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Max von Sydow

Acting 90 (deceased) years old Lund, Skåne län, Sweden ★ 1.7
Born: April 10, 1929
Died: March 8, 2020

Biography

Max von Sydow (born Carl Adolf von Sydow; April 10, 1929 – March 8, 2020) was a Swedish actor. He also held French citizenship since 2002. He starred in many films and had supporting roles in dozens more. He performed in films filmed in many languages, including Swedish, Norwegian, English, Italian, German, Danish, French and Spanish.

Some of his most memorable film roles include knight Antonius Block in Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (the first of his eleven films with Bergman and the film that includes the iconic shot of his career in the scene where he plays chess with Death), Jesus in George Stevens's The Greatest Story Ever Told, Father Merrin in Friedkin's The Exorcist, Joubert the assassin in Three Days of the Condor, and Ming the Merciless in the 1980 version of Flash Gordon.

He was twice nominated for the Academy Award - Best Leading Actor for Pelle the Conqueror (1988) and Best Supporting Actor for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011).

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Shutter Island
Shutter Island Dr. Naehring 2010
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lor San Tekka 2015
The Exorcist
The Exorcist Father Lankester Merrin 1973
Robin Hood
Robin Hood Sir Walter Loxley 2010
Minority Report
Minority Report Director Lamar Burgess 2002

Filmography

Acting Credits (188)

The Resurrection of Christ
The Resurrection of Christ 2026
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies Self - (archive footage) 2025
Echoes of the Past
Echoes of the Past Nikolas Andreou (Aged) 2021
Kursk
Kursk Admiral Vladimir Petrenko 2018
Tuschinski's Dream
Tuschinski's Dream 2017
Max von Sydow
Max von Sydow Self (archive footage) 2017
The First, the Last
The First, the Last Le croque-mort 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lor San Tekka 2015
The Letters
The Letters Celeste van Exem 2014
Dragons: Real Myths and Unreal Creatures
Dragons: Real Myths and Unreal Creatures Dr. Alistair Conis 2013
Starring Sigmund Freud
Starring Sigmund Freud 2012
Palme
Palme Self (archive footage) 2012
Branded
Branded Marketing Guru 2012
Max Von Sydow: Dialogues with The Renter
Max Von Sydow: Dialogues with The Renter Self 2012
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close The Renter 2011
Belmondo, il était une fois le beau monde
Belmondo, il était une fois le beau monde Self 2011
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones Three-Eyed Raven 2011
The Last Norwegian Troll
The Last Norwegian Troll The Last Norweigian Troll (voice) 2010
Behind the Moomins
Behind the Moomins Narrator (voice) 2010
Robin Hood
Robin Hood Sir Walter Loxley 2010
Shutter Island
Shutter Island Dr. Naehring 2010
The Wolfman
The Wolfman Passenger on Train (Director's Cut) (uncredited) 2010
Solomon Kane
Solomon Kane Josiah Kane 2009
Oscar and the Lady in Pink
Oscar and the Lady in Pink Le docteur Dusseldorf 2009
A Man and His Dog
A Man and His Dog Le commandant 2009
Emotional Arithmetic
Emotional Arithmetic Jakob Bronski 2008
Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 3 Varden Reynard 2007
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Papinou 2007
The Final Inquiry
The Final Inquiry Tiberius 2007
L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII
L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII Tiberio 2007
The Tudors
The Tudors Cardinal Von Waldburg 2007
Heidi
Heidi Uncle Alp 2005
Ring of the Nibelungs
Ring of the Nibelungs Eyvind 2004
Ring of the Nibelungs
Ring of the Nibelungs Eyvind 2004
Hidden Children
Hidden Children Valobra 2004
Minority Report
Minority Report Director Lamar Burgess 2002
Intacto
Intacto Samuel 2001
Druids
Druids Guttuart 2001
Sleepless
Sleepless Moretti 2001
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid Freud 2000
Light Keeps Me Company
Light Keeps Me Company Self 2000
Nuremberg
Nuremberg Samuel Rosenman 2000
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'
Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' Self 2000
Snow Falling on Cedars
Snow Falling on Cedars Nels Gudmundsson 1999
What Dreams May Come
What Dreams May Come The Tracker 1998
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist
The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist Self - Father Merrin 1998
Professione fantasma
Professione fantasma Psicoanalista dell’aldilà 1998
Solomon
Solomon Davide 1997
Solomon
Solomon David 1997
The Princess and the Pauper
The Princess and the Pauper Epos 1997
La principessa e il povero
La principessa e il povero Epos 1997
Hostile Waters
Hostile Waters Admiral Chernavin 1997
Their Frozen Dream
Their Frozen Dream S.A. Andrée (voice) 1997
Private Confessions
Private Confessions Jacob 1996
Jerusalem
Jerusalem Vicar 1996
Hamsun
Hamsun Knut Hamsun 1996
Delblanc
Delblanc Narrator (voice) 1996
Radetzky March
Radetzky March Baron Franz von Trotta und Sipolje 1995
Lumière & Company
Lumière & Company Jacob (segment "Liv Ullman") 1995
Captured: Meet Robert A. Robinson Photographer
Captured: Meet Robert A. Robinson Photographer Narrator (voice) 1995
Stjärnbilder
Stjärnbilder (archive footage) 1995
Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd Chief Justice Fargo 1995
The Atlantic
The Atlantic Narrator (voice) 1995
Citizen X
Citizen X Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky 1995
Depth Solitude
Depth Solitude Narrator (voice) 1995
Onkel Vanja
Onkel Vanja The Professor 1994
A che punto è la notte
A che punto è la notte Arcivescovo di Torino 1994
Time is Money
Time is Money Joe Kaufman 1994
Minns ni?
Minns ni? (archive footage) 1993
Needful Things
Needful Things Leland Gaunt 1993
Morfars resa
Morfars resa Simon S.L. Fromm 1993
Och ge oss skuggorna
Och ge oss skuggorna Eugene O'Neill 1993
The Silent Touch
The Silent Touch Henry Kesdi 1992
The Best Intentions
The Best Intentions Johan Åkerblom 1992
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Sigmund Freud 1992
The Ox
The Ox Vicar 1991
Until the End of the World
Until the End of the World Henry Farber 1991
East of the Sun, West of the Moon
East of the Sun, West of the Moon Narrator (voice) 1991
Europa
Europa Narrator (voice) 1991
A Kiss Before Dying
A Kiss Before Dying Thor Carlsson 1991
Awakenings
Awakenings Peter Ingham 1990
Father
Father Joe Mueller 1990
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes Father Siemes 1990
Cellini: A Violent Life
Cellini: A Violent Life Pope Clement VII 1990
The Bachelor
The Bachelor Von Schleheim 1990
The Simpsons
The Simpsons Klaus Ziegler (voice) 1989
Red King, White Knight
Red King, White Knight Szaz 1989
Ghostbusters II
Ghostbusters II Vigo (voice) (uncredited) 1989
Foreign Filmmakers in Hollywood
Foreign Filmmakers in Hollywood Self 1989
Ingmar Bergman: The Magic Lantern
Ingmar Bergman: The Magic Lantern Voice 1988
The Human Factor
The Human Factor 1988
Pelle the Conqueror
Pelle the Conqueror Lasse Karlsson - Farmhand 1987
The Second Victory
The Second Victory Dr. Huber 1987
Duet for One
Duet for One Dr. Louis Feldman 1986
The Wolf at the Door
The Wolf at the Door August Strindberg 1986
Gösta Berlings saga
Gösta Berlings saga Melchior Sinclaire 1986
Hannah and Her Sisters
Hannah and Her Sisters Frederick 1986
The Repenter
The Repenter Spinola 1985
Code Name: Emerald
Code Name: Emerald Jürgen Brausch 1985
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus Re Giovanni del Portogallo 1985
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey Self 1985
Quo Vadis?
Quo Vadis? Petrus 1985
The Last Place on Earth
The Last Place on Earth Fridtjof Nansen 1985
Kojak The Belarus File
Kojak The Belarus File Peter Barak 1985
Dune
Dune Doctor Kynes 1984
The Soldier's Tale
The Soldier's Tale The Devil (voice) 1984
Le dernier civil
Le dernier civil Gérard Bauerle 1984
Dreamscape
Dreamscape Paul Novotny 1984
Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah Sidka 1984
Never Say Never Again
Never Say Never Again Ernst Stavro Blofeld 1983
Strange Brew
Strange Brew Brewmeister Smith 1983
Circle of Passions
Circle of Passions Carlo di Vilalfratti 1983
Destination Dune
Destination Dune Self 1983
Target Eagle
Target Eagle Coronel O'Donnell 1982
The Flight of the Eagle
The Flight of the Eagle Salomon August Andrée 1982
The Cinema of Carl Th. Dreyer
The Cinema of Carl Th. Dreyer 1982
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian King Osric 1982
Let Poland Be Poland
Let Poland Be Poland Self - Co-Host 1982
The Guldbagge Awards
The Guldbagge Awards Self - Best Director winner 1981
The Guldbagge Awards
The Guldbagge Awards Self - Host 1981
The Guldbagge Awards
The Guldbagge Awards Self - Best Actor winner 1981
Venetian Lies
Venetian Lies Marcello Herrighe 1981
Escape to Victory
Escape to Victory Major Karl von Steiner 1981
She Dances Alone
She Dances Alone Nijinsky (voice) 1981
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon The Emperor Ming 1980
Death Watch
Death Watch Gerald Mortenhoe 1980
Hurricane
Hurricane Dr. Danielsson 1979
A Look at Liv
A Look at Liv Self 1979
Brass Target
Brass Target Shelley Martin Webber 1978
Black Journal
Black Journal Lisa Carpi / Carabinieri Marshal 1977
March or Die
March or Die François Marneau 1977
Exorcist II: The Heretic
Exorcist II: The Heretic Father Lankester Merrin 1977
Voyage of the Damned
Voyage of the Damned Captain Schroeder 1976
The Desert of the Tartars
The Desert of the Tartars Cap. Ortiz 1976
Foxtrot
Foxtrot Larsen 1976
Illustrious Corpses
Illustrious Corpses Supreme Court President 1976
Heart of a Dog
Heart of a Dog Professor Filipp Filippovich Preobrazenski 1976
The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior Baron 1975
Three Days of the Condor
Three Days of the Condor G. Joubert 1975
The Broken Mirror
The Broken Mirror Matthew Lawrence 1975
Egg! Egg! A Hardboiled Story
Egg! Egg! A Hardboiled Story The Father 1975
Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf Harry Haller 1974
The Emigrants
The Emigrants Karl Oskar 1974
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute Self (archive footage) 1974
The Exorcist
The Exorcist Father Lankester Merrin 1973
Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman Self 1972
Embassy
Embassy Gorenko 1972
The New Land
The New Land Karl Oskar 1972
The Apple War
The Apple War Roy Lindberg 1971
The Touch
The Touch Andreas Vergerus 1971
The Emigrants
The Emigrants Karl Oskar 1971
The Night Visitor
The Night Visitor Salem 1971
The Kremlin Letter
The Kremlin Letter Colonel Kosnov 1970
The Passion of Anna
The Passion of Anna Andreas Winkelman 1969
Made in Sweden
Made in Sweden Magnus Rud 1969
Shame
Shame Jan Rosenberg 1968
Black Palm Trees
Black Palm Trees Gustav Olofsson 1968
An Introduction to Ingmar Bergman
An Introduction to Ingmar Bergman Self 1968
Hour of the Wolf
Hour of the Wolf Johan Borg 1968
The Diary of Anne Frank
The Diary of Anne Frank Otto Frank 1967
Here Is Your Life
Here Is Your Life Smålands-Pelle 1966
The Quiller Memorandum
The Quiller Memorandum Oktober 1966
Hawaii
Hawaii Abner Hale 1966
The Reward
The Reward Scott Swenson 1965
The Greatest Story Ever Told
The Greatest Story Ever Told Jesus 1965
4 x 4
4 x 4 Kvist 1965
Interlude in the Marshland
Interlude in the Marshland Alex Kvist 1965
Dance Around the Guldbaggen
Dance Around the Guldbaggen Self 1964
Grimme Award
Grimme Award Self 1964
Winter Light
Winter Light Jonas Persson 1963
Wonderful Adventures of Nils
Wonderful Adventures of Nils The Father 1962
The Mistress
The Mistress The Man 1962
Through a Glass Darkly
Through a Glass Darkly Martin 1961
The Wedding Day
The Wedding Day Anders Frost 1960
The Virgin Spring
The Virgin Spring Töre 1960
The Magician
The Magician Albert Emanuel Vogler 1958
Rabies
Rabies Bo Stensson Svenningson 1958
Spion 503
Spion 503 Horst, Gestapo-mand 1958
Brink of Life
Brink of Life Harry Andersson 1958
The Minister of Uddarbo
The Minister of Uddarbo Gustaf Ömark 1957
Wild Strawberries
Wild Strawberries Åkerman 1957
Mr. Sleeman Is Coming
Mr. Sleeman Is Coming Hunter 1957
The Seventh Seal
The Seventh Seal Antonius Block 1957
The Right to Love
The Right to Love Bergman 1956
No Man's Woman
No Man's Woman Olof 1953
Miss Julie
Miss Julie Groom 1951
Only a Mother
Only a Mother Nils 1949
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards Self - Nominee / Presenter 1944

Directing Credits (1)

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