Krabbégraduated from a film academy in 1965 and in 1981 from an art academy. He has also acted in more than sixty films and directed theatre plays. In his home country Krabbé is an acknowledged painter, as well as co-author of a Dutch cookbook. He has directed two feature films, Left Luggage (1998) and The Discovery of Heaven (2001). His first roles were in his compatriot Paul Verhoeven’s films Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange, 1977) and De vierde man (The Fourth Man, 1983). He achieved international success with the American film Jumpin\\\' Jack Flash (1986). His other films include No mercy (1986), The Living Daylights (1987), The Punisher (1989), The Prince of Tides (1991), Voor een verloren soldaat (For a Lost Soldier, 1993), The Fugitive (1993), King of the Hill (1993), Farinelli (1994), Immortal Beloved (1994) and Il cielo cade (The Sky Will Fall, 2000).