Omar Sharif
ActingAbout Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif (April 10, 1932 - July 10, 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. The son of a precious wood merchant, he grew up in a united Christian family of Syrian and Lebanese descent with his parents and his sister. Enrolled at Victoria College, a prestigious British school in Alexandria, the teenager studied science and foreign languages and later discovered theater classes. A brilliant student, he continued his studies at Cairo University, where he obtained his diploma in mathematics and physics. He later converted to Islam to marry Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. In 1962, he took on the role of Prince Sherif Ali in Lawrence of Arabia under the direction of David Lean. This film, the first outside Egypt for the actor, marked the beginning of a long friendship with Peter O'Toole and a turning point in Omar Sharif's career. He won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and decided to leave his native country for Hollywood.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Omar Sharif reveals a career defined by exceptional commercial consistency. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Omar Sharif's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 76% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Omar Sharif remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in The Making of Lawrence of Arabia, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Omar Sharif Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Omar Sharif's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Omar Sharif.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age | Self - Actor (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2020 | Omar Sharif: Citizen of the World | Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2019 | Claudia Cardinale, la créature du secret | - | Hit | Similar → |
| 2013 | Rock the Casbah | Moulay Hassan | Average | Similar → |
| 2010 | 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift | (archive footage) | Average | Similar → |
| 2009 | A Night at the Movies: The Gigantic World of Epics | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2009 | The Traveller | Hassan | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2008 | Hassan and Marcus | Murqus Abdulshahid / Mahmood Saifuddin | Hit | Similar → |
| 2006 | One Night with the King | Prince Memucan | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | St. Peter | San Pietro | Average | Similar → |
| 2004 | Looking for Sophia | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | Hidalgo | Sheikh Riyadh | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Monsieur Ibrahim | Monsieur Ibrahim | Hit | Similar → |
| 2001 | The Making of Lawrence of Arabia | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | The 13th Warrior | Melchisidek | Hit | Similar → |
| 1996 | Ingrid Bergman Remembered | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1992 | Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris | Marquis Hippolite | Hit | Similar → |
| 1992 | 588 rue Paradis | Hagop Zakarian | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Citizen Masrey | Mayor Abdel Razek El-Shershaby | Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Mother | Hagop Zakarian | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | Mountains of the Moon | Arab Chief in Cairo (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1989 | The Puppeteer | Mohamed Gad Al-Karim | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1984 | Top Secret! | Agent Cedric | Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | La Martingale | Alex Joski | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | Ayoub | Ayoub/Abdul Hamid Al-Sukkari | Hit | Similar → |
| 1976 | The Pink Panther Strikes Again | Egyptian Assassin (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1974 | Juggernaut | Captain Alex Brunel | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Tamarind Seed | Feodor Sverdlov | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Burglars | Abel Zacharia | Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Horsemen | Uraz | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Last Valley | Vogel | Average | Similar → |
| 1969 | Mackenna's Gold | Colorado | Hit | Similar → |
| 1968 | Mayerling | Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria | Average | Similar → |
| 1968 | Funny Girl | Nick Arnstein | Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Night of the Generals | Major Grau | Hit | Similar → |
| 1965 | Doctor Zhivago | Dr. Yuri Zhivago | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1964 | The Yellow Rolls-Royce | Davich | Average | Similar → |
| 1964 | The Fall of the Roman Empire | Sohamus | Hit | Similar → |
| 1962 | Lawrence of Arabia | Sherif Ali | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1961 | A Man in Our House | إبراهيم حمدي | Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | Eshaet Hob | Hussein | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | The River of Love | خالد | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | The Beginning and the End | Hassanein | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | Struggle on the Nile | محسّب | Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | We the Students | عادل | Hit | Similar → |
| 1958 | Sayedat el kasr | Adel | Average | Similar → |
| 1957 | Sleepless | Aziz | Average | Similar → |
| 1956 | Dark Waters | Ragab | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | Our Best Days | أحمد | Hit | Similar → |
| 1954 | The Blazing Sun | Ahmed أحمد | Hit | Similar → |
Omar Sharif - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Omar Sharif?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Omar Sharif is "The Making of Lawrence of Arabia" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Omar Sharif acted in?
Omar Sharif has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Omar Sharif?
Other notable films include "The Puppeteer", "Lawrence of Arabia", and "Looking for Sophia".