Born in Sweden, I emigrated to the US by myself at seventeen and began serving my new country with six years in the U.S. Marines.Following an honorable discharge, I headed to New York to pursue a Ph.D. in meta-physics.Now an award-winning screenwriter, director, producer and actor, in my more than 50 years in Hollywood I have worked with over one hundred Academy Award winners and/or nominees.My writing, producing and directing credits include Dennis Hopper’s final film — as well as directing Alexander Skarsgård in “Moomins and the Comet Chase”, David Carradine in "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" for Warner Bros., and Mickey Rooney in “He Ain’t Heavy”.My novel, “A Dream of America”, is on Amazon’s list of “Preferred Reads”.A member of the Oscar Academy since 1985, I serve on several Academy committees, including the nominating committee for Best Foreign Language Film.I also serve on the Screen Actors Guild Awards Motion Picture Nominating Committee.I have competed in Olympic Trials and World Championships in various sports, am a fifth-degree black belt in judo, a USA Judo National and Olympic coach, and was in 2009 inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.Honors for my acting work include: the Academy of Science Fiction and Fantasy Golden Scroll Award; the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast for "Inglourious Basterds"; the Italian Institute of Art Award of Merit; Lifetime Achievement Awards from Action On Film, the Movieville International Film Festival, and The Reel Cowboys Hall of Fame; nominations for Outstanding Work as an Actor by the NAACP's Image Award; and the Hollywood Women’s Press Club's Golden Apple.“Made For Each Other”, a film that I wrote, produced and directed starring Dennis Hopper, won the Award of Excellence at the Accolade Global Film Competition and was nominated at numerous other festivals.