Omar Sharif, Actor of 'Doctor Zhivago', Passes Away

Omar Sharif, the cinema actor who gained worldwide fame for his role in 'Doctor Zhivago', passed away on Friday, July 9, following a heart attack in a hospital in Cairo. According to the French news agency, Steve Kenis, the representative of this Egyptian-born actor in London, stated that Mr. Sharif died at the age of 83 while being hospitalized in the Alzheimer's ward. Omar Sharif, born as 'Michel Demitri Shalhoub' in a Lebanese Christian family in Alexandria, Egypt, was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and was a classmate of notable figures such as Youssef Chahine and Edward Said during his studies at Victoria College. After entering the film industry, he became acquainted with one of the stars of Egyptian cinema at the time, 'Faten Hamama', and converted to Islam to marry her, changing his name to 'Omar Sharif'. The couple had a son named Tarek Sharif, born in 1957. Their marriage lasted for 20 years until they eventually divorced in 1974. Omar Sharif did not remarry after his separation from Faten Hamama. His son mentioned last year that his father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but no further details about his condition were released. Omar Sharif was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 1963 and won a Golden Globe for Best Actor for 'Doctor Zhivago' in 1965. He had roles in films such as 'Funny Face', 'The Fall of the Roman Empire', 'The Night of the Generals', 'More Than a Miracle', 'Mackenna's Gold', and 'Genghis Khan'. Omar Sharif also appeared in the series 'The Mysterious Island', which was broadcast by the Islamic Republic of Iran television.