Commemorating death anniversary of Zahret El-Ola

December 18 marks the anniversary of Zahret El-Ola’s death (1934 – 2013); she was of one of the most beautiful actresses in the golden age of Egyptian cinema. 

Originally born in Alexandria 
Zahret El-Ola was born in Alexandria in 1934, and died in 2013. During her childhood, she moved with her family to Cairo because of her father’s work. 


Unlike most fathers, El-Ola’s father enhanced and encouraged her talents. He had an impressive passion for theater, and he supported his daughter to join High Theater Institute, from which she graduated in 1954. 

Played a vital role in Egyptian theater history 
Having acted with Egyptian theater icons such as Youssef Wahby and Zaki Tolaymat, She performed a number of amusing roles in the history of the Egyptian theater such as “Al Bakhel” (The Stingy Man) and “Fatish A’an Al Maraa” (Search for A Women). 


Due to her exceptional acting skills and her beauty, El-Ola was cast in a great number of films and 50 TV series. 
She often shared the screen with Egyptian comedy leader Ismail Yassine, the two collaborated in films such as “Ismail Yassine Fi El-Ostol” (Ismail Yassine in the Navy). She was also renounced for her iconic roles in films such as “Doaa Al-Karawan” (Prayers of the Nightingale), “Gamila,” “Nahr Al-Hob” (Love River), and “Rod Qalby” (Back Again). 
Her most celebrated TV shows are “Rehlet Al Sayed Abo el-Ela el-Beshry” (The Journey of Mr. Abo el-Ela el-Beshry), and “Aa’la Hamesh El-Sira” (The Prophet’s Life). 


El-Ola was married two times in her life; the first was to Egyptian actor Salah Zulfakar, and the second to Egyptian director Hassan el-Seify. 
She is the famous Egyptian actor Ahmed Said Abdel Ghany’s aunt, and her daughter is the famous director Manal el-Seify. 

Six years ago, Manal el-Seify announced that her mother had agreed to turn her life and career into a biographical series; she also selected the popular actress Ghada Adel to portray her in the series.