Raised in West Germany

Stage acting debut in "The Madwoman of Chaillot"

Began working with Vienna's Burgtheater (the National Theater of Austria) as actor and director

Film acting debut in Lee H Katzin's "The Salzberg Connection", produced by Ingo Preminger, brother of Otto

First feature with Istvan Szabo, "Mephisto", based on the true story of German actor Hendrik Hofgen, noted for his portrayal of Mephistopheles in Goethe's "Faust", who ironically made his own Faustian bargain with the Nazis

Portrayed Jame Bond's arch rival Maximillian Longo in Irvin Kershner's "Never Say Never Again", starring Sean Connery

Reteamed with Szabo for "Colonel Redl"

Earned critical praise and an Oscar nod for his supporting turn as Bror Blixen, the philandering husband of writer Isak Dinesen, in Sydney Pollack's Oscar-winning "Out of Africa"

Made third film with Szabo, "Hanussen"

Delivered splendid turn as charming amoral baron and World War I vet in "Burning Secret", based on a Stefan Zweig short story previously filmed by Robert Siodmak in 1933

Film directing debut, "Seven Minutes" (English language, US-West German co-production); also starred

Reteamed with Connery for Fred Schepisi's "The Russia House", playing a Soviet scientist who smuggles his notebooks to the West

Appeared in "White Fang"

Screenwriting debut, "Mario and the Magician"; also starred and directed

Played King Nebuchadnezzar in TV presentation "Jeremiah", which aired that December in Italy and the following year in Israel

Splendidly portrayed the Dutch Master from age 28-63 in "Rembrandt", a visually impressive film by painter Charles Matton

Made a fascinating Otto Preminger in the HBO biopic "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge"