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Sharif was born Michael Shalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt in 1932, to Lebanese parents. He spent several years as a child in Zahle, and in Imprisoned Splendour recalls those happy years. Already a star in the Middle East from his many Egyptian films, Sharif was launched to international celebrity status after his role in Lawrence of Arabia in 1962, which earned him an Academy Award nomination and starred opposite Julie Christie in the classic bittersweet Dr Zhivago (1965), a role that won him a Golden Globe award and remains one of his best-known films. Sharif is well-known these days as a world class bridge player and writes a column for London's Observer newspaper. |