Biographies: Abdel Halim Hafez - Actor

Biographies

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Born Abdel Halim Shabaana in al-Halawaat, Sharkeyya (Delta of Egypt), graduated from the Higher institute of Arab Music - Composing Department in 1948. For four years, he taught music for schoolchildren in Tanta, Zagazeeg and finally Cairo. In 1959, he resigned and joined the Cairo Radio Orchestra as an oboe player. His first radio broadcast song was “Lekaa i.e. Rendezvous”. His first appearance on the silver screen was in “Lahn al-wafaa i.e. The song of truth”. Abdul Haleem joined “Sawt al-Fann” production company, with the world famous composer Abdul Wahhaab and director of photography Waheed Fareed, which produced a great number of films and audio works. His acting was characterized with simplicity and spontaneity. Haleem did not only sing in Egypt, but also in all of the Arab countries and some European countries. Almost all of the composers of the Arab world composed the music of his songs. His patriotic songs outnumbered 300 song and poem. All the Arab audience still remember some of his famous scenes on the silver screen. Especially in “Al khataaya i.e. Sins”, “Abby fawk al-shagara i.e. My Father atop a tree” and “Ma’boudat al-gamaheer i.e. The Beloved Diva”. Abdel Halim never married, yet rumors say that he was married to superstar Soaad Hosny.

• 17 May 2011
• Achraf Wassim