Zubaida Ahmed Tharwat (Egyptian Arabic: زبيدة أحمد ثروت; 15 June 1940 – 13 December 2016), was an Egyptian film, stage and television actress.[1] She started her acting career in 1956, and quickly rose to stardom in Egypt. After six years hiatus in the 1960s, she returned to acting in 1969, and retired in the 1980s. Tharwat was known as "the most beautiful eyes in classic Egyptian cinema".[2][3]
Zubaida Tharwat | |
|---|---|
زبيدة ثروت | |
 Tharwat in late-1950s | |
| Born | Zubaida Ahmed Tharwat 15 June 1940 |
| Died | 13 December 2016 (aged 76) |
| Other name | "the most beautiful eyes in classic Egyptian cinema" |
| Education | University of Alexandria |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1956–1985 |
| Spouses | Ihab El-Ghazawi (divorced)Sobhi Farhat (divorced)Mohamed Ismail (divorced)Omar Nagi (divorced) |
| Children | 4 |
Tharwat was born into a prominent Egyptian family in Alexandria. She won a beauty contest in an Egyptian teen magazine in 1955, which widely published her photograph and brought her attention of filmmakers in the Egyptian film industry. Tharwat made her film debut in Dalila (1956) and gained stardom from her roles in Hekayt 3 Banat (1957), El-Malak el-Sagheir (1957), and Bent 17 (1958).[4]
During the late 1950s, Tharwat established herself as a leading lady and one of the era's top stars with films like A'ashat lelhob (1959), Shams La Tagheeb (1959), Ehtrsi mn el-Hob (1959). In one year, she starred in Inni Attahem (1960), opposite Salah Zulfikar, Youm min Omri (1961), opposite Abdel Halim Hafez, followed by There is a Man in our House (1961), opposite Omar Sharif, and all films were commercially successful. After seven years hiatus from film, she returned by starring in How to Get Rid of Your Wife (1969). In the 1970s, she also had notable roles in; El-Hob El-Daea (1970), The Other Man (1973), and The Guilty (1975).[5]
Early life
editZubaida was born in Alexandria, Egypt on 15 June 1940, into an Egyptian family. Her father, Ahmed Tharwat, was an Egyptian Navy officer. As a teenager, she won a beauty contest in an Egyptian teen magazine which widely published her photograph and got her the attention of directors and producers.[6] She studied at the Faculty of Law, Alexandria University.[7]
Career
edit
After winning a beauty contest organized by El-Geel magazine in 1955, Tharwat made her film debut in Dalila (1956). She subsequently appeared in Women in My Life (1957), The Little Angel (1957), Girl 17 (1958), Inni Attahim (1960), There is a Man in our House (1961) and Youm Min Omry (1961).[8][9]
After an acting hiatus from 1962 to 1969, she appeared in the films Zawga Ghayoora Gedan (1969), How to Get Rid of Your Wife (1969), El-Hob El-Daea' (1970), Me, My Wife and the Secretary (1970) Hadset Sharaf (1971), and Shams w Dabab (1973).[10]
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In 1973, she appeared alongside box-office star Salah Zulfikar in Al-Rajul Al-Akhar (1973) and the film was a box-office success. She also starred alongside singer and actor Farid Al-Atrash in Zaman Ya Hub (1973).[11] She had a notable role in Al-Mothneboon (1975) among other works on stage such as; Shahrzad we 8 staat and 20 Farkha we deek, both in 1977.[12] In 1976, Tharwat starred in Lkaa' Honak, and her last film was Zahret el-Banafseg (1977). Tharwat starred in only one television miniseries; Wafaa' Belaa Nhaaya, aired for the first time in 1978.[13][14]
She starred in the play Ana we Heya we mrati (1978).[15] One of her last works in which she participated was a play; A Very Happy Family (1985) with Amin El-Hunaidi and El-Muntaser Billah, written and directed by El Sayed Badir. She also starred in her last play; Meen Ye'dar ala reem (1987) and decided to retire in the same year. During her career, she was given many nicknames such as "The Pussycat of Arabic Cinema", Magic Eyes and "The Queen of Romance".[16][17]
Personal life and death
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Tharwat had 3 siblings, including her twin sister Hikmet. She got married five times, her first marriage was in 1960 to an officer in the Egyptian Navy named Ihab El-Ghazawi, then the Syrian producer Sobhi Farhat, with whom she gave birth to her four daughters.[18]
Her third husband was Mohamed Ismail. Tharwat's last husband, the actor Omar Nagi, which was her last marriage.[19] She stated in her last interview that she did not know that Abdel Halim Hafez had proposed to her, he asked to marry just after her second marriage, and she recommended that she be buried next to him after she dies. After retiring from films, she made the decision to migrate to the United States, and lived there for a while, but eventually returned to Egypt and died at the age of 76 in Cairo after a long battle with cancer and aging-associated diseases.[20][21]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Dalila | ||
| 1956 | Hekayt 3 Banat | Shahira | |
| 1957 | El-Malak el-Sagheir | Doha | |
| 1957 | Nessa' fi Hayati | Sanaa' | |
| 1958 | Bent 17 | Safaa' | |
| 1959 | A'ashat lelhob | Zeinab | |
| 1959 | Shams La Tagheeb | Soha | |
| 1959 | Ehtrsi mn el-Hob | Laila | |
| 1960 | Inni attahem | Naemat | |
| 1961 | Yum mn omri | Nadya | |
| 1961 | Nesf Azraa' | Zeinab | |
| 1961 | Fi Baituna Ragol | Nawaaal | |
| 1962 | Salwa fi mahab el-reeh | Salwa | |
| 1969 | Zawga Ghayoora Gedan | Fatma | |
| 1969 | Kaifa ttakhalas mn zawgatak | Fatma | |
| 1970 | El-Hob El-Daea' | Samya | |
| 1970 | Ana we Zawgti we el-Sekrtera | ||
| 1971 | Hadest Sharaf | ||
| 1973 | Shams w Dabab | ||
| 1973 | Zaman Ya Hob | Abeer | |
| 1973 | Al-Rajul Al-Akhar | ||
| 1974 | Al-Ahdan Al-Dafe'a | Madiha | |
| 1975 | Habebe Magnon Gdn | ||
| 1975 | El-Mothneboon | Mona | |
| 1975 | La Shy' yohem | ||
| 1976 | El-Hob el-Haram | Aydaa | |
| 1976 | Lkaa' Honak | Laila | |
| 1977 | Zahret el-Banafseg | Hayaat |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Shahrzad we 8 staat | ||
| 1977 | 20 Farkha we deek | ||
| 1980 | 8 staat | ||
| 1985 | Aaa'ela Sa'eeda Gedaan | ||
| 1987 | Ana we Heya we mrati | ||
| 1987 | Meen Ye'dar ala reem |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Wafaa' Belaa Nhaaya |
References
edit- ↑ team, T. I. I. (13 December 2016). "Egyptian beauty actress Zubaida Tharwat dies at the age of 76". The Insight International. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ "Egyptian beauty actress Zubaida Tharwat dies at the age of 76". The Insight International. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ Tidhar, Lavie (29 August 2024). Six Lives. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-80454-349-8.
- ↑ Team, Scoop (6 October 2018). "How Zubaida Tharwat's Beauty Will Live on Forever". Scoop Empire. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ "Egyptian actress Zubaida Tharwat passes away". Ahram Online. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Lesser-known facts about Zubaida Tharwat". See. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ Egypt, Daily News (13 December 2016). "Zubaida Tharwat dies at the age of 76 - Dailynewsegypt". Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ "Remembering Egyptian Actress Zubaida Tharwat On Her Birthday | Sada Elbalad". see.news. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ Team, Scoop (6 October 2018). "How Zubaida Tharwat's Beauty Will Live on Forever". Scoop Empire. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "وفاة الفنانة المصرية زبيدة ثروت عن ٧٦ عاما". CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 14 December 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ "Remembering Zubaida Tharwat on Her 84th Birth Anniv. | Sada Elbalad". see.news. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ "Zubaida Tharwat". روتانا | Rotana. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Egyptian actress Zubaida Tharwat passes away - Screens - Arts & Culture". Ahram Online. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ "وفاة "صاحبة أجمل عيون" في السينما المصرية". dw.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ team, T. I. I. (13 December 2016). "Egyptian beauty actress Zubaida Tharwat dies at the age of 76". The Insight International. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ Ammar, Maya (1 January 2015). "8 Egyptian Actresses from the 60s Who Stole Our Hearts". Scoop Empire. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ Tidhar, Lavie (29 August 2024). Six Lives. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-80454-349-8.
- ↑ Egypt, Daily News (13 December 2016). "Zubaida Tharwat dies at the age of 76". Dailynewsegypt. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Egyptian actress Zubaida Tharwat passes away - Screens - Arts & Culture". Ahram Online. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Zubaida Tharwat dies at age 76". Enterprise. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ↑ "Sweet eyes". Al Mawed Magazine | مجلة الموعد. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
External links
edit
- Zubaida Tharwat at IMDb
- (in Arabic) Zubaida Tharwat at the Arab Cinema Database