Renowned Egyptian actor Mahmoud Yassin passed away on Wednesday after a long struggle with illness. He was 79.
His son, Amr, announced the sad news via his Facebook account, saying, “Due to family considerations and circumstances, the funeral and burial ceremony will be held tomorrow, Thursday, after the noon prayer.”
Born in Port Said in June 1941, Yassin was, on the surface, an unlikely candidate for an acting career, having graduated from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law in 1964.
The year prior to graduaion, however, he joined the National Theatre, where he was the narrator in a number of plays.
Rather than pursuing law, it was acting that won the day, with Yassin going on to enjoy an acting career that spanned over 55 years, starring in many films and plays, as well as radio and TV series in the 1970s and 1980s.
He gained a reputation as one of the most popular romantic film stars of the 1970s, starring in films such as Al Kheit Al Rafee (The Think Line), Hob wa Kibriya (Love and Pride), and Al Rosasa La Tazal Fi Gayby (The Bullet is Still in my Pocket).
His key works on television included The Whirlpool, Cairo and the People and Tomorrow the Flowers Will Blossom. He was also the recipient of multiple awards for excellence throughout his career.
Yassin is survived by his wife and former actress, Shahira, and children, including his daughter, the actress Rania Mahmoud Yassin.
