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Samia Gamal
by Yasmin
Born Zainab Ibrahim Mahfuz in Wana, Egypt. Her family soon moved to Cairo to be near Khan Khalili. At a young age she met Badia Masabni and was brought into the cabaret as one of the corps dancers for the troupe. It was Badia that gave the girl her stage name of Samia Gamal. Samia was the first dancer to perform with high heeled shoes on the stage. In her early 20s, Samia fell in love with Farid al-Atrash, 7 years her senior. Her first cinema appearance, in Intishar al-Shabab (1941) at the age of 19, was the movie Farid made with his sister Asmahan that turned him in to a household name. Some say Samia and Farid were together 11 years before King Farouk put an end to it. Other sources say a lesser amount of time, 6 years. What is certain is that Farid risked everything to produce a movie for her, Habib al-Omr, released in 1947. The ensuing financial windfall and notoriety made them both stars of Egyptian cinema. Samia made a total of 5 films with Farid:
Habib al-Omr 1947
Afreeta Hanim 1947
Ahebbak Enta 1949
Akher Kedba 1950
Ta3ala Salim 1951
When King Farouk broke the couple up in 1951, Farid seduced the king’s wife. This was shortly before the Egyptian Revolution in 1952. Farouk was not pleased but soon found himself exiled from the country. When Farouk’s wife divorced him and returned to Egypt, a stormy love affair broke out between her and Farid. The singer and the tabloids were delighted. As for Samia, she married a rich Texan in 1952 and moved to the US.
This marriage did not last and Samia moved back to Egypt after about 5 years. She married one last time, to Rushdy Abaza, which also ended in divorce after 10 years, in 1977.
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From the International Movie Data Base - www.imdb.com
Spouse
Rushdy Abaza (1958 - 1977) (divorced)
Shepard King (1952 - ?) (divorced)
Trivia
Measurements: 35-25-35 1/2 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Her mother died when she was only eight years old.
Date of birth: 22 February 1922 - Bani Swaif, Egypt
Date of death: 1 December 1994 - Cairo, Egypt. (cancer)
Actress - filmography
1. Tarik al shaitan (1963)
... aka Way of the Devil, The (1963) (International: English title)
2. Waada el hub (1961)
... aka And Love Returned (1961) (International: English title)
3. Nagham el hazine, El (1960)
... aka Sad Melody (1960) (International: English title)
4. Rajul el thani, El (1960)
... aka Second Man, The (1960) (International: English title)
5. Kull daqqa fi qalbi (1959) .... Suhayr
... aka Every Beat of My Heart (1959) (USA)
6. Maweed maa maghoul (1959)
... aka Rendezvous with a Stranger (1959)
7. Amanti del deserto, Gli (1956)
...
... aka Desert Warrior (1961) (USA)
8. Masque de Toutankhamon, Le (1955)
... aka Trésor des pharaons, Le (1955) (France)
9. Sigarah wa kas (1955)
... aka Cigarette and a Glass, A (1955) (International: English title)
10. Nachala hanem (1954)
... aka Lady Pickpocket, The (1954) (International: English title)
11. Raqsat al-wadah (1954) ... aka Farewell Dance, The (1954) (International: English title)
12. (1954) .... Morgiane
... aka Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves (1954/II) (USA)
13. Valley of the Kings (1954) .... Dancer
14. Ketar el lail (1953) .... Samia
... aka Night Train, The (1953) (International: English title)
15. Amir el antikam (1951)
... aka Count of Monte Cristo, The (1951) (International: English title)
16. Taa la salim (1951) .... Sukkara
... aka Come and Say Hello (1951) (International: English title)
17. Ahmar shafayef (1950)
... aka Lipstick (1950) (International: English title)
18. Akher kedba (1950) .... Samira
... aka Final Lie, The (1950) (International: English title)
19. Sakr, El (1950) .... Leila
... aka Falcon, The (1950) (International: English title)
20. Agaza fel gahannam (1949)
... aka Holidays in Hell (1949) (International: English title)
21. Sparviero del Nilo, Lo (1949)
22. Afrita hanem (1947) .... Kahramana/Semsema
... aka Genie Lady, The (1951) (USA)
23. Bani adam, al- (1945)
... aka Sons of Adam (1945) (International: English title)
24. Taxi hantur (1945)
... aka Hansom Carriage, A (1945) (International: English title)
25. Gawhara (1942)
Herself - filmography
1. Nuit des étoiles, La (1950) .... Herself
Signature Moves
Shoulders hunched up so that neck disappears
Energizer Bunny syndrome. Constant movement, no pauses, MTV
Arms – shoulder height or higher. Rarely drops them down
Hip movements – undulations: very rare to see sharp movements