Renowned Hollywood actor of Lawrence of Arabia fame has died at the age of 83, reports the BBC.
Sharif was famous for his iconic roles in Hollywood classics such as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago.
Sharif, a Egyptian of Lebanese descent, was born Michel Demitri Chalhoub in 1932.
He won two Golden Globe awards and an Oscar nomination for his role as Sherif Ali in David Lean’s 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia. He won a further Golden Globe three years later for Doctor Zhivago.
Earlier this year, his agent confirmed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
His agent Steve Kenis said: “He suffered a heart attack this afternoon in a hospital in Cairo.”
As Omar Sharif, he began his career in 1953 appearing in several Egyptian films. His breakout international role came with David Lean’s 1962 classic Lawrence of Arabia, in which Sharif played the tribal leader Sharif Ali opposite Peter O’Toole as T E Lawrence. His performance earned him an Oscar nomination and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
In May this year, Sharif was revealed to be suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.
Photo courtesy: BBC