Ahmed Mazhar

Biography

Ahmed Hafez Mazhar (1917–2002) was an Egyptian actor. He graduated from the military academy in 1938 and his colleagues included Gamal Abdel Nasser

Gamal Abdel Nasser

Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...

 and Anwar Sadat

Anwar Sadat

Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...

. Mazhar won many medals in international competitions in equestrianism

Equestrianism

Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...

, fencing

Fencing

Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...

, boxing

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 and shooting

Shooting

Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...

.

Career

His acting career started in 1951 when he was picked for a role in Zehour Al-Islam because of his riding skills and his proper pronunciation of classical Arabic. In 1957 he retired as commander of the special cavalry units and decided to explore his acting talents.

Mazhar's real breakthrough in the world of acting came after he succeeded in playing the role of an evil prince in the famous movie Roda Qalbi (return my heart) which was his third movie. Other roles soon followed, among which were:

• Al-Tarik Al-Masdood (the blocked road) in 1958
• Al-Ataba Al-Khadraa in 1959
• Doaa al-Karawan
  Doaa al-Karawan
  The Nightingale's Prayer is a classical 1959 Egyptian drama film directed by Henry Barakat and based on a novel by the prominent writer Taha Hussein. It stars Faten Hamama and Ahmed Mazhar....
  
   in 1959.
• Wa Islamah
  Oh Islam
  Oh Islam is a 1961 Egyptian drama film directed by Enrico Bomba and Andrew Marton. The film was selected as the Egyptian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 34th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee...
  
   in 1961
• Al-Dowa Al-Khafet in 1961
• Ghadan Youm Akhar in 1961

These were later followed by roles in:

• Ghosn El-Zaytoun, 1962
• Sera Al-Gababerah, 1962
• Al-Aidi El-Naemah
  Soft Hands
  Soft Hands is a 1964 Egyptian comedy film directed by Mahmoud Zulfikar. It was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Sabah* Salah Zulfikar* Ahmed Mazhar* Mariam Fakhr Eddine* Laila Taher* Wedad Hamdy...
  
  ', 1963
• Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din
  Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din (film)
  Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din الناصر صلاح الدين is a movie that was released in 1963, written by Youssef El Sebai, based on the novel by Naguib Mahfouz directed by Youssef Chahine, and starring Ahmed Mazhar as Saladin, Salah Zulfikar, Mohamed Abdel Gawad, Tewfik El Dekn, Omar El-Hariri, Mahmoud...
  
  , 1963
• Al-Motamaredah, 1963
• Al-Leila Al-Akherah
  Last Night (1964 film)
  Last Night is a 1964 Egyptian mystery film directed by Kamal El Sheikh. It was entered into the 1964 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Faten Hamama - Nadia and her sister Fawzya* Ahmed Mazhar - Dr. Ahmed* Mahmoud Moursy - Shoukry...
  
  , 1963
• Al-Nadarah Al-Sawdaa, 1963
• Al-enab Al-Mor
• Man Oheb
• Al-Kahira 30
• Al-Morahqa Al-Saghera
• Moaaskar El-Banat
• Nefous Ha'era
• Nadia
• Akazeeb Hawaa
• Lessous Wa Laken Zorafaa
• Embratoreyat Mem
• Al-Shaimaa
• Al-Shahat
• Al-Ekhwa Al-Aadaa, 1974
• "Chafika et Metwal
  Chafika et Metwal
  Chafika et Metwal Chafika et Metwal Chafika et Metwal ("Chafika et Metwal"," Shafika and Metwali "," Shafika wa Metwalli(y)" ("شفيقة و متولي") is a 1979 Egyptian drama/romance film starring Souad Hosni and Ahmed Zaki...
  
  ", 1979

He also starred in an American movie named "Cairo" with George Sanders and Faten Hamama and other Egyptian actors.

It was after 4 more years that Mazhar appeared in Chafika et Metwal

Chafika et Metwal

Chafika et Metwal Chafika et Metwal Chafika et Metwal ("Chafika et Metwal"," Shafika and Metwali "," Shafika wa Metwalli(y)" ("شفيقة و متولي") is a 1979 Egyptian drama/romance film starring Souad Hosni and Ahmed Zaki...

 alongside Suad Husni

Suad Husni

Soad Mohamed Hosny was an Egyptian actress born in the Bulaq district of Cairo. Hosny was known as the "Cinderella of Egyptian cinema" and one of the most influential actresses in the artistic arena. She ascended to stardom in the end of the 1950s, performing in more than 83 films between 1959 and...

. Other films like Al-Nemr Al-Aswad, Demoue Sahebat El-Galalah and Al-Gasousa Hekmat Fahmy soon followed.

Ahmed Mazhar died at the age of 85 in his country house in Giza, after making around 150 films.