Salah Zulfikar

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Salah Zulfikar
صلاح ذو الفقار
Salah Zulfikar.jpg
Zulfikar, c. 1972
Born
Salah El Din Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar

(1926-01-18)18 January 1926
El Mahalla El Kubra, Egypt
Died22 December 1993(1993-12-22) (aged 67)
Cairo, Egypt
NationalityEgypt Egyptian
Other namesThe Genius
The Donjuan
The Handsome
Alma materPolice Academy
OccupationActor • Film Producer • Police Officer
Years active1956–1993
Notable work
Filmography
Spouse(s)
Nafisa Bahgat
​
​
(m. 1947; died 1988)​

​
​
(m. 1957; div. 1959)​

​
​
(m. 1964; div. 1970)​

Bahiga Mekbel
​
​
(m. 1976; death 1993)​
ChildrenAhmed Zulfikar
Mona Zulfikar
Honours
Military career
Allegiance Egypt
Service/branchEgyptian Police Emblem.svg Egyptian National Police
Years of service1946–1957
RankLieutenant Colonel
Egyptian Police Lieutenant Colonel Rank.png
Battles/warsBattle of Ismailia
Suez War
Awards
  • Golden Medal of Military Duty
    MilitaryMedalOfDuty02

Salah El Din Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar (Arabic: صلاح ذو الفقار) (18 January 1926 – 22 December 1993)[1] was an Egyptian actor and film producer.[2] He started his career as a police officer in the Egyptian National Police, before becoming an actor in 1956. He is regarded as one of the most influential actors in the history of Egyptian film industry.[3][4][5] Zulfikar had roles in more than 100 feature films in multiple genres during a 37-year career, mostly as the leading actor. In 1996, in the centenary of Egyptian cinema, ten of his films as an actor and five of his films as a producer were listed in the Top hundred Egyptian films of the 20th century.[6][7][8][9][10]

Early life and education[]

Salah El Din Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar (Arabic: صلاح الدين أحمد مراد ذو الفقار) was born on 18 January 1926 in El Mahalla El Kubra, Egypt. His father was Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar, who served as a senior Egyptian police commissioner in the Ministry of Interior and his mother Nabila Zulfikar was a housewife. Zulfikar was the seventh of eight brothers and sisters. His eldest brother, Mohamed, was a business man, two elder sisters Soad and Fekreya. The movie actor and director Mahmoud Zulfikar, graduated as an architect. His brother Ezz El-Dine Zulfikar, also a movie director, and Kamal Zulfikar were military officers whilst Zulfikar chose to join the Police Academy; he graduated from the Police Academy in 1946. His younger brother Mamdouh joined the Faculty of Commerce.

Zulfikar excelled in his studies and was an athlete. He was one of Egypt's champions in boxing and won the King's Cup in boxing (featherweight) in 1947. He initially joined the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, to please his father, who wished Zulfikar to become a doctor like his grandfather. After his father got sick, he transferred his admission to the Police Academy so he can stay in Cairo beside his father. He graduated in 1946. Salah Zulfikar was appointed in the Menoufia Security Directorate and in the Prisons Authority, specifically Egypt Prison, and also worked as a teacher at the Police Academy.

Police career[]

Salah Zulfikar between his students in Police Academy, Cairo c. 1956

In 1949, Zulfikar started teaching at the Police Academy. In 1952 he volunteered to join the police unit in Ismaïlia which was under attack by the British Army. The Egyptian police force refused to hand over their weapons to the British forces, which led the British army to bring in tanks to capture the building. The ensuing battle was later commemorated and is now celebrated in Egypt on 25th of January of every year as National Police Day. Zulfikar received a National Award of Honor for his bravery.

In 1956 Suez war, Zulfikar took the initiative leading 19 of his students in the Police Academy and volunteered as commandos resisting the tripartite attack by the British, French and Israeli armies. Zulfikar also received the Military Medal of Duty of First Class from President Gamal Abdel Nasser for risking his life for his country with bravery and honor.[11][12]

Acting career[]

Zulfikar on the cover of Al-Kawakeb magazine, March 1961

Early career[]

Salah Zulfikar's brothers Ezz El-Dine Zulfikar and Mahmoud Zulfikar were film directors. During his free time he used to attend film shooting. In 1955 his elder brother, Ezz El Dine, tried to convince Zulfikar to start acting but he refused for he thought it is an impossible idea due to the nature of his job as a police officer. Ezz El-Dine offered him the lead role in a film; Wakeful Eyes (Uyoun Sahrana) (1956).

Zulfikar agreed and he got a temporary permit from the Minister of the Interior, which was headed at that time by Zakaria Mohieddin to work in this film. He worked in his second and third films Back Again (Rodda Qalbi) (1957) and Jamila, the Algerian (Gameela) (1958) respectively also with temporary permissions.

After Zulfikar's success, he had to choose his career path. He asked the minister for resignation but instead was promoted to lieutenant colonel and granted an early pension.[13][14]

1950s[]

Salah Zulfikar's second movie was Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's Back Again (Rodda Qalbi) of 1957 was his first success. followed by Azzam in Youssef Chahine's Jamila, the Algerian (Gameela) (1958).

In 1959, Salah Zulfikar starred in 5 films including Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's The Second Man (Elragol Elthani), and it was a box office as a producer and critical success earning Zulfikar high reviews from Cairo critics.[15][16] Hassan El Imam's Love Until Worship (Hob hatta El Ebada) alongside Taheyya kariokka was a dramatic role showing Zulfikar's acting capabilities, and Light of the Night (Nour El Leil) alongside Mariam Fakhr Eddine. He co-starred in his own production; Among the Ruins (Bain Al Atlal) and it was a classical romance earning critical and financial success.[17][18][19]

1960s[]

Zulfikar selection of diversified roles made him popular in Egypt and all over the Middle East. He starred in Hassan El Imam's Money and Women (Mal Wa Nesaa) (1960) and Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's Appointment at the Tower (Maww'ed Fil-borg) in 1962, both films co-starred by Soad Hosny.

In 1961 he starred in six films, the romantic comedy; That's What Love Is (El Hubb Keda) alongside Sabah was a great box office success. Mahmoud Zulfikar's Rendezvous with the Past (Maww'ed Maa El Maady) alongside Mariam Fakhr Eddine was a romantic classic. Another romance was A Storm of Love (A'sefa Min Al Hubb) (1961) co-starred by Nahed Sherif in her first ever leading role. He starred alongside leading veteran actor Zaki Rostom in Me and my Daughters (Ana wa Banaty) (1961). He played the role of Mahmoud in Wife Killing Society (Gama'eyat Qatl Al-Zawgat) (1962) a comedy alongside Zahrat El-Ola earning good numbers in the box office. Then his 1963 wonderful role in Saladin (El Nasser Saladin) of Youssef Shahine, starring as Issa El Awam. The following year, he played Doctor Hamooda in Mahmoud Zulfikar's Soft hands (El Aydy el Naema) in 1964. The film was a participant in 14th Berlin International Film Festival in 1964.[20] In the same year he played a role of an Egyptian police officer in the Italian film; Secret of the Sphinx (La sfinge sorride prima di morire - Stop Londra) of Duccio Tessari. The romantic drama; Dearer than my Life (Aghla Min Hayati) of Mahmoud Zulfikar was a huge success and earned him state award for best actor in 1965. The three Fatin Abdel Wahab's romantic comedies; My Wife, the Director General (Mirati Moudir Aam) in 1966. Then My Wife's Dignity (Karamet Zawgati) (1967), earning him state's award for best actor for his role in the film. And My Wife’s Goblin (Afreet Mirati) (1968) alongside actress Shadia, were financial and critical successes.[21]

In 1968, Zulfikar starred in Kamal El Sheikh's The Man Who Lost His Shadow (El Ragol El-lazi fakad Zilloh), the film earned critical recognition. He starred in the comedy and a box office hit; Good Morning, My Dear Wife (Sabah El Kher ya Zawgaty El Azeeza) (1969). This encouraged Zulfikar to give an opportunities to a new generation of actresses co-starring in his next films, like Nelly, Mervat Amin and Naglaa Fathy.

1970s[]

In the 1970s, Zulfikar earned critical recognition from Cairo critics for his role in the political thriller, Sunset and Sunrise (Ghroob wa Shrooq) of Kamal El Sheikh in 1970. His next role was in My Husband's Wife, co-starred by Nelly and Naglaa Fathi. In The next year he starred in the crime thriller; The Killers (El Qatala) of Ashraf Fahmy making good numbers in box office in 1971. He starred with Faten Hamama in a Henry Barakat's short film named The Witch (Sahera) in 1971 as-well.

In Lebanon, Zulfikar met Sabah again in Paris and Love (Paris wal Hob) in 1972 and the film was a box office hit in Lebanon. He starred in Mahmoud Zulfikar's Featureless Men (Regal bila Malameh) alongside actress Nadia Lutfi, and it made good numbers in the box office. He met with Soad Hosny for the fourth time in One day, the Nile (Al Nass Wal Nil) of Youssef Chahine in 1972. Zulfikar achieved box office success in his psychological drama; The Other Man (Al Ragol Al Akhar) (1973) in which he also produced. He co-starred in the Mexican short film Nefertiti and Akhenaton (Spanish: Nefertiti y Aquentos) (1973) of Raul Araiza with Geraldine Chaplin. He played the role of his fellow Egyptian King Horemheb. In 1974 Zulfikar starred in four films, he played a character of a man suffering from insomnia in 2-1-0 (Etnein Wahed Sefr) (1974). His next role was Dr. Nabil, the psychiatrist treating a bunch of young men with serious issues by taking them on a summer trip to start treatment in In Summer We Must Love (Fel Saef Lazem Neheb) (1974), a comedy co-starred by Nour El-Sherif, Samir Ghanem, Magda El Khatib, Abdel Moneim Madbouly and Lebleba. In the same year, he starred in Dunya a drama co-starring Nelly and Saeed Saleh.

A villain role, was Hafez in The Guilty (Al Mothneboon), released in 1976. Zulfikar played the character of a police detective investigating a homicide in the crime thriller Desire and Price (Al Raghba Wal Thaman) (1978) a crime thriller co-starring Shoukry Sarhan and Nahed Sherief and in the same year, he starred in Traveller Without A Road (Mosafer bila Tareeq) of Ali Abdel Khalek. Zulfikar played a role of an Angel Sarout who comes to Earth to try to save his fellow Angel in Sin of An Angel (Khati'at Malak) (1979).

1980s[]

Zulfikar's films and TV series continued to be successful during the eighties. He starred in the 1981 film; I'm Not Lying But I'm Beautifying (Ana La Aktheb Wlakenani Atajaml) playing the role of Rafik Hamdy, a famous writer and a father for the first time, a social drama co-starring Ahmed Zaki, Zahrat El-Ola and Athar El-Hakim. As well as Secret Visit (Zeyara Serreya) (1981), playing a judge, earning him state's award for best actor for his role in the film. In 1982, Zulfikar starred in the crime thriller; The Peacock (El Tawoos) of Kamal El Sheikh and it was a great critical and financial success, earning him state's award for best actor for his role in the film. Also his wonderful role in Youssef Chahine's adieu Bonaparte (Wadaan bounapart) in 1985 playing Cheikh Hassouna, earned crirical recognition of french critics. Zulfikar spent almost three years away from films from 1982 to 1985 before starring in Naguib Mahfouz novel's adaptation; Please and Your Kindness (Min Fadlak Wa Ihsanak) in 1986 a drama co-starring Huda Sultan.

In 1988, Zulfikar starred in six films including, Sorry for Bothering (Asef Lel Ezaag) written by Anis Mansour. A social drama co-starring Raghda. Zulfikar also starred in the 1988 drama; Monsieur le Directeur (Elosta El-Moudir) earning him critical success.[22]

1990s[]

Mr. Shalash's Family (A'elat El Ostath Chalash) TV series of 1990 was a success. In 1991, Zulfikar started in the crime thriller Wicked Game (Lu'bat Al Ashrar) of Henry Barakat, which was a box office success. He starred in the TV movies; Anything but my Daughter (Ela Ibnaty) (1992) written by Ihsan Abdel Quddus, and Minister in Plaster (Wazir fel Gebs) based on Fathy Ghanem's story in 1993. In the same year 1993, he acted in Road to Eilat, Nader Galal's The Terrorist and Ashraf Fahmy's Five-Star Thieves. These were Zulfikar's final cinematic roles. He appeared in a special appearance as the Commander of the Navy in the war drama Road to Eilat (El Tareek ela Eilat). He played the role of Dr. Abdelmoneim the head of the family which the terrorist decided to hide in his house in The Terrorist (El Irhabi). Zulfikar starred in Five-Star Thieves (Losoos Khamas Nogoom) as Galal Suleiman, an honest bank director dealing with a huge fraud. All three films were released posthumously in 1994.

Film production career[]

Salah Zulfikar established a film production corporation in 1958 in partnership with his brother Ezz El-Dine Zulficar and took over the administrative side, which prompted him to leave his work in the Solidarity Organization for the Peoples of Afro-Asian Countries, and produced in that year their first film; Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's Among the Ruins (Bain Al Atlal) (1959) which was listed in the Top 100 Egyptian films.[23]

Zulfikar co-produced and starred in The Second Man (Al Ragol Al Thani) (1959) of Ezz El-Dine Zulficar alongside Rushdy Abaza, Samia Gamal and Sabah, then in the next year, they produced Angel and Devil (Malak W Sheitan) starring Rushdy Abaza and directed by Kamal El Sheikh and The Holy Bond (Al Rabat Al Moqaddas) (1960) starring Salah Zulfikar, Sabah and Emad Hamdy, and directed by Mahmoud Zulfikar.[24] The following year, Zulfikar established his own corporation and in 1962 he produced 3 films. The first film was Niazi Mostafa's I am the fugitive (Ana El Hareb) (1962) starring Farid Shawqi, A Letter from an Unknown Woman (Resala min Imraa Maghoola) (1962) of Salah Abu Seif and starring Lobna Abdel Aziz and Farid Al-Atrash and Tewfik Saleh's Struggle of the Heroes (1962) (Sir'a Al-Abtal), and it was listed in the Top 100 Egyptian films in the history of Egyptian cinema. In the same year, he produced and starred in Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's Appointment at the Tower (Maww'ed Fil-Borg) (1962) , all of which achieved box office success.[25]

Salah Zulfikar

Salah Zulfikar has always been a womens rights defender in his films and has produced more than one film, doing justice for Egyptian women, for example; My Wife, the Director General (Mirati Modeer Aam) (1966) of Fatin Abdel Wahab which did justice to the main female character and allowed her to be a director over men, and it became listed in the Top 100 films in the centenary of Egyptian cinema.

In 1966, Salah Zulfikar produced Three Thieves or (3 Losoos), the film tells three stories of three thieves waiting for a ruling from the judge, he starred in a story among them, which was named The Gold thief (Sareq Al Dahab) alongside Hind Rostom. In 1969, Salah Zulfikar produced A Taste of Fear (Shey min El Khouf) starring Shadia and directed by Hussein Kamal, and it caused an uproar in Egypt at the time. The film was banned and President Gamal Abdel Nasser watched the film twice and allowed it to be released in theatres, it achieved huge success and it was listed in the Top 100 films in the centenary of Egyptian cinema.

Zulfikar produced A Journey of Suffering (Rihlat Azab) (1972) and was mostly released in theaters of Syria and Lebanon. The following year he was the executive producer of the short film The Death Song (Oghneyat El Moot) starring Faten Hamama and directed by Henry Barakat which discussed the issue of revenge in Upper Egypt, and in the same year he produced and starred in The Other Man (Al Ragol Al Akhar) (1973) which made great numbers in the box office.

Salah Zulfikar produced I Want A Solution (Oreed hallan) (1975) starring Faten Hamama and co-starring Rushdy Abaza. The film was arguing about women rights in divorce. The film achieved box office and critical success and contributed in changing the personal status law in Egypt at the time in favor of women. Zulfikar won the State award for production, and this film was also listed in the Top 100 films in the centenary of Egyptian cinema.

Death[]

Salah Zulfikar died of a sudden heart attack on Wednesday, 22 December 1993, at the Police Hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

Honours[]

Selected awards[]

Salah Zulfikar shaking hands with President Anwar Sadat in Cairo, 1976
  • State Award for Best Actor for his role in Soft Hands (Al Aydy Al Naema) in 1964.
  • State Award for Best Actor for his role in Dearer than my life (Aghla Min Hatati) in 1965.
  • State Award for Best Producer for My Wife, the Director General (Mirati Moudir Aam) in 1966.
  • Best Film Award from the Catholic Center Film Festival for My Wife, the Director General (Mirati Moudir Aam) in 1966.
  • State Award for Best Actor for his role in My Wife’s Dignity (Karamet Zawgati) in 1967.
  • State Award for Best Producer Award for I Want a Solution (Oridu Hallan) in 1975.
  • Certificate of Appreciation from President Anwar El-Sadat on Art Day in 1979.
  • State Award for Best Actor for his role in Secret Visit (Zeyara Serreya) in 1981.
  • State Award for Best Actor for his role in The Peacock (El Tawoos) in 1982.
  • Special Jury Award from Cairo International Film Festival in 1991.
  • Honorary Award for his entire work from the National Egyptian Film Festival in 1994.

Personal life[]

Zulfikar married four times. He married his first wife, Mrs. Nafisa Bahgat daughter of Mahmoud Bey Bahgat in 1947, a socialite, and she bore him his sons Ahmed Zulfikar and Mona Zulfikar, and she remained his wife until her death in 1988. His son Ahmed graduated as a mechanical engineer to become a businessman owning his own corporation and his daughter Mona graduated as a lawyer and became a prominent lawyer owning a law firm. Zulfikar had three grandchildren, Karim Zulfikar is a businessman, Salah Zulfikar is a corporate director and Ingy Badawy is a lawyer.

Besides boxing, Salah Zulfikar was a football fan and used to play football with fellow actors from time to time. He supported Zamalek S.C.[28][29]

Zulfikar's second marriage was to actress Zahrat El-Ola in 1957, but they were divorced two years later. The love story that brought him together with the singer and actress Shadia was the most famous of all, and they married in 1964 while filming Dearer than my Life (Aghla Min Hayati). Together, Zulfikar and Shadia formed an artistic duo through which they presented many successful films in Egyptian Cinema. Zulfikar produced more than one film starring Shadia like My Wife, the Director General and A Taste of Fear (Shae Men El Khof) in 1969. Their marriage ended in divorce after seven years.[30] Then he married his last wife, Bahiga, and their marriage continued until his death.

Filmography[]

Main article: Salah Zulfikar filmography

Prolific in Egyptian film industry for 37 years. Salah Zulfikar was a film and stage actor and producer. He produced 14 films & appeared in more than 100 films from 1956 to 1993.

References[]

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  2. ^ "Top 100 Egyptian Films (CIFF)". IMDb. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  3. ^ Kijamii. "11 Golden Age Egyptian Actors We Still Have A Crush On Today | NileFM | EGYPT'S#1 FOR HIT MUSIC". nilefm.com. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Salah Zulfikar". IMDb. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Remembering Salah Zulficar - Film - Arts & Culture". Ahram Online. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Memory of the day: Birth anniversary of Salah Zulfikar". EgyptToday. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Salah Zo El Faqqar – Actor Filmography، photos، Video". elCinema.com. Retrieved 10 July 2021. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  8. ^ Leaman, Oliver (16 December 2003). Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-66251-7.
  9. ^ Berrah, Mouny (1987). Les Cinémas arabes (in French). Cerf, Institut du Monde Arabe.
  10. ^ "Salah Zulfikar - Dhliz - Leading Egyptian movie and artist database". dhliz.com. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  11. ^ Musa, Developed By Heba (الإثنين، 25 يناير 2021 - 03:13 ص). "فنانون برتبة ضباط.. صلاح ذو الفقار شهد مذبحة الإسماعيلية وجسد دور الشرطي بأشهر أفلامه". بوابة اخبار اليوم. Retrieved 2021-08-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "صلاح.. نصير المرأة والوطن". الأهرام اليومي (in Arabic). Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. ^ صلاح, زهار، محمد (2000). عبد الناصر-- وزيرا للداخلية (in Arabic). محمد صلاح الزهار،.
  14. ^ Uktūbar (in Arabic). Muåssasat Uktūbar al-Ṣaḥafīyah. 2001.
  15. ^ "الرجل الثاني«.. رائد أفلام الإثارة". almalnews. 7/2/2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ خاطر, محمد (20 January 2021). "طارق الشناوي: صلاح ذو الفقار مبهج وبصمة سينمائية خاصة". الوطن (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities - Kingdom of Bahrain | Past Events". culture.gov.bh. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Ahram Online - Remembering Faten Hamama: More than Egypt's 'Lady of the Silver Screen'". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  19. ^ الرزاق, زينب عبد; الشروق, دار (8 March 2016). فاتن حمامة (in Arabic). دار الشروق. ISBN 978-977-09-3359-6.
  20. ^ "8 Egyptian Actors from the 60s Who Stole Our Hearts". Scoop Empire. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  21. ^ Aal, Ghada Abdel; Eltahawy, Nora (15 October 2010). I Want to Get Married!: One Wannabe Bride's Misadventures with Handsome Houdinis, Technicolor Grooms, Morality Police, and Other Mr. Not Quite Rights. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-72397-9.
  22. ^ "10 times Salah Zulfakar pioneered best scenes in Egyptian cinema". EgyptToday. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  23. ^ "25 عامًا على رحيله صلاح ذو الفقار.. لماذا تخلى عن رتبته العسكرية في فيلم عيون سهرانة؟". دار الهلال (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  24. ^ "صلاح ذو الفقار .. الممثل والملاكم وضابط مذبحة الشرطة". مصراوي.كوم. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  25. ^ "94 عاما على ميلاد صلاح ذو الفقار.. كان يتمنى إنتاج عمل وطنى يظهر بطولات مصر". اليوم السابع. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  26. ^ al-Funūn (in Arabic). al-Ittiḥād. 1981.
  27. ^ الموسوعة القومية للشخصيات المصرية البارزة (in Arabic). جمهورية مصر العربية، وزارة الاعلام، الهيئة العامة للاستلامات،. 1992.
  28. ^ admin (20 February 2020). ""Ahlawy and Zamalkawi" .. Learn about the fans of Al-Ahly and Zamalek from Najou". Eg24 News. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  29. ^ عثمان, كريم (18 January 2020). "الوجه الآخر لـ صلاح ذو الفقار.. زملكاوي ويعشق كرة القدم". الوطن (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  30. ^ "صلاح ذو الفقار.. ضحى بالطب والسلطة من أجل الفن و"الإرهابي" أنهى حياته". العين الإخبارية (in Arabic). 18 January 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
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