If you've watched the classic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia, you'll recognize one of the movie's stars, Omar Sharif, on Google's homepage today. The search engine's Doodle honors the actor on what would have been his 86th birthday.
Sharif was born Michel Demitri Shalhoub on this day in 1932. He grew up in Alexandria, Egypt and studied mathematics and physics at Cairo University. According to Sharif's New York Times obituary, he ventured into acting in the 1950s in order to "capitalize on his good looks." After finding success in his native Egypt, he gained widespread acclaim in the 1960s with roles in Doctor Zhivago, Funny Girl, and Lawrence of Arabia, which he appeared in alongside Peter O'Toole. In the epic tale, Sharif plays an Arab warrior who joins the titular character to fight Turkish occupiers. The role earned him two Golden Globes and an Oscar nomination.
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Although he went on to act in some made-for-TV movies, he also pursued interests in horse racing and playing competitive bridge, even writing books and a syndicated column about the game for The Chicago Tribune. In the early 2000s, Sharif returned to the box office in Hidalgo and 10,000 BC.
According to Google's Doodle Blog, Sharif was a awarded a UNESCO Einstein medal in 2005, honoring his "contributions to cultural diversity." He died of a heart attack in July 2015 at the age of 83.
The animated Doodle on Google's homepage depicts the actor in his younger years, wearing a bow tie and staring straight ahead as a shadow passes across his face.
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