CAIRO, 10 July 2006 — The celebrated Egyptian comedian Abdul Munim Madbouli, who was known as the weeping comedian, died of a heart-attack in Cairo yesterday at the age of 85.
“His pulse stopped twice in the past 24 hours,” the Middle East News Agency quoted Madbouli’s doctors as saying. In the last few years Madbouli has been in and out of hospital. At the end of June he was taken to hospital after suffering breathing difficulties and had slipped in and out of consciousness during his stay in the hospital.
Madbouli was noted for his roles as a comedian and also as a tragic hero in the last half century. His lengthy career as an actor and director has enriched Arab films, theater and television. His most famous films include “We are the Owner of Our Autobus” in which Madbouli played the role of a worker who was put in jail without any charge.
Born in Cairo on Dec. 28, 1921, Madbouli was educated at an industrial school and after graduating joined the George Abyad Theater Troupe and then later the Fatma Rushdie’s Theater Troupe. In 1943, Madbouli regularly appeared on Egyptian Radio in a program called An Hour for Your Heart.
Madbouli directed plays such as Earth in 1952 followed by Al-Rida Al-Sami, I Am Afraid to Marry, Wife No. 11 and a number of other films. The actor won fame throughout the Arab world as a theater artist in plays such as Magnet, People Below, Between the Two Castles and Al-Madaq Lane.
His famous TV movies include Galfdan Hanem and Art Secretary. His last film was the Two Lovers.