Biography: Fouad Zaki El-Mohandes

Name: Fouad Zaki El-Mohandes
Born: 6 September 1927
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Died: 16 September 2006 (Cairo, Egypt)
Occupation: Stage, film, and radio actor; comedian; radio host
Popular epithets: El-Ustaz (“The Professor,” a respectful honorific), El-Mohandes (“The Engineer”—also his family name)

Early Life and Education

Raised in a home that prized classical Arabic and literature; his father, Zaki El-Mohandes, was a prominent Arabic-language scholar.
Graduated from the Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University.
Began acting in university theater and turned his passion into a lifelong profession.

Launched his career in the 1950s through radio and theater; his voice and sly wit stood out in comedic radio segments.
Hosted the landmark radio program “Kelmteen w Bass” (“Just Two Words”), a light, sharp form of social critique that ran for many years and became a cultural touchstone.
Established himself as a star of refined, family-friendly comedy on stage and screen, relying on linguistic agility, situational humor, and the precise, short punchline (Egyptian colloquial: “effeh” — a memorable comic catchphrase).

Films (examples):
Akhtar Ragol fi al-'Alam (1967) — “The Most Dangerous Man in the World”
'Awdat Akhtar Ragol fi al-'Alam — “Return of the Most Dangerous Man in the World”
Shanbo fi al-Masayda (1968) — “Shanbo in the Trap”
Ard al-Nifaq (1968) — “Land of Hypocrisy”
Saffah al-Nisa (1970) — “Women’s Killer”
Major Stage Plays:
Ana wa Huwa wa Hiya — “Me, Him, and Her”
Hawa' al-Sa'a 12 — “Eve at Twelve O’Clock”
Sayyidati al-Gamila — “My Fair Lady” (Egyptian stage adaptation)
Sikk 'Ala Banatak — “Lock Up Your Daughters”
'Alashan Khatir 'Ayonak — “For Your Beautiful Eyes”
Innaha Haqqan 'A'ila Muhtarama — “It Really Is a Respectable Family”
Radio and Television:
Radio program: Kelmteen w Bass — “Just Two Words” (short-form social satire)
Fawazeer 'Amo Fouad — “Uncle Fouad’s Riddles,” a popular Ramadan variety-riddle show (Fawazeer are televised musical riddle shows traditionally aired during Ramadan)

Married twice; had two sons from his first marriage (Ahmed and Mohamed).
His sister, Safia El-Mohandes, was a pioneering figure in Egyptian radio.
Later married actress Shwikar (also spelled Shweikar); they divorced but maintained mutual respect and affection.

A master of elegant, “clean” comedy that blends crisp punchlines, clever situations, and precise language.
Left a lasting mark on Egyptian theater and radio; his work remains a cornerstone of popular comedic memory.

Meticulous about diction and delivery, shaped by an upbringing steeped in classical Arabic.
“Kelmteen w Bass” became a widely used phrase in Egypt for any short, pointed message of critique.
One of the comedians most closely associated with the stage, sustaining a commanding presence in live theater for decades.

Films (77)