Obituary: Ahmed Ramzy (1930 - 2012) Casanova's many loves Looking very different from the image he conjures, the beloved actor Ahmed Ramzy passed away at the age of 82 last Friday, after suffering a stroke and falling in the shower of his house in the North Coast, where he had been living. With his shirt half unbuttoned and the perfect smile on his face, Ahmed Ramzy looks charming. Even now, he looks like the embodiment of a certain kind of cool �ê" and it is well to remember that he forged a character unique in the history Egyptian cinema during its golden age, with the peak of his stardom in the mid 1950s-70s, playing the role of young heartthrob and the womaniser. Ramzy costarred with such Egyptian greats as Faten Hamama, Omar Sharif, Soad Hosny, Abdel-Halim Hafez, Ahmed Mazhar, Hind Rostom, Ismail Yassin and many others. He leaves behind a legacy of over 50 films over the span of 24 years. Ramzy was born on 23 March 1930 to an Egyptian father �ê" orthopedist and university professor �ê" and a Scottish mother; he studied in Victoria College, Alexandria, where he met and became best friends with an equally attractive young man named Michel Dimitri Challhoub �ê" later known as Omar Sharif. On graduating he enrolled in medical school briefly, then switched to the Faculty of Commerce, which he eventually abandoned to chase his dream of becoming an actor. Director Helmi Halim offered Ramzy the chance, and he made his first appearance in 1955 in the box office hit Ayamna Al Helwa (Our Happy Days), with Faten Hamama, Abdel-Halim Hafez and Omar Sharif. His leading role came a year later with Hob wa Demou' (Love and Tears), in which he starred again with Hamama �ê" they had a strong bond of friendship �ê" and in 1956 he starred again with Hamama in Sira' Fi Al Mina (Struggle in the Pier), directed by Youssef Chahine, as well as Al-Qalb Lahu Ahkam (The Heart's Strictures), also by Helmi Halim, featuring Abdel-Salam Al Nabulsi, Abdel-Fattah Al Kasri, Stephan Rosti with Hamama and Ramzy. Friends and colleagues remember Ramzy as down-to-earth and charming �ê" much like his persona on screen. He was very adept at comedy, too: A'elat Zizi (Zizi's Family), with Fouad Al Mohandes and Soad Hosny, directed by Fatin Abdel-Wahab in 1963; Ibn Hamido (Hamido's Son) with Isamil Yassin and Hind Rostom in 1957; and E'terafat Zoug (Confessions of a Husband) with Fouad Al Mohandes, Youssef Wahbi, Shwikar and Hind Rostom in 1965. Ramzy also acted with Ahmed Mazhar in many films like Adwaa Al Madina (City Lights) in 1972, also with Shadia. In 1962 Ramzy appeared in an Italian production Il Figlio di Spartacus (The Son of Spartacus), directed by Sergio Corbucci and featuring Steve Reeves and Jacques Sernas; unlike Omar Sharif's, this was Ramzy's only participation in foreign cinema. After many years of absence Ramzi made his last appearance in a little known film, Al Warda Al Hamra (Red Rose) in 2000, with Youssra; in the same year he appeared with Hamama again for the first time for the bigger audience of the home screen with the Ramadan TV series Wagh Al Qammar (Face of the Moon) in 2000: which was his first appearance after Hekaya wara kol Bab (A Story Behind Every Door) in 1979. Ramzy was buried in the North Coast, as per his will, after a huge funeral that brought together his family and close friends and his neighbours from the resort where he spent his last days; respecting his will at the last minute �ê" and the wishes of his daughter �ê" celebrities too did not attend. Soha Hesham Filmography *Hekaya wara Kol Bab (A Story Behind Every Door) in 1979 *Loghat Al Hob (The Language of Love) in 1974 *Al Amaleka (The Giants) in 1974 *Al Abtal (The Heroes) in 1974 *Banat lel Hob (Girls for Love) in 1973 *Al Bahth An Fediha (In Search of a Scandal) in 1973 *Adwaa Al Madina (City Lights) in 1972 *Fondok Al Saada (Hotel of Happiness) in 1971 *Tharthara Fawq Al Nil (Chatter on the Nile) in 1971 *Al-Saat Al Akhira (The Last Hours) in 1970 *Al Saat Al Rahiba (The Terrible Hours) in 1970 *Harebat Men Al Hob (Escaping from Love) in 1970 *Heya wil Shayateen (She and the Devils) in 1969 *Hawaa wil Kerd (Eve and the Monkey) in 1968 *Shabab Magnoun Gedan (Very Crazy Youth) in 1967 *Al Asdekaa Al Thalatha (The Three Friends) in 1966 *Sha'awet Regala (Awful Men ) in 1966 *Al Moghameroon Al Thalatha (The Three Adventurers) in 1966 *Lailet Al Zafaf (The Wedding Night) in 1966 *Sha'et Al Talaba (The Students' Apartment) in 1966 *Hikayet Al Omr Kolloh (A Story of a Lifetime) in 1965 *Al Ibn Al Mafkoud (The Lost Son) in 1965 *E'terafat Zoug (Confessions of a Husband) in 1965 *Sobyan wi Banat (Boys and Girls) in 1965 *Al Einab Al Murr (The Sour Grapes) in 1965 *Akher Shakawa (Frivolous Youth) in 1964 *Awel Hob (First Love) in 1964 *Al Naddara Al Souda (The Black Glasses) in 1963 *A'elat Zizi (Zizi's Family) in 1963 *La Tutfe' Al Shams (The Sun will Never Set) in 1962 *Il Figlio di Spartacus (The Son of Spartacus) in 1962 *Al Akh Al Kabir (The Big Brother) in 1959 *Seraa Maa Al Hayat (Struggle for Life) in 1958 *Isamil Yassin fil Ostoul (Ismail Yassin in the Navy) in 1957 *Ibn Hamido (The Son of Hamido) in 1957 *Tamr Henna (Tamarind) in 1957 *Al Wessada Al Khalia (The Empty Pillow) in 1957 *Al Qalb Lahu Ahkam (The Heart's Strictures) in 1956 *Hob wa Demou' (Love and Tears) in 1956 *Sira' fil Mina (Struggle in the Pier) in 1956 *Ayamna Al Hilwa (Our Best Days) in 1955
