Date of Birth:

10 April 1929, Lund, Skåne län, Sweden

Birth Name:

Max Carl Adolf von Sydow

Height:

6' 4" (1.93 m)

Mini Biography:

He was born in a middle-class family in Lund, where his father was an ethnologist. When he was in high school, he and a few fellow students, including Yvonne Lombard, started a theatre club which encouraged his interest in acting. After conscription he began to study at the Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school (1948-1951), together with Lars Ekborg, Margaretha Krook and Ingrid Thulin. His first role was as "Nils the crofter" in Alf Sjöberg's Bara en mor (1949). After graduation he worked at the city theatres in Norrkoeping and Malmö. His work in the movies by Ingmar Bergman made him well-known internationally, and he started to get offers from abroad. His career abroad began with The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) and Hawaii (1966). Since then, his career includes very different kind of characters, like "Emperor Ming" in Flash Gordon (1980) or the artist Frederick in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). In 1987 he made his directing debut with Katinka (1988). He has become one of Sweden's most admired and professional actors.

Spouse:

Catherine Brelet (30 April 1997 - present) 2 children
Christina Olin (1 August 1951 - 1996) (divorced) 2 children

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