OMAR SHARIF
Name: Omar Sharif
Birth name: Michel Demitri Chalhoub
Born: 10 April 1932 Alexandria, Egypt
Omar Sharif (born Michel Demitri Chalhoub, April 10, 1932 in Alexandria, Egypt)
is an Academy Award-nominated Egyptian actor, Golden Globe
winner, who has starred in many Hollywood films. He has acted in Arabic, French,
and English feature films. Sharif is most famous for his roles in Doctor Zhivago,
Funny Girl and Lawrence of Arabia.
Sharif was born in Alexandria, Egypt, the son of Claire and Joseph Chalhoub, a
timber merchant and The family was Catholic . Sharif graduated from Alexandria's
Victoria College, then from Cairo University with a mathematics and physics
major. Afterwards, he worked with his father in the lumber business.
In 1953, Sharif began his acting career with a role in the Egyptian film, Sira`
Fi al-Wadi, (English, The Blazing Sun or Struggle in the Valley or Fight in the
Valley). Numerous Egyptian productions followed. He starred with his ex-wife,
Faten Hamama, in several movies as romantic leads. Others include Ayyamna el
helwa (Our Best Days, 1955), La anam (I Don't Sleep, 1958), Sayedat el kasr (Lady
of the Castle, 1959) and the Anna Karenina-adaptation Nahr el hub (The River of
Love 1961)..
Sharif's first English language film was Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 where he
played the role of Sherif Ali. This performance earned him a Best Supporting
Actor Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion
Picture ,Most Promising Newcomer award and worldwide fame as the world's leading
Franco Arabic actor. Sharif also played the title role in the 1965 film Doctor
Zhivago by David Lean. After a period in which he made headlines more for being
a professional bridge player than an actor, he made a comeback in 2003 with the
film adaptation of the novel Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran.
In November 2005, he was honored with a medal by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in recognition of his significant
contributions to world film and cultural diversity. The medal which is handed
out very infrequently is named after Russian director Sergei Eisenstein and can
only be given out a total of 25 times by Russia's Mosfilm.
Sharif is to once more team with his co-star from Lawrence of Arabia, Peter O'Toole,
in Gilgamesh by Stonelock Pictures. This epic, about the
ancient land now called Iraq and its rulers, also stars some of Europe and Egypt's
leading actors.
Name: Omar Sharif
Birth name: Michel Demitri Chalhoub
Born: 10 April 1932 Alexandria, Egypt
Omar Sharif (born Michel Demitri Chalhoub, April 10, 1932 in Alexandria, Egypt)
is an Academy Award-nominated Egyptian actor, Golden Globe
winner, who has starred in many Hollywood films. He has acted in Arabic, French,
and English feature films. Sharif is most famous for his roles in Doctor Zhivago,
Funny Girl and Lawrence of Arabia.
Sharif was born in Alexandria, Egypt, the son of Claire and Joseph Chalhoub, a
timber merchant and The family was Catholic . Sharif graduated from Alexandria's
Victoria College, then from Cairo University with a mathematics and physics
major. Afterwards, he worked with his father in the lumber business.
In 1953, Sharif began his acting career with a role in the Egyptian film, Sira`
Fi al-Wadi, (English, The Blazing Sun or Struggle in the Valley or Fight in the
Valley). Numerous Egyptian productions followed. He starred with his ex-wife,
Faten Hamama, in several movies as romantic leads. Others include Ayyamna el
helwa (Our Best Days, 1955), La anam (I Don't Sleep, 1958), Sayedat el kasr (Lady
of the Castle, 1959) and the Anna Karenina-adaptation Nahr el hub (The River of
Love 1961)..
Sharif's first English language film was Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 where he
played the role of Sherif Ali. This performance earned him a Best Supporting
Actor Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion
Picture ,Most Promising Newcomer award and worldwide fame as the world's leading
Franco Arabic actor. Sharif also played the title role in the 1965 film Doctor
Zhivago by David Lean. After a period in which he made headlines more for being
a professional bridge player than an actor, he made a comeback in 2003 with the
film adaptation of the novel Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran.
In November 2005, he was honored with a medal by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in recognition of his significant
contributions to world film and cultural diversity. The medal which is handed
out very infrequently is named after Russian director Sergei Eisenstein and can
only be given out a total of 25 times by Russia's Mosfilm.
Sharif is to once more team with his co-star from Lawrence of Arabia, Peter O'Toole,
in Gilgamesh by Stonelock Pictures. This epic, about the
ancient land now called Iraq and its rulers, also stars some of Europe and Egypt's
leading actors.