Biography

• Name: Mahmoud Yassin
• Date of Birth: 19 February 1941
• Place of Birth: Port Said, Egypt
• Date of Death: 14 October 2020
• Place of Death: Cairo, Egypt
• Children: Rania, Amr
• Profession: Film, stage, and television actor

Early Life and Education

• Grew up in Port Said and later moved to Cairo to continue his studies.
• Earned a Licentiate in Law (an undergraduate law degree in Egypt) before turning to the performing arts through the theater.

Beginnings and Career

• Started on the stage of the National Theater (Egypt’s state-run flagship venue), where he gained his early experience and honed his craft.
• His star rose in cinema in the early 1970s, and he quickly became one of his generation’s leading figures—especially as the romantic leading man and in socially conscious dramas—while also making a strong mark in patriotic films (works centered on national themes and identity).
• Expanded into television from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, then, in the 2000s, delivered assured and dignified performances in father and patriarch roles.
• Known for a resonant voice, controlled emotional delivery, and a dignified presence, he was frequently cast as authoritative figures and men of responsibility.

Notable Works

• Key films:
• Al-Khayt al-Rafee' (The Thin Thread) (1971)
• Anf wa Thalath 'Uyoun (A Nose and Three Eyes) (1972)
• Al-Rasasa La Tazal fi Jaybi (The Bullet Is Still in My Pocket) (1974)
• 'Ala Man Nutliq al-Rasas (On Whom Should We Fire?) (1975)
• Afwah wa Aranib (Mouths and Rabbits) (1977)
• Al-Sittat (The Women)

• Al-Gezira (The Island)

• Major TV series:

• Souq al-'Asr (2001)
• Al-'Isyan (2002)

Notes on terms: - “Romantic leading man” in Arabic cinema is often referred to as “fata al-awwal,” meaning the principal male protagonist, typically in love stories. - “Patriotic films” here refers to works focused on national identity, public morale, and pivotal historical moments.

Awards and Honors

• Received more than 50 awards across festivals in Egypt and internationally.

Personal Life

• Married to actress Shahira; they have two children, Rania and Amr.

Illness and Passing

• Faced declining health in his later years related to memory issues, and passed away on 14 October 2020 at the age of 79.

Impact and Legacy

• Considered one of the iconic faces of Egyptian cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, and among the most enduring stars on screen.
• Left a substantial body of work in film, theater, and television that influenced subsequent generations of actors and audiences alike.