Last Saturday, screenwriter Mahfouz Abdel-Rahman died at the age of 76, having had a stroke two weeks before. Abdel-Rahman graduated from Cairo University in 1960, but started his writing career years before his graduation. He worked in Dar Al-Hilal, wrote short stories and art criticism for Al-Ahram and Al-Gomhoureya and worked at the Ministry of Culture. His first short story collection, Al-Bahth Aan Al-Maghoul (Searching for the Unknown) appeared in 1967, while his first novel, Al-Youm Al-Thamen (The Eighth Day) appeared in 1972. Abdel-Rahman worked for Kuwaiti television (1974-1978), resigning from the Ministry of Culture in 1982 to devote himself to writing. His television debut was the series Al-Awda Ila Al-Manfa (Returning to Exile, 1971), based on a novel by Abul-Maati Abul-Naga. It was followed, among many others, by Suleiman Al-Halabi, Antara, Mohamed Al-Fatih, Leilet Masraa Al-Mutanabi (The Death Night of Al-Mutanabi), Sinbad and the huge hit Bawabet Al-Halawani (1992), directed by Ibrahim Al-Sahn. He also wrote Umm Kulthoum (1999), directed by Inaam Mohamed Ali. Abdel-Rahman wrote films — Al-Qadisiyah, Halim and Nasser 56 — as well as plays: Kawkab Al-Firan (The Planet of the Mice), Al-Fakh (The Trap), Mohakamat Al-Sayed Meem (The Trail of Mr M). He was married to actress Samira Abdel-Aziz.
