor". Films and Filming. Retrieved reprint 2009-12-16.
- ^ "Berlinale: Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- ^ "2010 VGAs: Elder Scrolls V trauker reveals 11-11-11 release date". 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
- ^ "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim cover". Game Informer (United States: GameStop Corporation) (213): 50–64. February 2011.
- ^ "2013 TCM Classic Film Festival Adds Legendary Stars and Filmmakers, Fascinating Presentations and More". Turner Classic Movies. February 19, 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
9. Sveriges befolkning 1970, Svensk Arkivinformation (SVAR), 2002 10. Sveriges dödbok 1901 - 2009, Sveriges Släktforskarförbund, 2011
External links
- Max von Sydow at the Internet Movie Database
- Max von Sydow at the Swedish Film Database
- Max von Sydow at the Internet Broadway Database
- Max von Sydow at the TCM Movie Database
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