Ahmed Zaki
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| Ahmed Zaki | |
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| Born | November 18, 1949 Zagazig,  Egypt |
| Died | March 27, 2005 Cairo |
| Years active | 1974-2005 |
Ahmed Zaki (Ahmed Zaky; November 18, 1949 – March 27, 2005) was a leading Egyptian film star. He was characterised by his talent, skill and ability in impersonating. He was also famous for his on-screen vehemence, often genuinely hitting co-stars during scenes of violence.
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[edit] Early days
Ahmed Zaki was born in the Nile Delta city of Zagazig, about 50 miles north of Cairo, Egypt. He graduated from Zagazig's Crafts School in 1967, and then traveled to Cairo to study cinema before he graduated from the Cairo Higher Institute for Drama Studies in 1974.
For 30 years, Ahmed Zaki impressed his audiences by playing comic, romantic and tragic roles in theater, cinema and on television. He was considered a super star among his generation. Ahmed had his first chance to professionally act while he was still studying at the Theatre Institute in 1969: he was cast in a small part as a room service attendant in the comedy play Hello Shalabi; (the original actor didn't show up, and Ahmed who was working as Soft Drinks vendor at the time, managed to get the fill-in on one night) he managed to make an impressive comic sketch, notably impersonating the celebrated villain actor Mahmoud el-Meliguy which managed to let everyone take note of his impressive, natural performance. Such impersonation was Zaki's favourite hobby, and it was a skill he developed over time.
People in the street often hailed him as Sbel, in reference to his role in the classic comedy play Madrasit El-Mushaghibin (The School for Trouble Makers). His leap to stardom began when he got a leading role in the successful 1978 comedy play Al-Iyal Kibrit (The Children have Grown Up) then his television impersonation of the blind Egyptian literateur Taha Hussein ("the dean of Arabic literature") in the serial drama of the latter's eponymous autobiography El-Ayyam (The Days).
[edit] Career highlights
He made his first film, Abnaa Elsamt (Children of Silence), in 1974. By 1980 he had made six films, including (Alexandria, Why?) with Egypt's best known director, Yusuf Shahin. Zaki appeared in more than 60 films throughout his career.
Many of his films were written by screenwriter Wahid Hamed and had a strong political message that exposed governmental and police corruption. He also starred in the famous 1980s television comedy musical series Howa we Heya with actress Souad Houssni. Zaki also starred in a series of successful action movies during the mid-and late-1990s.
Two of his greatest successes were playing Egypt's presidents in two popular movies that became landmarks of Arabic cinema. He played presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser in Nasser 56 1996, a movie that centered on the fateful summer of 1956 when then-President Nasser nationalizing the Suez Canal), and Anwar Sadat in the movie The Days of Sadat (2001) with director Mohammed Khan which he also produced. The movie depicted 40 years of the late president's life. He also had plans to play president Hosni Mubarak in a third movie. He is also known for portraying prominent characters in Egyptian history like Taha Hussein.
Zaki was seen as an icon and spokesperson for the average Egyptian youth, he was also considered the heir to Farid Shawki as Malek El Terso ("The King of the Third Class" - a reference to his popularity among the poor, who bought third-class seats in movie theatres) in an Egyptian magazine. Ironically the two starred together in two movies several years earlier.
He was a known heavy smoker. Zaki had been in intensive care at Dar al-Fuad Hospital in Sixth of October City, just outside Cairo, and died of lung cancer complications, after president Hosni Mubarak offered to send him to France for medical treatment at the government's expense and granting him the Merit of Arts award for his work in over 50 movies.
A book about Zaki has been released under the title of “Ahmad Zaki wa Symphoniet Ibda’” (Ahmad Zaki: A Symphonic Innovation Masterpiece). The book features details of his acting career and includes a compilation of articles by different critics including Tareq Al Shinawi, Mohammad Al Shafe’ee and Waleed Saif.
[edit] Filmography in order of release dates
- 1974 Abnaa Al-Samt (Children of the Silence, M Radi)
- 1974 Bidour (N Galal)
- 1977 Sani' Al-Nigoum (Star Maker, M Radi)
- 1978 Al-Omr Lahza (Life is an Instant, M Radi)
- 1978 Waraa Al-Shams (Beyond the Sun, M Radi)
- 1978 Iskandereiya... leh? (Alexandria, Why?, Youssef Chahine)
- 1979 Chafika et Metwal (A Badrakhan)
- 1980 Al-Batniya (Hossameddin Mustafa)
- 1980 Ana La Akzib wa Lakini Atagammal (I Don't Lie but I Embellish Myself, N Anglo)
- 1981 Oyun la tanam (Eyes that Never Sleep, R El-Mihi)
- 1981 Maowid ala ashaa (Date on Dinner, M Khan)
- 1981 Taer ala el tariq (Bird on the Road, M Khan)
- 1982 Al-Awama Sabiin (Houseboat 70, K Bishara)
- 1982 Al-Aqdar Al-Damiya (Bloody Fates, K Bishara)
- 1983 Al-Ihtiyat Wagib (Being on Guard is Smart, A Fouad)
- 1983 Darb Al-Hawa (The Alley of Desire, H Mustafa)
- 1983 Al-Mudmin (The Addict, Y Francis)
- 1984 Al-Lila Al-Maouda (The Promised Night, Y El-Alami)
- 1984 Al Hob fawk habadet al haram (Love on the Pyramids Plateau, A El-Tayeb)
- 1984 Al-Raqisa Wal Tabbal (The Bellydancer and the Drummer, A Fahmi)
- 1984 Al-Takhshiba (The Detention Room, A El-Tayeb)
- 1984 Al-Nimr Al-Aswad (Black Tiger, A Salem)
- 1984 Al-Brins (The Prince, F Saleh)
- 1985 Saad Al-Yatim (Saad the Orphan, A Fahmi)
- 1986 Shader Al-Samak (Fish Market, A Abdel-Khaleq)
- 1986 Al-Barii (The Innocent, A El-Tayeb)
- 1986 Al-Bidaya (The Beginning, S Abu Seif)
- 1987 Arba'a Fi Muhimma Rasmiya (Four in an Official Mission, A Abdel-Khaleq)
- 1987 Zawgat ragol mohim (The Wife of an Important Man, M Khan)
- 1987 Al-Beih Al-Bawab (His Excellency the Porter, H Ibrahim)
- 1989 Ahlam Hind wa Camilia (Dreams of Hind and Camilia, M Khan)
- 1989 Al-Daraga Al-Thalitha (Third Class, S Arafa)
- 1989 Wilad Al-Eih (Sons of Guns, S Yehia)
- 1990 Imraa Wahida la Takfi (One Woman is not Enough, I El-Deghidi)
- 1990 Kaboria (Crab, K Bishara)
- 1990 Al-Beida Wal-Hagar (Charlatan, A Abdel-Khaleq)
- 1990 Al-Imbrator (The Emperor, T El-Erian)
- 1991 Al-Makhtoufa (The Kidnapped, S Yehia)
- 1991 Al-Huroub (The Escape, A El-Tayeb)
- 1991 Al-Raai Wal Nisaa (The Shepherd and the Women, A Badrakhan)
- 1992 Did el hokouma (Against the Government, A El-Tayeb)
- 1993 Mr Karate (M Khan)
- 1993 Al-Basha (The Pasha, T El-Erian)
- 1993 Sawwaq el hanem (The Lady's Driver, H Ibrahim)
- 1995 Al-Ragul Al-Thalith (The Third Man, A Badrakhan)
- 1996 Istakoza (Lobsters, I El-Deghidi)
- 1996 Hysteria (A Adeeb)
- 1996 Abul-D (Wonderland, Diaaeddin)
- 1996 Nasser 56 (M Fadel)
- 1996 Nazwa (Slip, A Badrakhan)
- 1997 Hassan El-Lol (N Galal)
- 1997 Al-Batal (The Hero, M Ahmed Ali)
- 1998 Edhak el soura tetlaa helwa (Smile, the Photo will be Good, S Arafa)
- 1999 Ard Al-Khouf (Land of Fear, D Abdel-Sayed)
- 2001 Ayam El-Sadat (Days of Sadat, M Khan)
- 2003 Ma'ali Al Wazir (His Excellency the Minister, S Seif)
- 2005-2006 Halim (Halim, S. Arafa)
[edit] See also
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