Actor Omar Sharif dies at 83

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Legendary actor Omar Sharif dies at 83

By Todd Leopold and Hannah Calder, CNN

Fri July 10, 2015

(CNN)Omar Sharif, the dashing actor whose acting career included star turns in "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago," died Friday. He was 83.

The Egyptian-born actor suffered a heart attack this afternoon in Cairo, according to his agent, Steve Kenis.

In his prime, Sharif -- with his dark eyes, debonair demeanor and exotic accent -- was considered one of the most handsome men on the planet, his looks getting as much attention as his acting ability.

"When he walked on the 'Zhivago' set in Spain, I took one look and said, 'I can't act with that man. He's too gorgeous!' " one of his "Zhivago" co-stars, Geraldine Chaplin, told The New York Times in 1965.

But he could also be a formidable actor, earning an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in "Lawrence of Arabia" and winning Golden Globes for it and "Zhivago."

By the '70s, however, he had lost some interest in his acting career, and by the '90s, he had turned most of his passion toward the card game bridge, at which he was an expert player.

"I refused in my life many films because they happened at the same time as an important tournament," he told the UK's Guardian. Not that he was always happy with that choice, calling it "stupid."

Sharif was married to Egyptian actress Faten Hamama from 1954-74.

http://us.cnn.com/2015/07/10/entertainm ... index.html
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Omar Sharif dead at 83

CBS News
July 10, 2015

Omar Sharif, the Egyptian actor best known for his roles in "Lawrence of Arabia," "Doctor Zhivago" and "Funny Girl," has died. He was 83.

The actor died of a heart attack in Cairo, his agent confirmed to CBS News.

A popular figure in Egyptian cinema, he gained international fame for his role as Sherif Ali in "Lawrence of Arabia" marked his first English-language film. The 1962 epic adventure movie, which co-starred Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness and Anthony Quinn, garnered Sharif two Golden Globe wins and an Oscar nomination.

Prior to acting, Sharif received a degree in mathematics and physics from the University of Cairo. He later studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. By 1953, Sharif landed a role in "Sira Fi al-Wadi," which led to many more Egyptian productions.

Sharif played a variety of nationalities throughout his career, including a Spanish priest in "Behold a Pale Horse" (1964), a Yugoslav wartime patriot in "The Yellow Rolls-Royce" (1964), and the Mongolian conqueror in "Genghis Khan" (1965). In 1965, he played the title character in David Lean's "Doctor Zhivago."

He also starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1968 romantic musical "Funny Girl." (Images of the Egyptian actor kissing the Jewish actress caused a stir in some quarters on the heels of the 1967 Six-Day War.)

He had a busy acting career through the years, with roles in "The Tamarind Seed" (1974), "Funny Lady (a 1975 sequel to "Funny Girl"), "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" (1976), "Top Secret!" (1984), "Heaven Before I Die" (1997) and "Hidalgo" (2004). Sharif also took on television roles with "The Far Pavilion" (1984) and "Gulliver's Travels" (1996).

He received critical acclaim in 2003 for playing the title role of a Muslim shopkeeper in the French film, "Monsieur Ibrahim." The performance won Sharif a best actor award at the Venice Film Festival.

Aside from acting, Sharif was a major bridge player, ranking among the world's best. In 2004, he published the book "Omar Sharif Talks Bridge."

He married Egyptian actress Faten Hamama, his co-star in "The Blazing Sun," in 1955. They had one son together before divorcing in 1974.

In May, the Los Angeles Times reported that Sharif had Alzheimer's disease.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/omar-sharif-dead-at-83/