[1] He was best known by international audiences for his work in films directed by Ingmar Bergman, Andrei Tarkovsky and Theodoros Angelopoulos.

Josephson was born on the island of Kungsholmen, in Stockholm, Sweden, as the son of Maud Ellen Gabrielle (née Boheman) and Gunnar Josephson [sv], a bookseller of Jewish descent,[2] in 1923.

[3] Josephson was the leader of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm from 1966 to 1975.

[1] He also published novels, short stories, poetry and drama, and was the director of several films.

[6] He was the Swedish voice of the Narrator in Disney's Beauty and the Beast.