Legendary Egyptian actor Omar Sharif dies aged 83

Famed actor Omar Sharif has died at the age of 83 from a heart attack. He was best known for the films Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. Earlier this year, the Egypt-born actor had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Sharif was born Michel Shalhoub in Alexandria in 1932 and got his acting training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His first film was the 1954 Egyptian film Siraa Fil-Wadi (The Blazing Sun) and he soon became a big star.

Sharif's international fame came when he was cast in David Lean's 1962 classic Lawrence of Arabia, opposite actor Peter O'Toole. The two soon became fast friends. He rejoined director David Lean to play the lead in Doctor Zhivago, a film about a physician who gets caught up in the Russian Revolution. He was also in a series of biopics, where he played historical figures such as Genghis Khan and Che Guevara.

Despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Sharif still knew that he was a famous international star. His death was announced by his grandson Omar Sharif Jr in a Facebook post.

Source: BBC