Omar Sharif

Early Life and Education

Omar Sharif was a famous Egyptian actor who conquered Hollywood and became famous internationally for his roles in English and Arabic language films. He was born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub on 10 April 1932, in Alexandria, Kingdom of Egypt. He was brought up in a wealthy family which provided Omar with a comfortable upbringing. His father, Yusef Chalhoub, was a successful timber merchant, and his mother, Claire Saada was a society hostess.

During his childhood, he attended Victoria College in Alexandria and showcased his talent for learning languages. Later, he graduated from Cairo University with a degree in mathematics and physics. After completing his education he worked with his father and supported his precious wood business before pursuing his acting career.

Early Acting Career

Sharif’s acting career took off in the 1950s, with him receiving a role in the movie “The Blazing Sun” in 1954. Later he appeared in multiple films like “The Devil of the Desert”, “Our Beautiful Days”, “The Lebanese Mission”, “Struggle in the Pier”, “Land of Peace”, and “Sleepless”. However, he gained international recognition for his role as Sherif Ali in David Lean’s epic film “Lawrence of Arabia” in 1962.

Hollywood Stardom

After this role, Omar Sharif gained popularity in the Hollywood industry and his performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He continued to perform roles in Hollywood movies like, “Doctor Zhivago” in 1965, where he played the lead character. Later, he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, Omar Sharif starred in movies like “The Fall of the Roman Empire”, “Behold a Pale Horse”, “Funny Girl” and “Mackenna’s Gold”. He appeared in multiple international productions including “The Tamarind Seed”, “The Pink Panther Strikes Again”, and “Top Secret!”. In 1999, he worked on television projects and starred in “The 13th Warrior”. Later in 2003, he performed in “Monsieur Ibrahim,” for which he won the César Award for Best Actor. He performed his final roles in movies like “The Ten Commandments”, “The Crown Prince”, “Hassan and Marcus”, and “Rock the Casbah”.

Contract Bridge Career

Apart from his acting career, he was also a talented and accomplished contract bridge player. He was ranked in the world’s top 50 contract bridge players and also represented the United Arab Republic bridge squad at the 1964 World Bridge Olympiad. He founded the “Omar Sharif Bridge Circus” in 1967 to expand the audience for bridge. His Circus exhibited matches with professional players who had won 16 world championships.

In 1975, Sharif’s team competed in four challenge matches against American teams where they won in Chicago but were defeated in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. He participated in various competitions and represented different teams. However, by 2000, Sharif had quit playing bridge as he considered it an addiction.

Health Issues

Sharif’s health condition was not in good shape as he smoked almost 25 cigarettes every day and had to go through heart surgery because of it.

Death and Legacy

Later, it was said that he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. On 10 July 2015, Sharif died due to a heart attack at a hospital in Cairo at the age of 83. His death was mourned by his fans from all parts of the world and marked the end of a productive career.