Obituary: Omar El-Hariri (1922-2011) By Soha Hesham The distinguished Egyptian actor Omar El-Hariri passed away three days ago at the age of 86, following a years-long struggle with bone cancer. Over a period of 60 years spanning the golden age of Egyptian film, Hariri appeared in some 180 films besides making remarkable contributions to theatre and television drama. An icon of the silver screen, Hariri was born on 12 June 1922 in Cairo, where he graduated from the Higher Institute of Acting in 1947 (he was in the same class as actor Shoukri Sarhan). He made a small, silent appearance with the great actor Naguib El-Reihani in the popular film Salama fi Kheir (Salama is Safe) in 1937, but it was the early theatrical giant Youssef Wahbi who gave him his first major role in the film Korsi Al-I'tiraf (Confession Chair); he appeared in various plays alongside Wahbi in 1949. Hariri starred opposite many of Egypt's greatest actors: Omar Sharif, Faten Hamama, Zaki Rostom, Fouad El-Mohandes, Kamal El-Shenawi, Samia Gamal, Soad Hosni, Abdel-Fattah El-Qussari, Lubna Abdel-Aziz and Abdel-Moneim Ibrahim. One memorable role was in the comedy Sukkar Hanem (Lady Sugar), directed by Sayed Bedir in 1960, in which he played Farid who, together with Nabil (Kamal El-Shennawi), persuades his friend (Abdel-Moneim Ibrahim) to dress up as an aunt in a ploy to lure two female neighbours, sisters, into their bachelors' house, with the result that the girls' father (Abdel-Fattah El-Qussari) falls in love with said aunt. Hariri also starred opposite the late singer Abdel-Halim Hafez in the romantic film Al-Wesada Al-Khaliya (The Unused Pillow), directed by Salah Abu Seif in 1957; in the cast were Lubna Abdel-Aziz, Ahmed Ramzi and Abdel-Moneim Ibrahim. He plays Fouad, the successful physician whom the female lead us forced to marry after her parents refuse to giver her to a penniless suitor (Abdel-Halim Hafez). n 1978, Hariri joined forces with comedy superstar Adel Imam in one of the classics of Egyptian theatre, Shahed Mashafsh Haga (The Witness Who Saw Nothing), playing the role of investigator in a death crime. Hariri starred in various period dramas including Omar Ibn Abdel-Aziz in 1995, Al-Seira Al-Hilaliya in 1996 and, also with Imam, Ahlam Al-Fata Al-Ta'esh (The Reckless Young Man's Dreams) in 1978. He also provided a memorable performance in the comic serial Saken Osadi (Living Opposite) with the late actress Sanaa Gamil in two seasons in 1995 and 1996. Hariri's last project was a children's play Hadiqet Al-Azkiaa (Garden of the Intelligent); he was taken to hospital during rehearsals.
