Maximilian Schell: Photos of a legend

Thanks to artistic parents, Maximilian Schell studied literature and art history, alongside music and theater. Beyond the stage, he loved playing soccer and the piano. He was a genius beyond his film role as a defense attorney in the 1961 "Judgement of Nuremberg."

For the 1961 legal drama, "Judgement at Nuremberg," director Stanley Kramer recruited big Hollywood names. The film boasted an all-star cast: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, and Montgomery Clift. Nevertheless, the young German-speaking actor, Maximilian Schell, was the only one who earned an Oscar - as lead actor - for his efforts.

Maximilian Schell was reluctant to allow his English roles to be dubbed by German speakers. In the film "Topkapi," which premiered in France in 1964, Schell recorded his own lines in German. Hustler Peter Ustinov (center) appears with actor Gilles Segal. The sophisticated jewel thieves set the precedent for later burglar movies.

After receiving an Oscar, Maximilian Schell seemed predestined for films about German history. Schell fit the rolls that were often set during World War II. In the 1977 movie "Cross of Iron," he played the fanatical Captain Stransky who constantly gets into run-ins with Sergeant Steiner (James Coburn, r). The film was directed by Sam Peckinpah.

With the roles he landed in America, Schell diverged from his roots. He moved to the other side of the camera as director. He also wrote scripts and rose through the ranks as a producer. In 1977, the film "The Pedestrian" featured Schell's mother. Three years later he filmed Friedrich Dürrenmatt's "The Judge and His Hangman."

Schall's films weren't always a box-office hit, in fact his documentaries were considered more successful. In 1983 he convinced Marlene Dietrich, who was living a withdrawn life in Paris, to participate in a cinematic piece. Although her voice is present, Dietrich never appears on camera. The film is considered a historical masterpiece and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary in 1985.

In the last film he directed in 2002, Schell ventured into sensitive territory: The increasing dementia of his sister Maria, one of the most popular German film actresses in the 1950s. The illness had completely changed her face and though she was merely a shadow of her former self, Schell filmed her in gentle, personal conversations. The result was a touching documentary.

Maximilian Schell always appeared on stage with great sophistication. His imposing presence was underscored by his trusty white scarf. His works have been recognized with various honors. In 2000 he received the Actor of the Millennium award at Baltic Filmfestival and in 2009, the Bambi, a celebrated German television prize.