Photo of Omar Sharif
Acting

Omar Sharif

Profession
Acting
Born
April 10, 1932 · Alexandria, Egypt
Died
July 10, 2015

Biography

Omar Sharif (April 10, 1932 - July 10, 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. The son of a precious wood merchant, he grew up in a united Christian family of Syrian and Lebanese descent with his parents and his sister. Enrolled at Victoria College, a prestigious British school in Alexandria, the teenager studied science and foreign languages and later discovered theater classes. A brilliant student, he continued his studies at Cairo University, where he obtained his diploma in mathematics and physics. He later converted to Islam to marry Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. 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, marked 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.

Known for

Lawrence of Arabia poster
Lawrence of Arabia
Film · 1962 · ★ 8.0
10,000 BC poster
10,000 BC
Film · 2008 · ★ 5.5
The 13th Warrior poster
The 13th Warrior
Film · 1999 · ★ 6.7
Top Secret! poster
Top Secret!
Film · 1984 · ★ 7.1
Hidalgo poster
Hidalgo
Film · 2004 · ★ 6.9
Doctor Zhivago poster
Doctor Zhivago
Film · 1965 · ★ 7.6
The Pink Panther Strikes Again poster
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Film · 1976 · ★ 6.9
Funny Girl poster
Funny Girl
Film · 1968 · ★ 7.1
The Fall of the Roman Empire poster
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Film · 1964 · ★ 6.5
Mackenna's Gold poster
Mackenna's Gold
Film · 1969 · ★ 6.6
The Night of the Generals poster
The Night of the Generals
Film · 1967 · ★ 6.8
Monsieur Ibrahim poster
Monsieur Ibrahim
Film · 2003 · ★ 7.0

Filmography