Actor. In a career that spanned eight decades, the prolific actor will best be remembered for his work with director Ingmar Bergman on 11 films, and for his memorable roles in such blockbuster films as 'The Excorcist' (1973) and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' (2015). Born Carl Adolf von Sydow, his father was a professor at the local university, and his mother was a teacher. He began acting in school plays. After two years in the Swedish military, von Sydow enrolled at Stockholm's Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school. During his three years there, he helped form a theater group, and by the time he graduated in 1951, he had already appeared in two films, 'Only a Mother' (1949) and 'Miss Julie' (1951). In 1954, he was given a Royal Foundation of Sweden's Cultural Award, a grant to young actors of promise. The following year, he joined the municipal theater in Malmo, where he met and first collaborated with Bergman, first appearing in 1957's 'The Seventh Seal,' then later that year in 'Wild Strawberries.' As a member of Bergman's repertory company, von Sydow would go on to appear in several more of his films, including 'The Magician' (1958), 'The Virgin Spring' (1960), 'Through a Glass Darkly' (1961), 'Winter Light' (1963), 'Shame' (1968) and 'The Passion of Anna' (1969). In 1973, he played Father Merrin in 'The Exorcist,' then reprised the role four years later in 'Exorcist II: The Heretic.' Among other films he had roles in were 'Hawaii' (1966), 'The Quiller Memorandum' (1966), 'The Kremlin Letter' (1970), 'Three Days of the Condor' (1975), 'March or Die' (1977), 'Conan the Barbarian' (1982), 'Dune' (1984), 'Hannah and Her Sisters' (1986), 'Awakenings' (1990), 'Until the End of the World' (1991), 'Needful Things' (1993), 'Shutter Island' (2010) and 'Robin Hood' (2010). Von Sydow received a best actor Oscar nomination in 1987 for 'Pelle the Conqueror', and in 2011, received a best supporting actor nomination in 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.' Von Sydow, who was married to actress Christina Olin from 1951 to 1979 and then to Catherine Brelet from 1997 until his death, died from age-related causes.