Anwar Wagdi

📌 Anwar Wagdi (1904–1955)

🎭 Egyptian Actor, Director, and Producer

📍 Birth:

🗓️ October 11, 1904 – 📍 Cairo, Egypt

🕊️ Death:

🗓️ May 14, 1955 (aged 50) – 📍 Stockholm, Sweden

⚕️ Cause of Death: Kidney disease

🏳️ Nationality:

🇪🇬 Egyptian

💍 Spouses:

Ilham Hussein (1940–1941)

Laila Mourad (1947–1954)

Laila Fawzi (1954–1955)

🎬 Career

Anwar Wagdi started his artistic career in theater, joining Ramses Theater Company, before transitioning to cinema. His first film was "Midnight Crime" (1930), and he gained immense popularity in the 1940s and 1950s.

📽️ Notable Films:

🎞️ With Laila Mourad:

Laila Bint Al-Fuqara (1945)

Qalbi Dalili (1947)

Anbar (1948)

Ghazal Al-Banat (1949)

Bint Al-Akabir (1953)

🎭 Other Major Films:

Raya and Sakina (1953)

Prince of Vengeance (1950)

The Monster (1954)

Four Girls and an Officer (1954)

🎤 As a Director & Producer

📽️ Founded "United Films for Production & Distribution" in 1945, producing several successful films.

📌 Key Productions & Directorial Works:

Launched the career of child prodigy Fayrouz in Egyptian cinema through films:

Yasmin (1950)

Fayrouz Hanem (1951)

Dahab (1953)

Produced films for major stars, such as:

Laylat Al-Henna (1951) – Starring Shadia

The Millionaire (1950) – Starring Ismail Yassin

🏆 Achievements & Legacy

✅ Featured in 6 films listed among the top 100 Egyptian films of all time

✅ The only actor to appear in films with Umm Kulthum, Asmahan, and Laila Mourad

✅ One of the most influential filmmakers in Egyptian cinema during the 1940s and 1950s

✅ Introduced a distinctive style in film production, musicals, and cinematic storytelling

❤️ Personal Life

🏠 Born into a modest Egyptian family in Al-Daher, Cairo. His father was a textile trader who moved to Syria before returning to Egypt after financial losses.

🎓 Attended Frères French School, where he learned French, but later dropped out due to financial difficulties and pursued a career in acting.

🎭 Struggled in his early career and even attempted to escape to Hollywood with friends to work in cinema but was caught in Port Said.

🚪 His father disowned him upon learning of his acting aspirations, but Anwar Wagdi persevered and became one of Egypt’s greatest cinematic icons.

🕊️ Illness & Death

In his final years, Anwar Wagdi suffered from kidney disease and traveled to Sweden for treatment, undergoing a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, he passed away there in 1955 at the age of 50.

🖤 His legacy continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and actors.

🏛️ Cinematic Legacy

🌟 Considered one of the pioneers of Egyptian cinema, with his films still celebrated today.

🎥 Played a crucial role in shaping Egyptian musical and theatrical cinema.

📽️ His works remain a reference for musical and theatrical productions from the golden age of Egyptian cinema.

📌 His body may have departed, but his art remains eternal! 🎬✨