Omar Sharif

Sharif is the acclaimed and legendary star of more than 60 motion pictures in an extraordinary career spanning over four decades.

He vaulted to international stardom while starring in two of David Lean's sweeping epics.

He received an Academy Award nomination for Bets Supporting Actor and won the Golden Globe Award for co-starring as Peter O'Toole's friend, Ali Ibn Kharish in Lawrence of Arabia.

He then won a second Golden Globe for Best Actor as the Russian poet/ doctor in Doctor Zhivago.

Sharif is also well known for his role opposite Barbra Streisand in the Oscar winning Funny Girl, and the sequel Funny Lady.

Sharif is the only Egyptian to become and international film star, and has played characters of almost every nationality in the western world.

He was born in Alexandria, Egypt as Michael Shlhoub, the son of a wealthy timber merchant, and of Lebanese and Syrian parentage.

He spoke only French during his early childhood years, but later learned six languages fluently.

He studied mathematics and physics at Victoria College in Cairo, where he also became interested in acting.

After graduation, Sharif worked in his Father's timber importing company yet longed to attend the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art in London.

In 1953, he was nearing a positive parental response to his persuasiveness when he was offered the lead in the Egyptian film The Blazing Sun, starring opposite the then top female star in Egypt, Faten Hamama. It was at this point that he adopted the name Omar El-Sharif. He later dropped the El for international movies.

He became the number one star and idol. he went on to star in 26 Egyptian and two French films while establishing his own production company in Cairo.