Legendary Egyptian actor Omar Sharif passes away

July 10, 2015

Legendary Egyptian actor Omar Sharif passed away due to a heart attack in Cairo. He was 83.
He was best known for his roles in classic films Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). These movies had soared him international stardom.

About Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif was born as Michel Shalhoub on 10 April 1932 in Alexandria, Egypt to a to a Melkite Greek Catholic family.
He had studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
He made his screen debut in the 1954 for an Egyptian film named Siraa Fil-Wadi (The Blazing Sun). Since then he had appeared in more than 70 films and multiple television series.
In 1962, he appeared in Lawrence of Arabia as Sherif Ali which was directed by David Lean. It was his overtime famous role which gave him international stardom.
Personal Life: In 1955, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Omar al-Sharif. The same year he married acclaimed Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. The couple divorced in 1974.
In 2015, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Awards: He had won three Golden Globe Awards (1962, 1963, 1965), César Award (French equivalent of the Oscar) in 2004 and was nominated for an Academy Award.
UNESCO’s Sergei Eisenstein Medal (2005) for his significant contributions to world film and cultural diversity.