Ismail Yasin

Ismail Yasin (also credited as Ismail Yasseen; Arabic: إسماعيل ياسين‎ IPA: [esmæˈʕiːl jæˈsiːn]) (September 15, 1915 − May 24, 1972) was an Egyptian comedian/actor. He is famous for a series of films with his name in the title. Ismail Yassin had a difficult childhood in Suez where he was born. His mother died at an early age and his father was jailed thus forcing him to leave school before completing his primary education. He worked as a parking valet to support himself.

He started his career as a monologue singer and headed for Cairo after Abo El Seoud El Ebiary, the comic screenwriter and his best friend and life partner had discovered him and had helped him to join Badi'a Masabny's troupe. His break into the movie industry came when Fouad El-Gazaery gave him his first role in the movie "Khalf El-Habayeb" in 1939. He later joined Ali El-Kassar's troupe and started to gain widespread recognition eventually becoming one of most popular stars in the Arab world. A record 15 movies used his name in their titles to capitalize on his fame, most of them were written by Abo El Seoud El Ebiary.

He was not particularly attractive but he had great control of his facial expressions and often made fun of his 'large mouth' in his films. His trademark gimmick was to act terrified bringing his wobbling knees together, stretching his shaking arms in front of him, stammering silently, and suddenly snapping out of his panic with a loud inhalation of air. In the 1960s his health began to deteriorate. He moved to Lebanon where he participated in a number of films, and later when he returned to Egypt he was heavily in debt. He died of a heart attack in 1972. His son, Yasin Ismail Yasin, is also famous Egyptian film director.

Filmography

The following list is incomplete.

• Khalf El Habayeb, (Offspring of the Beloved) 1939.
• Ali Baba We El Arbeen Haramy (Alibaba and the Forty Thieves), 1942.
• Naduga, 1944.
• Al Bani Adam, (The Sons of Adam), 1945.
• Bolbol Effendi, (Mr. Nightingale), 1946.
• Al Sittat Afarit, (Women are Devils), 1947.
• Habib Al Omr, (Love of My Life), 1947.
• Khulud, (Immortality), 1948.
• El Nasseh, (The Smart One), 1949.
• Gawaher, (Jewelry, or Gems), 1949.
• Ahebbak Inta, (I Love You), 1949.
• Egaza fel Gahannam, (Holiday in Hell), 1949.
• Afreeta Hanem, (Ghost Lady) 1949.
• Fatma, Mareeka, Rachel, (Three feminine names: a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew) 1949.
• El Millionaire (The Millionaire), 1950.
• Hamati Konbella Zeria (My Mother-in-Law is a Nuclear Bomb), 1951.
• El Hamawat El Fatenat (Charming Mother-in-Laws), 1953.
• El Setat Ma Yearafoush Yekdebo (Women Don't Know How to Lie), 1954.
• Afreetet Ismail Yassin (Ismail Yassin's Female Ghost), 1954.
• Ismail Yassin Fee El Gueish (Ismail Yassin In The Army), 1955.
• Ismail Yassin Fee El Police (Ismail Yassin In The Police), 1955.
• Ismail Yassin Fee Mathaf El Shameh (Ismail Yassin in the Wax Museum), 1955.
• Ismail Yassin Fee El Ostool (Ismail Yassin in the Navy), 1957.
• Ibn Hameedo (The Son of Hameedo), 1957.
• Ismail Yassin Fee Mostashfa El Maganeen (Ismail Yassin in the Mental Hospital), 1957.
• Hamati Malak (My Mother-in-Law is an Angel), 1959.
• Ismail Yassin Fee El Tayaran (Ismail Yassin In The Airforce), 1959.
• El Ataba El Khadra (The Green Step: a famous square in Cairo), 1959.
• Ismail Yassin Police Serri (Ismail Yassin Secret Police), 1959.
• Ismail Yassin Fee El Segn (Ismail Yassin In Prison), 1960.
• Halak El Sayedat (Ladies Hairdresser), 1960.
• El Fanous El Sehry (Magic Lantern), 1960.
• El Fursan A'thalatha (The Three Musketeers), 1962.
• El Maganeen Fee Naeem (Lunatics in Heaven), 1963.
• El Raghba We El Dayah (Loss & Desire), 1972.
• Dahab - dahab (ذهب) literally meaning "gold", but in the film it refers to a girl's name.
• Arees Meraty (My Wife's Groom)

See also

• Egyptian films of the 1960s
• Lists of Egyptians

External links

• Ismail Yasseen at the Internet Movie Database
• Ismail Yasin at ElCinema.com (Arabic)