CAIRO - Although recently he didn't appear often in Egyptian films, legendary artist Kamal el-Shenawy will be an unforgettable icon in the history of the silver screen, according to critics. Already in our early childhood there are signs hinting at the future. El-Shenawy loved and adored the arts and famous actors, he dreamed of becoming a star; a clear indication of what was to come. Kamal el-Shenawy died on August 22 after life-long devotion to his career. In recent interviews with the press, the charming 89-old-year actor stated that he was still looking forward to good roles, parts that added value to his biography. He denied that he wanted to retire. El-Shenawy was born in Mansura, 120 km northeast of Cairo, on December 26,1922. He lived in the Cairo district of Sayeda Zeinab and made a bachelor degree in art education; then he worked as an art teacher after joining the Arabic Music Institute. His stardom started in the 1940s, continued in the 50s and reached a peak in the 60s. How can his success be explained? Was it based on our hero's looks? According to critic Tareq el-Shinnawi who told the Egyptian Mail, what enabled the famous actor to move from one success to the next was his unending desire for perfection. "If stardom's vehicle is smartness, then yes, he looked smart. If it is artistic impact, again yes, his acting made a deep impression on old and young viewers. He was a man of many talents." Tareq added that although many actors had a limited period of popularity, this was not the case with our great actor el-Shenawy. He still is a household name and his films prominent in the seventh art. When he played a part, he created a beautiful portrait, full of feeling, attraction and beauty. He knew how to deal with those surrounding him and was aware of colours, nuances and dimensions. Dignity and perfection were his trademarks. There is a telling anecdote: When he got his first part in a film directed by Naizy Moustafa, he was offered LE100. He refused and wanted LE500, a huge sum at the time. A beginner in the acting career, el-Shenawy met Niazy through his brother who was a friend of the director. Niazy was famous, and our actor did't want to impose. He waited until the director called him personally. The outcome was Kamal el-Shenawy's first film: Ghany Harb (War Profiteer)) in 1947. Next came his work with Hussein el-Emam, the grand master of melodrama, who was taught by Naizy and then embarked on his journey with his own concepts that enabled el-Shenawy to explore new dimensions. Later, he starred in a number of films such as Zalamoni al-Nas (Done Injustice) in 1949, Sa'a Le Qalbak (An Hour for Your Heart in 1950, Banat el-Leil (Girls of the Night), Gasad (Flesh) in 1955. El-Shenawy made over 200 films. He also starred in Baba Amin with Youssef Chaine and, the biggest of all, Amir el-Intkam (Prince of Vengeance), an adaptation of Alexander Dumas' ‘The Count of Monte Cristo', co-starring Anwar Wagdy and Samia Gamal, directed by Barakat. El-Shenawy was seen as a Don Juan in the 1950s and 60s; he starred with famous actresses like Shadia and Fatan Hamam, Nahed el-Sherif and Samya Gamal. El-Shenawy and Shadia, the beautiful actress and singer, were a famous couple in the 50s and 60s; the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks of the Egyptian silver screen in that period. Nowadays their films would be called blockbusters. His screen persona was perfectly partnered with Shadia's sparkling nature. They were lovers in more than 30 films, the most successful were Youssef Ma'louf's comedies Fel Hawa Sawa (Together in Love) in 1951 and El-Hawa Maloosh Dawa (Love Has No Cure) in 1952. Later, the stimulating seriousness characterising El-Shenawy's early performances was diffused by comedy legend Ismail Yassin, who played second fiddle in a series of hits that included the aforementioned Fel Hawa Sawa (Together in Love), El-Hamawat El-Fatenat (Glamorous Mothers-In-Law) by Helmy Rafla and Nashala Hanem (Pickpocket Lady) by Hassan el-Seefy, both in 1953. No other film succeeded in fully taking advantage of el-Shenawy's talents like El-Karnak, Badrakhan's harrowing adaptation of Naguib Mahfouz' 1971 novel about Nasser's secret police state. In one of the greatest screen performances in Egyptian film history, el-Shenawy played Khaled Safwan, the sadistic, smooth-talking head of Egyptian Intelligence who forces Souad Hosny and Nour el-Sherif's idealistic students to spy on their peers. El-Shenawy ‘s last film was Zaza with comic star Hani Ramzi in 2006. In Zaza, el-Shenawy played the president of an imaginary country, where bureaucracy was deeply frowned on. The actor's soft, tender and romantic characters were similar to his real self. He was devoted to women. First he was married to actress Afaf Shaker, the sister of the artist Shadia. It ended for unknown reasons; el-Shenawy didn't disclose them. Then he married belly dancer Hagar Hamdy, who made him change his mind about belly dancing. Another story was his relationship with Nahad el-Sherif. She gave our legend plenty of tender care and devotion, but they did not get married. El-Shenawy was afraid that marriage would ruin their relationship sooner or later, although he confessed his great admiration for Nahad el-Sherif and the wonderful times they spent together. It was actually she who decided to end the relationship. The story of this screen legend is like the sea: as long as you sail you will encounter the artistic wealth of his films. Rest in peace, dear tender and smart Kamal el-Shenawy. You will be an icon for many future generations.
