Samir Sabri
(b. 1944)
Alexandrian-born Samir Sabri studied at Victoria College and the Faculty of Arts, English Department, before going to Oxford University where he studied Shakespearean Drama.
As a child, he was inclined to cinema and art in general. When he was still studying at Victoria College, the great singer Abdel Halim Hafez introduced him to actress Lobna Abdel Aziz to take part in her radio programme. It was perhaps this experience with the radio, in addition to his fluency in a number of foreign languages, that encouraged Amal Fahmi, head of Middle East Radio at the time, to adopt him and give him the chance to present his famous programme The International Club (el Nâdî el Dawlî) on Egyptian Television.
Thanks to Abdel Halim Hafez again, Samir Sabri made it to cinema. He first appeared in Love Story (Hikayyet Houbb) while Abdel Halim was singing his famous song Bahlam bîk (I Dream of You), and it was in his last film Father up the Tree (Abî fawq el chagarah) that Samir Sabri played a small role. Later, director Hassan el Emam gave him some small roles, before he was launched into main roles in A Girl Among Girls (Bint min el banât) in 1968, My Story with Life (Hikâyatî ma’a el zamân) in 1973, Bamba Kashar (Bamba Kachar) in 1974, Have Pity on Your Parents (Wa bi-l-wâliJourn ihsânan) in 1976 and The Prayer of the Ill-treated (Do’â’ el madhloumîn) in 1977.
Samir Sabri produced about 16 films such as Hello Captain (Ahlân yâ kabtin) in 1978, Lips that do not Know Lying (Chifâh la ta’rif el kidhib) in 1980, Hell Under Water (Gahîm taht el mâ’) in 1989 and Hell 2 (Gahîm itnîn).
He is famous for his musical films and the songs and shows in his other films. He lately formed a group of 45 musicians and dancers who always appear in his successful programmes such as Hadha el Masâ" and Kân Dhamân. In his songs he combines colloquial Arabic words with words from other languages, something that recalls the cosmopolitan spirit of Alexandria's golden age. Indeed, Alexandrian born writer Ahmed Ragab refers to him as the "Ambassador of Alexandria".
Filmography:
1962: The Thief and the Dogs (el Liss wa el kilâb)
1963: Without Prior Appointment (Min gheir mî‘âd)
1963: The Rebel (el Moutamarridah)
1964: The Game of Love and Marriage (Lou'bat el houbb wa-l-zawâg)
1965: The Nun (el Râhibah)
1966: The Idiot (el 'Abît)
1966: Women's Enemy ('Adouww el mar'ah)
1966: Something in my Life (Chay' fî hayâtî)
1966: He and Women (Houwa wa-l-nisâ')
1967: The Most Dangerous Man in the World (Akhtar ragoul fî-l-'âlam)
1967: This Man is Driving Me Crazy (el Râguil dah hayganninnî)
1967: Crazy Youth (Chabâb magnoun guiddan)
1967: The Palace of Passion (Qasr el Chawq)
1967: Strike of Beggars (Idrâb el Chahâtîn)
1968: A Girl Among Girls (Bint min el banât)
1968: Lovers' Island (Gazîrat el 'ouchchâq)
1968: Chanabo in the Trap (Chanabo fî-l-misyadah)
1968: A Very Funny World ('Alam moudhik guiddan)
1969: Half an Hour of Marriage (Nouss sa'at zawâg)
1969: Pretty Aziza (al Hilwah 'Azîzah )
1969: Father up the Tree (Abî fawq el chagarah)
1970: We are not Angels (Lasnâ malâ'ikah)
1971: The Forbidden Love (el Houbb el mouharram)
1972: Love and Pride (Houbb wa kibriyâ')
1972: The Return of the Most Dangerous Man in the World ('Awdat akhtar ragoul fî-l-'âlam)
1973: My Story with Life (Hikâyatî ma'a el zamân)
1973: Searching for a Scandal (el Bahth 'an fadîhah)
1974: Bamba Kashar (Bamba Kachar)
1974: The Giants (el 'Amâliqah)
1974: In Summer We Must Fall in Love (Fî-l-sayf lâzim nihibb)
1974: My Beloved is Very Naughty (Habîbatî chaqiyyah guiddan)
1974: Warm Embrace (el Ahdân el dâfi'ah)
1975: A Question About Love (Sou'âl fî-l-houbb)
1975: Today's Youth (Choubbân hâdhihi el ayyâm)
1975: And the Train of Life has Passed (Wa madâ qitâr el 'oumr)
1976: A World of Children ('Alam 'iyâl'iyâl)
1976: A House Without Tenderness (Bayt bilâ hanân)
1976: Heart Beats (Daqqat qalb)
1976: No to You who were my Love (lâ yâ man kounta habîbî)
1976: Have Pity on Your Parents (Wa bi-l-wâlidayn ihsânan)
1976: Good Kids (el 'iyâl el tayyibîn)
1976: The Karawan has Lips (el Karawân louh chafâyif)
1977: Fair Sex (Guins nâ'im)
1977: Virgin but… ('Adhrâ' wa lakin)
1977: The Prayer of the Ill-treated (Do'â' el madhloumîn)
1978: Hello Captain (Ahlân yâ kabtin)
1978: Please God, an Apartment and a Bride (Chiqqah wa 'arousah yâ rabb)
1978: Better Without Marriage (Bidoun zawâg afdal)
1978: I Have the Wallet (el Mihfazah ma'âyâ)
1979: The Sultan of Singing (Soultânat el tarab)
1979: Paradise at her Legs (el Gannah tahta qadamayhâ)
1980: The Circle of Suspicion (Dâ'irat el chakk)
1980: Lips that do not Know Lying (Chifâh la ta'rif el kidhib)
1980: I will Write Your Name on Sand (Sa'ktob ismik 'alah el rimâl) Moracoo
1981: The One who Fooled the Devil (Illî dihik 'alâ el chayâtîn)
1982: Blood on the Pink Dress (Dimâ' 'alâ el thawb el wardî)
1983: A Prison without Robs (Sign bilâ qoudbân)
1984: The Defender of Poor People (Fetewwat el nâs el ghalâbah)
1984: Take Care of Khott (Ihtaris min el Khott)
1984: Forbidden for Students (Mamnou' li-l-talabah)
1985: Officials on Earth (el Mouwazzafoun fî-l-ard)
1985: The Age of Wolves ('Asr el dhi'ab)
1986: Berries and Clubs (el Tout wa-l-nabbout)
1986: A Woman in Prison (Imra'ah fî-l-sign)
1986: Embracing Fear (Ahdân el khawf)
1986: The Session is Closed (el Galsah sirriyyah)
1986: The Age of Wolves ('Asr el dhî'âb)
1986: House of the Poisoned Family (Manzil el 'â'ilah el masmoumah)
1987: The Accusation (el Ittihâm)
1987: The Cursed House (el Bayt el mal'oun)
1988: Our Congratulations (Nouchâtiroukoum el afrâh)
1989: A Very Naughty Family ('A'ilah mouchâghibah guiddan)
1989: Treason (Khiyânah)
1989: Hell Under Water (Gahîm taht el mâ')
1990: Hell 2 (Gahîm itnîn)
1990: A Woman Lost her Way (Imra'ah dallat el tarîq)
1990: The Prosecutor asks for Innocence (el Niyâbah tatloub el barâ'ah)
1991: A Very Naughty Girl (Bint mouchâghibah guiddan)
1991: The Chaser of Tyrants (Sâ'id el Gabâbirah)
1992: Mountain Boy (Ibn el gabal)
1992: Tears of her Excellency (Doumou' sahibat el galâlah)
1994: I Forgot that I am a Woman (Wa nasîtou annî imra'ah)
1995: In Summer Love is Crazy (Fî-l-sayf el houbb gounoun)
1996: Illicit Liaisons ('Ilaqât machbouhah)
1998: Delicious Killing (el Qatl el lazîz)
2001: Hell Underground (Gahîm taht el ard)
