Fuad Al Mohandes

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Fuad Al Mohandes فؤاد المهندس

Born	September 6, 1924 Cairo, Egypt
Died	September 16, 2006 Cairo, Egypt
Notable roles	Masoad in Ard El Nefak

Fuad Al Mohandes (or Foad AlMohandess) (Arabic:فؤاد المهندس) (September 6, 1924 - September 16, 2006)was one of the best-known Egyptian actors.

He was a pioneer in the Arab cinema. He was often credited with creating modern Egyptian comedy ^{[citation needed]}. Some of the biggest Egyptian comedy stars, for example Adel Imam, were his students. His movies are considered milestones in the Egyptian cinema, as they introduced comedy in a new form, and presented some of the most unique ideas in comedic history.

[edit] Biography

Fuad Al Mohandes was born on 6 September 1924, in Cairo, Egypt. He was a son of a linguist named Zaki Al Mohandes, the Dean of the Faculty of Dar Al Oloom and a member of the Arabic language Academy of Cairo. Foad AlMohandess was an amateur actor when he was young. Inspired by the plays of comedian Najib Al-Rihani during his study at the Faculty of Commerce, Al-Mohandess decided to pursue a career in drama. He joined a group named Sa'a li Qalbak (An hour to your heart) during its early run.

In 1954, he starred in his first motion picture, Bent El Giran (The Neighbours' Daughter), for Mahmud Thul-Fuqqar. However, he returned to acting as a minor character for about ten years afterwards.

Some of his supporting roles were in:

El Ard El Tayyeba (The Good Earth).
Bein El Atlaal (Among the Ruins).
Amirat El Arab (Princess of the Arabs).
El Sahera El Sagheera (The Little Witch).
Nahr El Hob (River of Love).
Almaz Wi Abdo El-Hamuli (Almaz and Abdu El-Hamuli).
El Shumoo' El Sawda (Black Candles).

His comic role in Aa'ilat Zizi (Zizi's Family), directed by Futin Abd Al Wahhab, was one of the most significant roles in his career. In addition, he and his then-wife, Shuikar, were a well-known acting couple, co-starring in many comedies such as:

Mutarada Gharamiya (An Amorous Pursuit).
Ard El Nifaq (Land of Hypocrisy).
Akhtar Ragul Fil Aalam (The Most Dangerous Man In The World).

He also appeared in more works with Adel Emam, such as the play Ana w Huwwa w Hiyya (Me, Him, and Her) in 1964, and with Sa'id Saleh in a film in 1970. However, he returned to supporting roles with Adel Emam in films like Khalli Balak Min Giranak (Watch Out for Your Neighbours).

The 1960s were Al-Muhandes' golden age. He made some successful plays such as El-Sekerteir El-Fanni (The Technical Secretary), Sayydati El-Gameela (the Arabic adaptation of My Fair Lady), and Hawwa' El-Sa'aa 12 (Eve of Midnight).

Later in his career, his interest shifted back to theater, working in plays like Innaha Haqqan Aa'ila Muhtarama (It is Truly a Respected Family). At the time, he also presented a radio show called Kilmitein Wi-Bas (Two Words Only), which was broadcast daily for years.

Fuad Al Mohandes died on 16 September 2006, 10 days after his 82nd birthday. He is survived by a brother and two sisters, one of whom is Safiyya al-Muhandes, a famous Egyptian broadcaster.