The versatile film actor Omar Sharif (born Michel Shalhoub) died today in Cairo of a heart attack. He started out with grade school theater, attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and achieved stardom in 1950s Egyptian cinema. Sharif's big international break came when he played Sherif Ali in Lawrence of Arabia. He wasn't pigeonholed, though, taking on roles ranging from Russian poet Dr. Zhivago to Jewish gambler Nicky Arnstein to a German officer. According to the BBC, Sharif mostly put movies aside in the 1990s to focus on his career as a professional bridge player.
