Biography

• Name: Mohamed Reda
• Profession: Egyptian actor (primarily comedy)
• Date of Birth: December 20, 1921
• Date of Death: February 21, 1995 (Cairo, Egypt)
• Education: Earned a qualification in applied engineering (petroleum), then later graduated from the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts.
• Early Career: Worked for a period as a petroleum engineer before moving to the stage. He joined leading theater troupes and rose to prominence on Television Theater in the 1960s (stage plays produced specifically for TV).
• Artistic Traits: Became famous for the personas of the al-mu'allim (the neighborhood boss or seasoned tradesman) and the ibn al-balad (a streetwise, salt-of-the-earth local). He had a commanding physical presence and an effortless comedic touch, appearing in dozens of films, plays, and TV series—often in warm, popular roles beloved by audiences.
• Impact: Considered a cornerstone of classic Egyptian comedy, leaving a lasting mark in portraying popular, working-class characters on both screen and stage.
• Public Service: Fronted an intensive public-awareness campaign in the 1980s about bilharzia (schistosomiasis), a parasitic disease common around freshwater canals.

Selected Works

• Tha'aleb wa Araneb (Foxes and Rabbits)
• Al-Bey al-Bawab (The Doorman) — “Bey” is an old Ottoman title, used here with ironic humor.
• 'Abqari 'ala Warqat Damgha (A Genius on Stamped Paper) — “Stamped paper” refers to official fiscal paper used for legal documents.