Adel Imam | |
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Born |
Adel Mohamed Imam May 17, 1940 El Mansoura, Egypt |
Nationality | Egyptian |
Alma mater | Cairo University |
Occupation | Comic Actor |
Years active | 1962-present |
Adel Imam (sometimes credited as: Adel Emam), (Egyptian Arabic: عادل إمام), born May 17, 1940 in El Mansoura (المنصورة), is a popular Egyptian movie and stage actor. He is primarily a comedian, but he has starred in more serious works and, especially in his earlier films, has combined comedy with romance.
Emam earned a bachelor's degree in Agriculture from Cairo University. Since then he has appeared in over 100 movies and 10 plays. He is one of the most famous actors in Egypt, and has received critical and popular praise throughout his career. Emam's roles have displayed a wide range of humour including slapstick, farce, and even the occasional double entendre. His character archetype is an individual down on his luck who rises above powerful outside pressures.
In January 2000, the United Nations appointed Emam as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR. Since then, he has worked tirelessly for the cause of refugees.
He is an important figure in Egypt and the Arabic-speaking countries largely because of the political roles he took on in many of his films and plays. These roles, whether he intended it or not, often put him in a critical position vis-à-vis the president or the government. He has been cast several times by the producer Emad Adeeb in movies like Morgan Ahmed Morgan and Hassan and Marcus.