Max von Sydow, “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (1965)
Though Hollywood showman George Stevens would pad the rest of the cast with big names in major roles and countless distracting cameos (John Wayne’s being the most egregious), Stevens wanted an actor with no previous audience associations to play his main man. The Swedish von Sydow, Ingmar Bergman’s favorite leading man, had never appeared in an English-language film but acquits himself admirably in the star-studded cast. Eight years later, Von Sydow would be a household name with his role in The Exorcist. He continues to work regularly with an Oscar nomination for his work in “Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close” (2011) and a prominent role in video game sensation “Skyrim.” - (Amazon – Stream or buy DVD)
