Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

CAIRO — 2015 has proven to be a tragic year for Egyptian cinema with fans grieving the loss of several legendary actors who had a major impact on Arab cinema.



Ali Hasanain



Actor Ali Hasanain died aged 76 in the early hours of Aug. 12. Hasnain, who was born in 1939, was well known for his role in director Khairy Beshara’s 1992 movie “Ice Cream in Gleam.” He was also known for his roles in "The King is the King" and “Apple.” Born and buried in Alexandria, his funeral was held in Cairo.



Nour Al Sharif



Actor Nour Al Sharif died aged 69 on Aug. 11 at a Cairo hospital after a prolonged illness. Al Sharif, who became an actor in the 1960s, received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dubai International Film Festival in 2014. Some of his memorable movies and series include “Alhaj Metwalli” and “Haroun Rashid.”



Mirna El-Mohandes



Actress Mirna El-Mohandes died on Aug. 5 at the age of 36 at The International Medical Center near Cairo. She suffered from a rare form of blood cancer.  She started her career aged 9 when she appeared in several commercials.  She entered the High Institute for Theatrical Arts and her breakout came in 1994. One of her most famous TV shows was 1997’s “Yawmeyat Wanis”. She also played a major role in the 2006 movie “Ayazuno”.



Sami El-Adl



Actor Sami El-Adl died aged 69 on July 10 after suffering from heart problems. El-Adl, who is an actor and a producer, started acting in the 1970s and appeared in over 55 movies. His last performance was in a TV show called “Jewish Alley” which premiered this past Ramadan.



Faten Hamama & Omar Sharif



Actress Faten Hamama, nicknamed the Lady of the Arabic Screen, died aged 83 on Jan. 18. Hamama, the former wife of Egyptian actor Omar Sharif, was born in 1931 and appeared in almost 100 films. Nearly 6 months after her death, Sharif also died after suffering a heart attack.  He appeared in several notable films including “Funny Girl” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” Born a Christian, he converted to Islam after falling in love with Hamama. They divorced in 1974 but the actor never remarried.



Ibrahim Yousri



Actor Ibrahim Yousri died aged 65 on April 20 at Misr International Hospital in Giza. He suffered from kidney problems. Yousri was known for his work in TV shows and movies and appeared in over 126 productions. His most famous productions include “Layali El-Helmyia” and “Al-Mal Wal Al-Banon.”