Michel Dimitri Shalhoub, known as Omar Sharif (Arabic: عمر الشريف), also spelled Omar El-Sherif, born April 10, 1932 in Alexandria and died July 10, 2015 in Cairo, is an Egyptian actor. The son of a precious wood merchant, he grew up in a united Christian family with his parents and his sister. Enrolled at Victoria College, a prestigious British school in Alexandria, the teenager studied science, and foreign languages, and would later discover theater classes. A brilliant student, he continued his studies at Cairo University where he obtained his diploma in mathematics and physics. Caught up in his taste for acting, he was spotted at 21 by director Youssef Chahine who offered him a leading role in Struggle in the Valley (1954). The success was immediate, thanks to this role, the young leading man walked the red carpet of the Croisette at the Cannes Film Festival the same year. He became a star of Egyptian cinema then in full expansion, and collaborated again with Youssef Chahine (The Devil of the Desert, Black Waters). In 1962, he took on the role of Prince Sherif Ali in Lawrence of Arabia under the direction of David Lean. This film, the first outside Egypt for the actor, marks the beginning of a long friendship with Peter O'Toole and a turning point in Omar Sharif's career. He won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and decided to leave his native country for Hollywood. In 1955, Omar Sharif married the Egyptian actress Faten Hamama, whom he met on the set of Struggle in the Valley, and for whom he converted to Islam. Their son Tarek was born in 1957. The couple separated when the actor decided to pursue his career in Hollywood. Their divorce was finalized a few years later in 1974. The actor, a polyglot, then began an international career. David Lean offered him a new emblematic role with Doctor Zhivago (1965) in which he played opposite Geraldine Chaplin. His filmography includes more than a hundred films. The actor nevertheless had a more unhappy period on the big screen with some commercial failures (And Came the Day of Vengeance, The Rendezvous, The Horsemen). He returned to success in the 2000s with Monsieur Ibrahim and The Flowers of the Koran by François Dupeyron for which he was awarded the César for Best Actor in 2004. The same year, he starred in Hidalgo by Joe Johnston. Rarer on film sets, in 2009 he accepted the role of a painter suffering from Alzheimer's disease in I Forgot to Tell You alongside Emilie Dequenne. He appeared in his last film, Rock the Casbah by Laïla Marrakchi, in 2012. In May 2015, his son, Tarek El-Sharif, announced in an interview that Omar Sharif had Alzheimer's disease. He died on July 10, 2015 following a heart attack. His funeral took place on July 12, 2015 in a mosque in Cairo and he was buried at the Sayyeda Nefisa cemetery in the south of the city.
Movie | The Crime | 2022-01-05 | |
Movie | Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age | Self - Actor (archive footage) | 2021-05-07 |
Movie | Bara El Manhag | 2021-12-09 | |
Series | TV Story Superstar | Self (archive footage) | 2020-01-23 |
Movie | Omar Sharif: Citizen of the World | Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage) | 2020-02-15 |
Movie | 1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham | Grandfather | 2015-12-13 |
Movie | Rock the Casbah | Moulay Hassan | 2013-09-11 |
Movie | Stardust Hollywood - Sternenstaub und Götterwelten | Self | 2013-02-23 |
Movie | A Castle in Italy | Omar Sharif | 2013-10-30 |
Movie | Belmondo, il était une fois le beau monde | Intervenant | 2011-10-25 |
Movie | J'ai oublié de te dire | Jaume | 2010-03-12 |
Movie | La Traversée du désir | Self | 2009-03-16 |
Series | The Last Templar | Konstantine | 2009-01-25 |
Movie | The Traveller | Hassan | 2009-06-25 |
Movie | A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics | Self | 2009-12-20 |
Movie | 10,000 BC | Narrator (voice) | 2008-03-04 |
Movie | Hassan and Marcus | Unknown | 2008-07-03 |
Movie | Fred Zinnemann - Der Mann, der 'High Noon' machte | Self | 2007-01-01 |
Series | Hanan W Haneen | Unknown | 2007-06-06 |
Movie | Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs | Self - Presenter | 2007-09-24 |
Movie | The Coptic Museum | Narrator | 2006-01-01 |
Series | The Ten Commandments | Jethro | 2006-04-10 |
Movie | Fire at My Heart | Principe Nicola | 2006-01-01 |
Movie | One Night with the King | Prince Memucan | 2006-10-10 |
Series | Kronprinz Rudolf | Hans Canon | 2006-04-30 |
Movie | Shaka Zulu: The Citadel | The King | 2005-05-03 |
Movie | St. Peter | San Pietro | 2005-10-24 |
Series | St. Peter | Pietro | 2005-10-24 |
Movie | Hollywood Legenden | Self | 2004-01-01 |
Movie | Looking for Sophia | Himself | 2004-09-17 |
Movie | Hidalgo | Sheikh Riyadh | 2004-02-04 |
Movie | Monsieur Ibrahim | Monsieur Ibrahim | 2003-09-17 |
Movie | The Making of 'Lawrence of Arabia' | Self (archive footage) | 2003-09-22 |
Series | Monk | Unknown | 2002-07-12 |
Movie | Pyramid | Nakht (voice) | 2002-10-28 |
Movie | The Parole Officer | Victor | 2001-08-10 |
Movie | The Making of Lawrence of Arabia | Self | 2000-01-01 |
Movie | Going Public | Unknown | 2000-01-01 |
Movie | Cleopatra's Palace: In Search of a Legend | Narrator | 1999-03-14 |
Movie | The 13th Warrior | Melchisidek | 1999-08-13 |
Movie | Mysteries of Egypt | Grandfather | 1998-01-01 |
Series | Vivement dimanche | Self | 1998-09-20 |
Movie | Heaven Before I Die | Khalil Gibran | 1997-01-01 |
Series | Gulliver's Travels | Sorcerer | 1996-02-04 |
Movie | Ingrid Bergman Remembered | Self (archive footage) | 1996-04-06 |
Movie | Umm Kulthum: A Voice Like Egypt | Narrator | 1996-10-09 |
Movie | Catherine the Great | Razumovsky | 1996-04-28 |
Series | Viva el lunes | Self | 1995-10-16 |
Movie | The Rainbow Thief | Dima | 1994-01-19 |
Movie | Lie Down with Lions | Safar Khan | 1994-06-12 |
Movie | Laughter, Joy, Work and Love | Unknown | 1993-11-29 |
Series | Parabéns | Self | 1992-09-19 |
Movie | 588 rue Paradis | Hagop | 1992-01-14 |
Movie | Heavenly Sin | Unknown | 1992-10-03 |
Movie | Beyond Justice | Emir Beni-Zair | 1992-12-02 |
Movie | Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris | Marquis Hippolite | 1992-12-27 |
Movie | Desert Law | Emir Beni-Zair | 1991-03-19 |
Movie | Mother | Hagop | 1991-11-27 |
Series | Memories of Midnight | Constantin Demiris | 1991-11-25 |
Movie | Citizen Masrey | Mayor Abdel Razek El-Shershaby | 1991-12-23 |
Movie | Memories of Midnight | Constantin Demiris | 1991-11-30 |
Movie | Mountains of the Moon | Arab Chief in Cairo (uncredited) | 1990-02-16 |
Movie | Journey of Love | Rico | 1990-12-07 |
Movie | The Puppeteer | Mohamed Gad Al-Karim | 1989-12-18 |
Movie | Keys to Freedom | Jonathan | 1988-01-01 |
Movie | The Possessed | Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky | 1988-02-24 |
Movie | Les pyramides bleues | Alex | 1988-01-02 |
Movie | Grand Larceny | Rashid Saud | 1987-01-01 |
Series | Peter the Great | Prince Feodor Romodanovsky | 1986-02-02 |
Series | Harem | Sultan Hassan | 1986-02-09 |
Series | Anastasia - The Mystery of Anna | Czar Nicholas II | 1986-12-07 |
Movie | Harem | Sultan Hassan | 1986-02-09 |
Movie | Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna | Czar Nicholas II | 1986-12-07 |
Movie | Vicious Circle | Garcin | 1985-04-28 |
Movie | David Lean: A Life in Film | Self | 1985-01-01 |
Series | The Mind of David Berglas | Unknown | 1985-12-25 |
Movie | The Far Pavilions | Koda Dad | 1984-04-21 |
Series | The Far Pavilions | Koda Dad | 1984-04-22 |
Movie | Top Secret! | Agent Cedric | 1984-06-08 |
Movie | Ayoub | Ayoub/Abdul Hamid Al-Sukkari | 1983-07-07 |
Movie | La Martingale | Alex Joski | 1983-10-13 |
Series | Champs-Elysées | Self | 1982-01-16 |
Series | Wogan | Self | 1982-05-04 |
Movie | Inchon | Indian Brigadier | 1981-05-04 |
Movie | Green Ice | Meno Argenti | 1981-05-21 |
Movie | S+H+E: Security Hazards Expert | Baron Cesare Magnasco | 1980-02-23 |
Movie | The Baltimore Bullet | The Deacon | 1980-04-01 |
Movie | Oh! Heavenly Dog | Bart | 1980-07-11 |
Movie | Pleasure Palace | Louie Lefevre | 1980-10-22 |
Movie | Ashanti | Prince Hassan | 1979-02-21 |
Movie | Bloodline | Ivo Palazzi | 1979-06-29 |
Series | 30 millions d'amis | Self | 1976-01-06 |
Movie | Crime and Passion | Andre Ferren | 1976-02-06 |
Movie | The Pink Panther Strikes Again | Egyptian Assassin (uncredited) | 1976-12-15 |
Movie | Funny Lady | Nick Arnstein | 1975-03-15 |
Series | Numéro un | Self - Host | 1975-04-05 |
Movie | The Tamarind Seed | Feodor Sverdlov | 1974-07-11 |
Series | Spécial cinéma | Self | 1974-09-25 |
Movie | Juggernaut | Captain Alex Brunel | 1974-09-25 |
Series | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Self | 1973-04-02 |
Movie | The Mysterious Island | Captain Nemo | 1973-03-17 |
Series | Mysterious Island | Captain Nemo | 1973-12-17 |
Series | Le Grand Échiquier | Self | 1972-01-12 |
Movie | The Right to Love | Pierre | 1972-08-15 |
Movie | The Last Valley | Vogel | 1971-01-28 |
Series | Samedi soir | Self | 1971-01-09 |
Series | V.I.P. Schaukel | Self | 1971-05-09 |
Movie | The Horsemen | Uraz | 1971-08-16 |
Series | Cadet Rousselle | Self | 1971-11-04 |
Movie | The Burglars | Abel Zacharia | 1971-10-27 |
Series | الحب الضائع | عمر | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | Mackenna's Gold | Colorado | 1969-03-18 |
Movie | The Appointment | Federico Fendi | 1969-05-22 |
Movie | Che! | Che Guevara | 1969-06-27 |
Movie | Funny Girl | Nick Arnstein | 1968-09-19 |
Movie | Mayerling | Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria | 1968-10-31 |
Movie | The Night of the Generals | Major Grau | 1967-01-29 |
Movie | More Than a Miracle | Prince Rodrigo Fernandez | 1967-10-19 |
Movie | Poppies Are Also Flowers | Dr. Rad | 1966-05-20 |
Movie | Genghis Khan | Genghis Khan / Temujin | 1965-04-15 |
Movie | The Car That Became a Star | Davich (archiveFootage) | 1965-01-01 |
Movie | Zhivago: Behind the Camera with David Lean | Self | 1965-01-01 |
Movie | Marco the Magnificent | Sheik Alla Hou | 1965-08-06 |
Movie | Pasternak | Himself | 1965-12-31 |
Movie | The Mamluks | Ahmed | 1965-10-04 |
Movie | Moscow in Madrid | Self | 1965-12-31 |
Movie | Doctor Zhivago | Dr. Yuri Zhivago | 1965-12-22 |
Movie | The Fall of the Roman Empire | Sohamus | 1964-03-24 |
Series | Die Drehscheibe | Self | 1964-04-01 |
Movie | Behold a Pale Horse | Francisco | 1964-08-14 |
Movie | The Yellow Rolls-Royce | Davich | 1964-12-31 |
Movie | Lawrence of Arabia | Sherif Ali | 1962-12-11 |
Movie | I Love My Master | Unknown | 1961-02-13 |
Movie | A Man in Our House | Ibrahim Mohammed | 1961-04-17 |
Movie | Agony of Love | Unknown | 1960-10-01 |
Movie | Eshaet Hob | حسين | 1960-11-21 |
Movie | My Only Love | Adel | 1960-10-03 |
Movie | A Beginning and an Ending | Hassanein | 1960-10-31 |
Movie | The River of Love | Khalid | 1960-11-12 |
Movie | We the Students | Unknown | 1959-01-02 |
Movie | For the Sake of a Woman | Shokri | 1959-01-01 |
Movie | Rendezvous with a Stranger | Magdi | 1959-01-01 |
Movie | Scandal in Zamalek | Unknown | 1959-01-23 |
Movie | Goha | Goha | 1959-05-06 |
Movie | Struggle on the Nile | Muhassab | 1959-10-18 |
Movie | Beach of Secrets | Mamduh Ezzat | 1958-02-03 |
Movie | Ghaltet Habibi | Salah | 1958-04-14 |
Movie | Sayedat el kasr | Adel | 1958-11-17 |
Movie | Land of Peace | Ahmed | 1957-01-02 |
Movie | Sleepless | Aziz | 1957-10-31 |
Movie | Dark Waters | Ragab | 1956-01-16 |
Movie | The Lebanese Mission | Mokrir | 1956-09-12 |
Series | Cinépanorama | Self | 1956-02-04 |
Movie | Our Best Days | Ahmad | 1955-03-07 |
Series | This Is Your Life | Unknown | 1955-07-29 |
Movie | The Blazing Sun | Ahmed | 1954-03-01 |
Movie | The Devil of the Desert | Essam | 1954-12-27 |
Series | The Oscars | Self | 1953-03-19 |
Series | Bambi Awards | Self | 1948-01-01 |
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