Today Marks Sayed Zayan's 83rd Birth Anniv.

Today, August 17 marks the 83rd birth anniversary of legendary Egyptian comedian actor Sayed Zayan.

Born in 1940, Zayan is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed and iconic actors ever, having risen to fame in the black-and-white era of Egyptian cinema history.

He became a comedy icon through his performance on screen, with a career spanning more than four decades.

The star left behind a 100 repertoire that includes films, television, and theatre dating back to the 1970s to the early 2000s.

Zayan made his acting debut starring alongside the late Fouad El-Mohandes in the 1975 play “Sayidaty el-Gamila” (My Fair Lady). His breakthrough came when he starred in the 1973 comedy play "Madrasat El-Moshaghebeen" (School of the Mischievous).

He also gained much praise for his role in the 1983 action comedy film "El-Motasawel", in which he stars alongside Adel Imam as Khalil the Idiot, a member of a street gang.

The acclaimed actor played major roles in famous plays such as “El-Askry el-Akhdar”, “El-Fahlawy”, “El-Parachute”, “El-Qashash”, “Kahyoun Rabah El-Million”, “Khod el-Floos Wegry”, and “Wahed Lamon Wel Tani Magnon”, among others.

The late actor was a great theater enthusiast along with legendary names such as Adel Imam, Samir Ghanem, and Saeed Saleh during the 80s and 90s.

During the summer season, the plays performed by Zayan were usually fully booked.

He presented Mohamed Henedy in the 1985 play "Abu Zeid" as he strongly believed in his talent. Zayan also presented the talented comedian Ahmed Adam to the theatrical scene until he managed to reach stardom.

Apart from acting, he also had a marvelous voice when singing folklore songs and when reciting the holy Quran as well. His father wanted him to become a Quran reciter, and Zayan managed to memorize most of the holy book when he was only a teenager.

In 2003, the late star suffered a stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and unable to walk or speak. After years of physiotherapy and treatment in KSA, in 2011 Zayan regained the ability to walk.

The actor died on April 13, 2016, aged 73.