97 Facts About Salah Zulfikar

Salah Zulfikar started his career as a police officer, before becoming an actor in 1956.

Salah Zulfikar is regarded one of the most influential actors in the history of Egyptian film industry, who had notable roles in over a hundred feature films in multiple genres during his 37-year career, mostly as the leading actor.

Salah Zulfikar was one of Egypt's heroes in its battle against the occupation while serving in the police.

Salah Zulfikar was awarded the Medal of Military Duty from Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, in appreciation for his efforts in serving his country.

Salah Zulfikar established his first film production company with his elder brother Ezz El-Dine Zulficar in 1958.

Salah Zulfikar ran his new business under the trade name of Ezz El-Dine Zulficar Films.

Salah Zulfikar was one of the most dominant leading men in Egyptian cinema.

Salah Zulfikar is one of the most famous artistic figures in Egypt and the Arab world.

Salah El-Din Ahmed Mourad Zulfikar was born on January 18,1926, in El Mahalla El Kubra, Gharbia, to an aristocratic family of prominent position in Egypt.

Salah Zulfikar's father Ahmed Mourad Bey Zulfikar, was a senior police commissioner in the Ministry of Interior, and Nabila Hanem Zulfikar, was a housewife.

Salah Zulfikar's father had a remarkable impact on his sons in terms of commitment, loyalty, integrity and self-reliance.

Salah Zulfikar's eldest brother, Mohamed, was a doctor and a businessman, two elder sisters were Soad and Fekreya.

Salah Zulfikar's brother Ezz El-Dine was a remarkable filmmaker and graduated as a military officer, Kamal was a military officer.

Salah Zulfikar was one of Egypt's champions in boxing and won the King's Cup in featherweight in 1947.

Salah Zulfikar initially joined the Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, to please his father, who wished Zulfikar to become a doctor like his grandfather.

Salah Zulfikar was appointed to the Menoufia Security Directorate and the Prisons Authority, specifically Egypt Prison, and worked as a teacher at the Police Academy.

Salah Zulfikar graduated in 1947, he was assigned immediately in Monufia Governorate Police force.

In 1949, Salah Zulfikar started teaching and became a professor at the Police Academy.

Salah Zulfikar was in charge of the unit of fresh students.

Salah Zulfikar had a saying "the unit of fresh students is a manhood factory".

Salah Zulfikar was a skillful officer known for his professionalism and high moral standards.

Salah Zulfikar received a National Award of Honor for his bravery.

In 1956 Suez war, Salah Zulfikar took the initiative leading 19 of his students in the Police Academy and volunteered as commandos resisting the tripartite attack by the British, French and Israeli armies.

Salah Zulfikar received the Medal of Military Duty from President Gamal Abdel Nasser for risking his life for his country with bravery and honor.

In 1955, his brother, Ezz El-Dine, tried to convince Salah Zulfikar to start acting but he refused for he thought it is an impossible idea due to the nature of his job as a police officer.

Salah Zulfikar's second role was Hussein Abdel Wahed in Return My Heart, Zulfikar was a natural and his performance gained public passion.

Salah Zulfikar asked the minister for resignation but instead was promoted to lieutenant colonel and granted an early pension for his impressive record.

In 1959, Salah Zulfikar starred in six films including Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's The Second Man, and it earned him praise from Cairo critics.

Salah Zulfikar's following role was in Light of the Night alongside Mariam Fakhr Eddine.

Salah Zulfikar played the lead in Forbidden Women, a box-office hit alongside Huda Sultan.

Salah Zulfikar portrayed the role of Ahmed, a playboy, and the film was full of romantic scenes, showing Zulfikar's potential in romance film genre.

Salah Zulfikar starred in Niazi Mostafa's A Scrap of Bread making good numbers in the box-office despite press predictions before the film's release.

Salah Zulfikar was paired with Soad Hosny for the first time in Hassan El Imam's Money and Women, the film was a commercial success which later encouraged both movie stars to make more than a film together.

In 1961, Salah Zulfikar starred in six films, the romantic comedy; That's What Love Is alongside Sabah was a great box-office success.

Mahmoud Salah Zulfikar's Rendezvous with the Past alongside Mariam Fakhr Eddine was a romantic classic making good numbers in the box-office.

Salah Zulfikar played his first villain role of his career, starring in the commercial hit Me and my Daughters alongside leading veteran actor Zaki Rostom supported by Nahed Sherif and Fayza Ahmed, and the film was a success.

Salah Zulfikar shared the lead with Mariam Fakhr Eddine in horror film The Cursed Palace, a box-office hit.

Salah Zulfikar was paired with Soad Hosny for the second time in Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's A Date at the Tower, the film was a box-office hit.

Salah Zulfikar starred in A Husband on Vacation, a romantic comedy in which he played the character of Essam Nour Eddine who became bored from his marriage life.

On stage, Salah Zulfikar's debut was the 1964's A Bullet in the Heart alongside Laila Taher, it was based on Tawfiq al-Hakim's novel under the same name.

In 1967, Salah Zulfikar starred in the political play; Rubabikia alongside Taheyya Kariokka and Nabila Ebeid achieving critical and financial success.

In 1968, Salah Zulfikar shared the lead with Magda and Kamal el-Shennawi in Kamal El Sheikh's The Man Who Lost His Shadow, the film earned critical recognition.

Salah Zulfikar starred in My Husband's Wife, a box-office hit alongside leading actresses; Nelly and Naglaa Fathi.

Salah Zulfikar starred in Mahmoud Zulfikar's Featureless Men alongside actress Nadia Lutfi, the film was shot in 1970, released two years later and made good numbers in the box-office.

Salah Zulfikar partnered with Soad Hosny for the fourth time in Those People of the Nile directed by Youssef Chahine.

On stage, Salah Zulfikar played the role of a bachelor in the successful comedy; A Bachelor and Three Maidens.

In 1973, Salah Zulfikar played the lead in the Syrian romance Memory of a Night of Love alongside leading actresses Nelly, Nabila Ebeid, Muna Wassef, and Hala Shawkat, the film was successful in Syrian and Lebanese theaters.

Salah Zulfikar achieved box-office success in Egyptian theaters in his psychological drama The Other Man in which he was the executive producer.

Salah Zulfikar starred as Dr Nabil, the psychiatrist treating a bunch of young men with serious issues by taking them on a summer trip to start treatment in In Summer We Must Love, a comedy co-starring Nour El-Sherif, Samir Ghanem, Magda El-Khatib, Abdel Moneim Madbouly, Lebleba and Madiha Kamel.

In 1977, Salah Zulfikar starred the famous miniseries; The Return of the Spirit, aired in the holy month of Ramadan in 1977 on Egyptian and Arab television networks, based on Tawfiq al-Hakim's 1933 novel under the same name, the miniseries was popular in Egypt and the Arab world, it is considered one of Salah Zulfikar's most successful television works of his career.

Salah Zulfikar played the leading character of a police detective investigating a homicide in the crime thriller Al Raghba Wal Thaman alongside Shoukry Sarhan and Nahed Sherief.

In 1981, he starred in the dramatic television film; Secret Visit, in which Salah Zulfikar portrayed Judge Ismail, earning him the an award from the Ministry of Culture for best actor.

Salah Zulfikar shared the lead in; A Moment of Weakness, alongside Hussein Fahmy and Nelly.

Salah Zulfikar portrayed a complex character and his performance was glowingly reviewed by critics and the film performed moderately in the box-office.

Salah Zulfikar co-starred in four films and starred in two television films including, the popular socio-drama; Monsieur le Directeur with a supporting cast that includes Laila Taher, Mahmoud El-Gendy, Mustafa Metwalli, among others.

Salah Zulfikar shared the lead in Said Marzouk's Days of Terror, playing the character of a rich religious seller living in Al Hussein neighborhood, a crime thriller alongside Mervat Amin, Mahmoud Yassin and Zahret El-Ola.

Salah Zulfikar's career was revitalized by his cheerful, good-natured performance in The Family of Mr Shalash miniseries aired in Ramadan holy month in 1990, it was an Egyptian and pan-Arab success, the series which later became one of Egypt's television classics, is considered one of Salah Zulfikar's most successful television works of his career.

Salah Zulfikar starred in the TV movies; Ela Ibnaty written by Ihsan Abdel Quddus, and Wazir fel Gebs based on Fathy Ghanem's story in 1993.

Salah Zulfikar appeared in a special appearance as Admiral Fouad Mohamed Abou Zikry, the Commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Navy in the war drama Road to Eilat.

Salah Zulfikar played the role of Dr Abdelmoneim the head of the family which the terrorist decided to hide in his house in The Terrorist which he could not continue filming.

Salah Zulfikar played the lead in Five-Star Thieves as Galal Suleiman, an honest bank director dealing with a major fraud.

The Salah Zulfikar brothers produced their first film; Among the Ruins in which his portrayal of Ahmed earned praise from critics.

Salah Zulfikar Films produced three films in the first year of operations.

Four years later, Salah Zulfikar Films produced the 1966 film; My Wife, the Director General directed by Fatin Abdel Wahab.

Salah Zulfikar won the Egypt's best film producer award for 1966.

Salah Zulfikar starred in a "Sareq Al Dahab" alongside Hind Rostom.

In 1969, Salah Zulfikar Films produced A Taste of Fear starring Shadia and directed by Hussein Kamal, and it caused an uproar in Egypt at the time.

Salah Zulfikar worked as executive producer for The Other Man, in which he took the leading role.

Salah Zulfikar Films produced I Want a Solution starring Faten Hamama and co-starring Rushdy Abaza.

Salah Zulfikar died of a sudden heart attack on Wednesday, 22 December 1993, at the Police Hospital in Cairo.

Mahmoud Qassem wrote: "Salah Zulfikar explained the character running between lightness and movement through a very simple and attractive performance", a 1999 critical review on Zulfikar's role in The Second Man.

Salah Zulfikar presented the character of Issa Al-Awam in a gentle and light manner that is likable and patriotic at the same time.

Salah Zulfikar received numerous awards through his thirty seven-year career including his first State Award from the Ministry of Culture for Best Actor in leading role for his performance in Soft Hands in 1963.

Salah Zulfikar won the State Award for Best Actor in a leading role for his performance in Aghla Min Hayati in 1965.

Salah Zulfikar won the State Award for Best Actor in a leading role for his performance in My Wife's Dignity in 1967.

Salah Zulfikar won State Award for Best Producer of the year for I Want a Solution in 1975.

Salah Zulfikar received an honorary Certificate of Appreciation from President Anwar El-Sadat on Art Day in 1979.

Salah Zulfikar posthumously received the Honorary Award for his life's work from the National Egyptian Film Festival in 1994.

Salah Zulfikar's enduring status as an iconic Egyptian was formally recognized by Egypt's government in the form of two of the highest civilian decorations and one military decoration.

Salah Zulfikar was one of Egypt's heroes in its battle against the occupation while serving in the police.

Ahmed Salah Zulfikar spoke about his father in a 1994 press release:.

Salah Zulfikar was awarded the medal of military duty first class from Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in appreciation for his efforts in serving his country.

Salah Zulfikar was admired by fellow policemen of his generation and the generations followed for his bravery.

Salah Zulfikar was one of the most respected actors of his generation.

Salah Zulfikar was a bold and courageous man that feared no one.

Salah Zulfikar spoke on Egyptian youth in an Egyptian Television interview in 1985:.

Salah Zulfikar's rise to national attention in the 1960s had a profound effect on Egyptian culture.

Salah Zulfikar starred with each of Magda, Zubaida Tharwat and Hind Rostom in three productions, and he was paired twice with each of Faten Hamama and Naglaa Fathi.

Salah Zulfikar was one of the most consistent box-office performers in Egyptian cinema, remaining a bankable star for over two decades.

Salah Zulfikar has always been a women's rights defender and expressed his belief through his films and has produced more than one film, doing justice for Egyptian women.

In Cairo, there are two streets named in honor of Salah Zulfikar, including one in Abbassia, the neighborhood where he was born, and one in New Cairo.

In February 2022, Cairo Opera House invited Karim Zulfikar, a businessman, and the youngest grandson of Salah Zulfikar to be the speaker in a seminar titled "The Zulfikar brothers collaboration to cinematic history", attended by a large crowd celebrating their admiration to the legacy of the influential film star.

Salah Zulfikar married his first wife, the socialite Nafisa Bahgat, daughter of Mahmoud Bey Bahgat, in 1947.

Zulfikar had three grandchildren, Karim Zulfikar is a businessman, Salah Zulfikar is a corporate director and Ingy Badawy is a lawyer.

Besides boxing, Salah Zulfikar was a football fan and used to play football with fellow actors from time to time.

Salah Zulfikar was a film producer and film, stage, television, and radio actor.

Salah Zulfikar accomplished a history of a total of a two hundred and fifty credits throughout his career leaving an extensive legacy.