Today, Jun. 6 marks the 38th anniversary of the death of renowned Egyptian actor Mahmoud El-Meligy.
El-Meligy, who passed away on 6 June 1983, can’t be viewed as an actor who only succeeded in playing evil characters in Egyptian cinema.
The legendary actor was endowed with a special style of performing these kinds of roles that distinguished him from those who made such roles their specialty to the extent that he became the founder of an acting technique emulated by others.
In the same context, the remarkable actor still continues to be a role model for aspiring actors and still sets an example, when it comes to submitting oneself to the career. He has acted in 300 films in total starting from the year 1927.
El-Meligy, who was called “The Ghoul,” was born in the El-Migherbeleen district on 8 March 1928 to a father who was a government employee and a mother of Kurdish origin.
First, as the muse of director and filmmaker Youssef Chahine in several hit films and later for his iconic role in Al-Ard (The land), Meligy has sealed his place in the annals of Egyptian cinema history and the hearts and minds of millions of Egyptians and Arab audience.
He is well known for his seminal work such as the film ‘Lastu Mallak’ (I’m Not an Angel), The land ( 1969), Dock No 5 (1956), Abu-Hadeed (1958), and A Hero Until the End (1963), and Son of the Devil (1969).
El-Meligy’s memorable roles were always in the Egyptian low-class milieu where he used to portray strongmen such as in ‘Souq Elselah'(Weapons Markets), (The Monster (1954) and ‘Madine ElGagar‘ ( Rom’s City).
Eventually became famous as a villain in films, he was more well known as a pearl of wisdom in various TV series. El-Meligy‘s last film was ‘Alaa Karim’s Al-Garage’ (The Garage), in 1995, in which he starred along with the renowned Naglaa Fathi, the late actors Farouk Al-Fishawi, Tahiya Karioka, Sayed Zayan, and Alaa Walieddin.
El-Meligy is easily one of the most talented actors the Egyptian screen has seen. He has been the definition and benchmark of comedy for a long time now. His seminal works have made the world of Drama and cinema laugh, cry and feel for years and still continues to leave its charm.
Ultimately, late actor El-Meligy became an epitome of courage and steadfast attitude, through the daredevil acts he attempted in his films with utmost dedication.
