Biography

• Bishara Wakim was a prominent Egyptian actor and a pioneer of comedy in cinema and theatre during the 1930s and 1940s.
• He became famous for his impeccable command of the Levantine (al-Shami) dialect, often portraying “al-Shawam”—Levantine characters such as neighborhood merchants—so convincingly that many assumed he wasn’t Egyptian.
• He stood out for his effortless wit and his ability to create unforgettable supporting characters in social comedies.
• Date of birth: 5 March 1890
• Place of birth: Cairo, Egypt
• Date of death: 30 November 1949
• Place of death: Cairo, Egypt

Education and Early Years

• He began as an amateur on Cairo’s theatre stages, then became a professional stage actor before moving into film in the early 1930s.

Career

• With the growth of Egypt’s film industry, he transitioned from theatre to cinema and appeared in a large number of social comedies.
• He became known for roles such as the Shami merchant, nightclub owner, and opportunistic civil servant—played with sly humor and a distinct voice and cadence.
• He was one of the most recognizable faces among supporting actors and was highly prolific throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Key Works

• Anbar
• Layla bint al-Rif [Layla of the Countryside]
• Sikkat al-Salama [The Safe Road]
• Layla bint al-Madaris [Layla, the Schoolgirl]
• al-Fursan al-Thalatha [The Three Musketeers]
• Gharam wa Intiqam [Love and Revenge]
• Rasasa fi al-Qalb [A Bullet in the Heart]
• Qalbi Dalili [My Heart Is My Guide]

Facts and Anecdotes

• His mastery of the al-Shami dialect became his on‑screen signature, which he used to create precise, understated comedic contrasts.
• Rumors spread that he was of Levantine origin because of his fluency in the Lebanese accent.

Note: In Egyptian cinema, “social comedies” are films that mix humor with everyday life, social norms, and class dynamics, often using character types—like the Shami merchant—to generate cultural and linguistic humor.