Core Biography

• Name: Nazim Sha'rawi
• Profession: Egyptian stage and film actor
• Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
• Date of birth: 7 January 1921
• Date of death: 30 June 2010
• Best known for: Playing aristocratic and official roles—Bey, Pasha, judge, and director—with a mix of stern authority and refined, straight-faced comedy, and for a commanding presence on stage and screen.

Note on titles: - Bey and Pasha were Ottoman-era honorifics used in Egypt to signify rank and social status—roughly akin to “sir” or “lord.” Nazim often embodied such figures with elegance and humor, without diminishing their dignity.

Early Life and Training

• His name became closely associated with the theater from the outset. He is credited with a disciplined dramatic foundation that showed in his mastery of classical Arabic and his crisp, eloquent delivery.

Career

• Began on the stage, then transitioned to cinema, maintaining a long, active presence across both theater and film.
• Distinguished by a blend of gravitas and deadpan comedy, making him a go-to choice for charismatic, authoritative characters.
• Audiences knew him for his dry punchlines and precisely controlled comedic timing—never overplayed—alongside a strong presence in dialogue-heavy scenes.

Notable Works

• Stage:
• Ana wa Huwa wa Heya (Me, Him, and Her)
• Sayedati al-Gamila (My Fair Lady – Egyptian stage adaptation)

• Shahid Ma Shafsh Haga (The Witness Who Saw Nothing)

• Film:

• al-'Ataba al-Khadra (The Green Threshold)
• al-Wad Mahrous beta' al-Wazir (Mahrous, the Minister’s Boy)
• Toyour al-Zalam (Birds of Darkness)
• Ya 'Azizi Kulluna Lussous (My Dear, We’re All Thieves)

• Ta'er al-Layl al-Hazin (The Sad Night Bird)

• Television:

• Saken Qusadi (The Neighbor Across the Way)

Style and Impact

• Left a clear mark in weighty supporting roles, recognized as an actor who could lend formal, official characters a polished comedic tone without undermining their stature.
• Widely appreciated by audiences and critics for his discipline on stage and professional precision in performance.