LOS ANGELES, March 19 -- Swedish actress Mai Zetterling, the stunning blond who starred in legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman's first film, has died.
Zetterling was 68 when she died of cancer on March 15 in London, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
The acclaimed actress abandoned acting for directing more than two decades ago. Zetterling was working on a film entitled 'The Woman Who Cleaned The World' at the time of her death.
Early on in her career, Zetterling became known in her native Sweden as an actress with uncompromisingly high standards for the films she agreed to appear in. She was also an early feminist, who tackled sensitive subjects such as prostitution and lesbianism in her films.
She came to the United States in the 1950s, starring with Tyrone Power in the film 'Abandon Ship' and with Dirk Bogarde in 'Desperate Mount.' Fed up with the poor quality of scripts she was receiving in Hollywood, Zetterling left the United States for Britain in the early 1960s.
As a director, Zetterling's films include 'Night Games' and 'Loving Couples.' She was also one of eight directors who contributed to 'Visions of Eight,' a highly praised film about the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Zetterling also wrote a number of books, including her autobiography 'All Those Tomorrows,' which recalled her working-class upbringing in Stockholm.
Zetterling developed an interest in acting during high school. At age 17, she joined the National Theater School in Stockholm, where she met Bergman.
Zetterling is survived by her son and daughter.
