Jeroen Krabbé

Jeroen Aart Krabbé (; born 5 December 1944) is a Dutch actor, film director and painter with a successful career in both Dutch- and English-language films. He is best known to international audiences for his leading roles in the Paul Verhoeven films Soldier of Orange and The Fourth Man (1983), for playing the villain General Georgi Koskov in the James Bond film The Living Daylights (1987) and his parts in The Prince of Tides (1991), The Fugitive (1993), and Immortal Beloved (1994). His 1998 directorial debut, Left Luggage, was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.

Early life Krabbé was born into an artistic family in Amsterdam. Both his father, Maarten Krabbé, and grandfather Hendrik Maarten Krabbé were well-known painters, and his mother Margreet (née Reiss; 1914–2002), was a film translator.

Career

Internationally, he first came to prominence in fellow Dutchman Paul Verhoeven's films, Soldier of Orange opposite Rutger Hauer and The Fourth Man with Renée Soutendijk. His first big American film was the Whoopi Goldberg comedy, Jumpin' Jack Flash. However, it was his roles as villains in a string of international films from the late 1980s and early 1990s which brought him international stardom, with notable roles such as Losado in No Mercy (1986), General Georgi Koskov in the James Bond film The Living Daylights (1987), Gianni Franco in The Punisher (1989), Herbert Woodruff in The Prince of Tides (1991), and Dr. Charles Nichols in The Fugitive (1993). He appeared in numerous TV productions, and as Satan in the TV production Jesus.

He was both director and producer of a 1998 film about Orthodox Jews during the 1970s in Antwerp, Belgium, co-starring Isabella Rossellini and Maximilian Schell called Left Luggage, as well as the Harry Mulisch novel adapted into film The Discovery of Heaven. Left Luggage was entered into the 48th Berlin International Film Festival. The following year, he was a member of the jury at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.

His television work included playing an uncanny psychic in the Midsomer Murders series 11 episode "Talking to the Dead". Krabbé had an exhibition of his paintings in Museum de Fundatie (Zwolle), in 2008. He began working on documentaries for Dutch television about his favorite painters. In 2015 the first series was about Van Gogh, followed in 2017 by a series about Picasso, in 2018 about Gauguin and in 2020, about Chagall and in August 2022, about Frida Kahlo. In November 2024 a series about Matisse was broadcast.

Personal life Krabbé married Herma van Gemert in 1964. Together they have three sons – Martijn (who is a radio and television presenter), Jasper and Jacob.

Apart from acting and directing, he is an accomplished artist (his paintings have appeared on Dutch postage stamps), and has co-authored a Dutch cookbook. In November 2004, he released the book Schilder, which is an overview of his paintings.

Selected filmography Actor

Fietsen naar de Maan (1963) as decoration trainee Professor Columbus (1968) as Jan The Little Ark (1972) as first man Alicia (1974) as pilot Soldaat van Oranje (1977) as Guus LeJeune Martijn en de magiër (1979) as regisseur Een pak slaag (1979) as Dries Barns Spetters (1980) as Frans Henkhof Een Vlucht Regenwulpen (1981) as Maarten (alter ego) World War III (1982, TV Miniseries) as Colonel Alexander Vorashin Het verleden (1982) as Harry Heyblom The Fourth Man (1983) as Gerard Reve Het Dagboek van Anne Frank (1985, TV movie) as Otto Frank Turtle Diary (1985) as Mr. Sandor (the slob) In de schaduw van de overwinning (1986) as Peter van Dijk Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986) as Mark Van Meter No Mercy (1986) as Losado Code Name Dancer (1987) as Malarin Miami Vice (1987, "Heroes of the Revolution") as Klaus Herzog The Living Daylights (1987) as General Georgi Koskov A World Apart (1988) as Gus Roth Crossing Delancey (1988) as Anton Maes Shadow Man (1988) as Theo Jan Cox A Painter's Odyssey (1988) as Narrator (voice) Scandal (1989) as Eugene Ivanov (1989) as David Keller The Punisher (1989) as Gianni Franco Till There Was You (1990) as Robert "Viv" Vivaldi Robin Hood (1991) as Baron Roger Daguerre Sahara Sandwich (1991) Kafka (1991) as Bizzlebek The Prince of Tides (1991) as Herbert Woodruff Dynasty: The Reunion (1991, TV Series) as Jeremy Van Dorn For a Lost Soldier (1992) as Jeroen Boman (old) Stalin (1992) as Nikolai Bukharin King of the Hill (1993) as Mr. Kurlander Oeroeg (1993) as Hendrik Ten Berghe The Fugitive (1993) as Dr. Charles Nichols Farinelli (1994) as George Frideric Handel Immortal Beloved (1994) as Anton Schindler The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1996) as Colonel Aguirre The Odyssey (1997) as King Alcinous of Phaeacia Left Luggage (1998) as Mr. Kalman Dangerous Beauty (1998) as Pietro Venier Ever After (1998) as Auguste de Barbarac An Ideal Husband (1999) as Baron Arnheim Jesus (1999) as Satan Il Cielo Cade (The Sky is Falling) (2000) as Wilhelm The Discovery of Heaven (2001) as Gabriel Fogbound (2002) as Dr. Duff Ocean's Twelve (2004) as Van der Woude Off Screen (2005) as Gerard Wesselinck Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005) as Gaspar Voorsboch Snuff-Movie (2005) as Boris Arkadin (Mr. Maezel) Life! (2005) as Hugo Dalziel and Pascoe (2006, "Wrong Time, Wrong Place") as Det Supt Wim de Kuiper Midsomer Murders (2008, "Talking to the Dead") as Cyrus LeVanu Transporter 3 (2008) as Leonid Tomilenko Yankee Go Home (2009) as Minister (2009) as Albert Schweitzer Rico's Wings (2009) Alleen maar nette mensen (2011) as Bram Samuels Tula: The Revolt (2013) as Gouverneur De Veer Gangster Kittens (2016) as Pierre Amerikali Kiz (2018) De Liefhebbers (2019) as Jan The Host (2020) as Vera's father Bosrandgeluk (2020) (short) Het Kamp (2022) (short) Neem me mee (2023) as Joep

Director Het Dagboek van Anne Frank (TV movie 1985) Left Luggage (1998) The Discovery of Heaven (2001)