CAIRO: Lawrence of Arabia star, Omar al-Sharif, passed away aged 83 this afternoon inside an old age home in Helwan, Former Antiquities Minister, Zahi Hawass told Youm7 Friday.
Sharif was best known for his roles in classic movies Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, his son, Tarek, told the Sunday Times earlier in May.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled Alzheimer’s disease as “ultimately fatal.”
Hawass, a close friend to Sharif and his family, said: “The actor (Sharif) rejected food and drink during the past ten days and doctors had to feed him through medical solutions.”
Sharif family would wait for the arrival of his son Tariq Sharif from abroad to complete the burial on Sunday, added Hawass.
Sharif’s last movie was Hassan and Morqos with the Egyptian actor Adel Imam. He acted in David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965) for which he got Golden Globe Award in 1966. He also acted in Funny Girl movie in 1968.