Biography

• Name: Adel Mohamed Emam (often spelled Adel Emam)
• Date of Birth: 17 May 1940
• Place of Birth: al-Mansoura, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt
• Nationality: Egyptian
• Profession: Stage, film, and television actor
• Years Active: From the early 1960s into the past two decades
• Moniker: al-Za'im (“The Leader”) — a nickname popularized by his landmark stage play of the same title

Early Life and Education

• Grew up in Cairo, in the al-Sayyida Zeinab district, after his family moved from Dakahlia.
• Earned a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Cairo University, where he began acting with the university theater.

Beginnings and Career

• Started with small roles on stage and television, then broke through via popular comedy theater before cementing his stardom in cinema.
• Known for blending comedy with sharp social and political critique, becoming one of the Arab world’s most reliable box-office draws for decades.
• Moved fluidly among theater, film, and TV drama, and frequently headlined works that echoed social and political shifts in Egypt and the region.

Selected Works

Theater

• Madrasat al-Mushaghibin (The School of Troublemakers)
• Shahid Ma Shafsh Haga (A Witness Who Didn’t See Anything)
• al-Wad Sayed al-Shaghal (Sayed the Servant)
• al-Za'im (The Leader)

Cinema

• al-Bahth 'an Fadiha (Searching for a Scandal)
• Ihna Beto' al-Atobis (We the Bus People)
• al-Mashbouh (The Suspect)
• al-Ghoul (The Ogre)
• Hanafi al-Obaha (Hanafi the Splendid)
• al-Irhab wal-Kabab (Terrorism and Kebab)
• al-Irhabiy (The Terrorist)
• Toyour al-Zalam (Birds of Darkness)
• al-Nawm fil-'Asal (Sleeping in Honey)
• Risala ila al-Wali (A Message to the Governor)
• Hello America
• 'Amir al-Zalam (The Prince of Darkness)
• al-Sifara fil-'Imara (The Embassy in the Building)
• The Yacoubian Building
• Morgan Ahmed Morgan
• Hassan wa Morcos (Hassan and Morcos)
• Bobbos
• Zahaymar (Alzheimer’s)

Television Drama

• Ahlam al-Fata al-Ta'er (Dreams of the Flying Boy)
• Dumou' fi 'Uyoun Waqiha (Tears in Brazen Eyes)
• Ferqat Nagi 'Atallah (Nagi 'Atallah’s Squad)
• Sahib al-Sa'ada (His Excellency)
• Ustadh wa Ra'is Qism (Professor and Head of Department)
• Ma'moun wa Shurakah (Ma'moun & Co.)
• 'Afarit 'Adli 'Allam (Adli 'Allam’s Ghosts)
• 'Awalem Khafiya (Hidden Worlds)
• Valentino

Awards and Honors

• UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador since 2000 (a public advocacy role with the United Nations Refugee Agency).
• Recipient of numerous lifetime-achievement honors from major Egyptian and Arab film festivals.

Personal Life

• Spouse: Hala al-Shalakany
• Children: Rami, Mohamed, Sara

Facts and Trivia

• Widely known as “al-Za'im” (“The Leader”), a title that stuck with audiences after his hit play.
• Built a vast, multi-generational fan base; many of his works are seen as a mirror of Egyptian life, delivered through razor-sharp comedy.
• His stage shows often ran for years, spawning memorable catchphrases (ifihaat) that entered everyday popular culture.