Omar Sharif Biography: Wikipedia, Age, Death, Movies, Songs, Net Worth, Parents, Children, Height, Cause of Death, Wife, Family

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Omar Sharif was an iconic Egyptian actor widely regarded as one of the greatest male film stars from his country. He began his career in the 1950s, achieving prominence in Egyptian cinema before transitioning to international fame.

Sharif is celebrated for his roles in American, British, French, and Italian films, earning him the distinction of being “the first Egyptian and Arab actor to conquer Hollywood.”

Over a career spanning five decades and more than 100 films, Sharif garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including three Golden Globe Awards and a César Award for Best Actor.

Profile

• Full Name: Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub
• Stage Name: Omar Sharif
• Born: 10 April 1932
• Death date: 10 July 2015
• Age: 83 years old
• Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
• Nationality: Egyptian
• Occupation: Egyptian actor
• Height: 1.8 m
• Parent: Yusef Chalhoub and Claire Saada
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Faten Hamama (m. 1955–1974)
• Partner: Barbra Streisand, Andréa Ferréol
• Children: Tarek Sharif
• Relationship: Divorced
• Net Worth: $2 million

Early Life And Education

Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub, widely known as Omar Sharif, was born on April 10, 1932, in Alexandria, in the then Kingdom of Egypt. He came from a Melkite Greek Catholic family.

His father, Yusef Chalhoub, was a merchant specializing in precious woods, while his mother, Claire Saada, was a well-known society hostess. There is no available information about him having any siblings.

During his youth, Sharif attended Victoria College in Alexandria, where he displayed a talent for languages and formed friendships with notable figures, including actor Ahmed Ramzy and filmmaker Youssef Chahine. He later graduated from Cairo University with a degree in mathematics and physics.

Although it is often claimed that Sharif studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, the academy clarified to Al Jazeera that this is untrue. Sharif was of Lebanese and Syrian descent and practiced Islam as his religion.

Career

Omar Sharif began his acting career in Egypt during the early 1950s, making his debut in The Blazing Sun (1954) and appearing in films such as The Devil of the Desert (1954) and Our Beautiful Days (1955).

By the late 1950s, he had achieved stardom with notable performances in Goha (1958), Struggle on the Nile (1959), and A Rumor of Love (1960). He frequently co-starred with his wife, Faten Hamama, in romantic roles.

His success in Egyptian cinema positioned him as a major competitor to contemporaries Salah Zulfikar, Shoukry Sarhan, and Rushdy Abaza.

Sharif‘s international breakthrough came with his first English-language role as Sherif Ali in David Lean‘s epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962), earning him worldwide acclaim. He followed this with roles in The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) and Behold a Pale Horse (1964).

Sharif secured his first Hollywood leading role as the titular character in Genghis Khan (1965) and went on to star in Doctor Zhivago (1965), solidifying his status as an international icon.

Throughout the late 1960s, Sharif worked on a range of international films, including The Night of the Generals (1967), More Than a Miracle (1967), and Mayerling (1968), co-starring Catherine Deneuve.

He also reunited with Gregory Peck in the western Mackenna’s Gold (1969). While some of these projects achieved critical acclaim, others were commercial disappointments.

In the 1970s, Sharif appeared in diverse roles, such as Captain Nemo in Mysterious Island (1973) and a romantic thriller, The Tamarind Seed (1974), alongside Julie Andrews, which received positive reviews.

He also starred in Juggernaut (1974), a maritime thriller, and continued to act in European and Middle Eastern productions, including The Burglars (1971) and the Egyptian epic The Mamelukes (1965).

Sharif remained active into the 2000s with roles in films like Hassan and Marcus (2008) and The Traveller (2009). His final performance was in 1001 Inventions and the World of Ibn Al-Haytham (2015), a short educational film produced for UNESCO.

Despite his long and illustrious acting career, Sharif maintained a lifelong passion for bridge, earning a reputation as one of the world’s top players and organizing prestigious tournaments.

Omar Sharif‘s career spanned over five decades and more than 100 films. He left an indelible mark on both Egyptian and international cinema, becoming a global ambassador for Arab actors in Hollywood and beyond.

Social Media

Omar Sharif does not have any active social media accounts.

Personal Life

Omar Sharif was married to renowned Egyptian actress Faten Hamama from 1955 until their divorce in 1974. The couple had one son, Tarek Sharif, born in 1957. Sharif, who considered Hamama the love of his life, converted to Islam to marry her. Despite their separation, he never remarried.

Throughout his life, Sharif had several notable relationships. He had a widely publicized affair with Barbra Streisand during the filming of Funny Girl in 1967. In his later years, he was romantically linked to French actress Andréa Ferréol, with whom he shared a home in Cairo.

Unfortunately, Omar Sharif passed away on July 10, 2015, in Cairo, Egypt, at the age of 83. He suffered from a heart attack.

Filmography

• Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
• Doctor Zhivago (1965)
• Funny Girl (1968)
• The Tamarind Seed (1974)
• Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran (2003)
• The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
• The Night of the Generals (1967)
• The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964)
• Hidalgo (2004)
• 10,000 BC (2008)

Net Worth

Omar Sharif‘s net worth was estimated at $2 million, at the time of his death in 2015. Despite achieving global fame through iconic roles in films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, he faced financial difficulties in his later years. These challenges were largely attributed to his gambling habits and an extravagant lifestyle.

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