Max Von Sydow

(CNN) Swedish actor Max von Sydow, who made his name in the films of Ingmar Bergman before featuring in international hits like "Game of Thrones," has died at the age of 90. Von Sydow passed away on Sunday, according to representatives at Diamond Management, which said "it is with a broken heart and with infinite sadness that we have the extreme pain of announcing the departure of Max." He was a well-known figure in both European and American cinema, starring in films from Bergman's masterpiece "The Seventh Seal" to international blockbusters such as "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Born on April 10, 1929 in Lund, Sweden, von Sydow attended the acting school at Stockholm's Royal Dramatic Theatre before working in theaters in Norrköping and Malmö. 'The Exorcist' still turns heads at 40. His star started to rise internationally after working with Bergman on a number of movies, with "The Seventh Seal" (1957) proving a particular catalyst. This led to roles abroad, including Jesus in "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965) and Father Lankester Merrin in "The Exorcist" (1973). He was nominated for Oscars for "Pelle the Conqueror" in 1988 and for "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" in 2012. At almost 2 meters tall, with a slim build and a distinctive, gaunt face, von Sydow was a striking on-screen presence. Industry figures including Edgar Wright, writer and director of movies such as "Baby Driver" and "Shaun of the Dead," were effusive in their tributes to the actor. "Max Von Sydow, such an iconic presence in cinema for seven decades, it seemed like he'd always be with us," wrote Wright on Twitter. "He changed the face of international film with Bergman, played Christ, fought the devil, pressed the HOT HAIL button & was Oscar nominated for a silent performance. A god." Max Von Sydow, such an iconic presence in cinema for seven decades, it seemed like he'd always be with us. He changed the face of international film with Bergman, played Christ, fought the devil, pressed the HOT HAIL button & was Oscar nominated for a silent performance. A god. MaxvonSydow a brilliant, brilliant actor and a true Hollywood legend. "We have lost one of the true greats."

Laszlo Benedek Born March 5, 1905 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary] Died March 11, 1992 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA (undisclosed) Birth Name László Benedek Laslo Benedek was brought to Hollywood from Hungary--where he had been a writer, editor and photographer--by MGM, and his first few films were undistinguished programmers. His third, however, was quite a bit better: Death of a Salesman (1951), the screen version of Arthur Miller's classic play. Although trashed by critics at the time for, among other things, its "staginess" (Benedek said that he wanted to keep the work's theatricality intact), overlooked is the fact that Benedek drew out convincing, evocative performances from Kevin McCarthy, Cameron Mitchell, Fredric March and Mildred Dunnock. Benedek's next film, however, is the one he'll be remembered for: The Wild One (1953). This granddaddy of all biker flicks is amusingly tame--some might even say lame--by today's standards, but it caused quite a commotion in its day (it was banned in England and was railed against by conservative religious and social pressure groups in the US as yet one more example of how Hollywood was "corrupting the youth of America"). The film is actually not all that much, being rather slow-going and the "bikers" coming across more like bratty teenagers than dangerous rampaging hoods, but it struck a chord with young people and parents alike--for different reasons, of course--and was far and away the most successful film of Benedek's career. 'From 1976 to 1980, Mr. Benedek was chairman of the graduate film program at New York University's School of the Arts. In 1983, he became a visiting professor of film at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. Later, he taught at the Film Academy in Munich, Germany; at Rice University in Houston, and at Columbia University in New York City. ' By William H. Honan, NY Times, March 14, 1992 Spouse (2) Lacerta Weiss (25 February 1950 - ?) ( divorced) ( 2 children) Maria Rejto (23 June 1939 - 14 July 1948) ( divorced)