Born: March 17, 1923
From: Egypt
Salaah Mansour (1923 â 1979) is an Egyptian actor born in Shebeen al-Kanaater â Kalyoubeyya (Delta of Egypt).
He began his career in the theater school; he also participated in establishing the Ministry of Education School theater in 1938. After graduating in 1940, Salaah worked as editor at Rose al-Youssef magazine. He then joined the High Institute of Dramatic Arts under the supervision of the great Zaky Tolaymaat, before graduating in 1947.
In 1954, he founded âAl-masrah al-horr i.e. The free theatreâalong with his colleagues Abdul Monâem Madbouly, Saâd Ardash and Muhammad Reda.
Mansour played various stage role like; âMalek al-shahhateen i.e. The king of beggarsâ, âAl-nass elly that i.e. Downstairs peopleâ, âBoraây baâd al-tahseenaat i.e. Boraây after modificationsâ, âZokaak al-medakk i.e. Medakk alleyâ, âRumulos al-âazeem i.e. Rumulos the greatâ and âZeyaarat al-sayyeda al-âagouz i.e. Visit of the old ladyâ.
Salaah Mansour began his film career in 1946 with the actor Baheega Haafez in âAl-zahra i.e. The flowerâ. He also participated in the film âHabeeb al-rowh i.e. XXX (1949)âwith Anwar Wagdy and Youssef Wahby. In 1950, he played Henry Barakaatâs âShaateâ al-gharaam i.e. Beach of loveâ with Layla Mouraad and Hussein Sedky. Among his famous films are; âBedaaya wa nehaaya i.e. Dead among the livingsâ, âMaâ al-thekrayaat i.e. With memoriesâ, âHaareb men al-ayyaam i.e. Fugitive of timeâ, âKandeel Om-Haashem i.e. The lamp of Om-Haashemâ, âAl-bostagy i.e. The postmanâ and âShayâ fee sadry i.e. Something in my heartâ.
Although he has been locked in second roles throughout his career, yet he won many awards for his performance.
He is one of the most famous âVillainsâ of Egyptian cinema, he is the ââOmdet al-cinema al-Masreyya i.e. The Mayor of Egyptian cinemaâ after his great role of mayor in the film âAl-zawga al-thaaneya i.e. The second wifeâ, with Souaad Hosny, Shoukry Sarhaan and Sanaa Gameel. One can never forget her famous phrase âEl-leila ya âomda i.e. Tonight O mayorâ.
Salaah Mansour won many awards for his roles in radio, cinema and theatre; best radio actor (1954), best actor for his role in the film âLan aâtaref i.e. I will not confess (1963)â and the film âAl-zawga al-thaaneya (1968)â. He was also awarded Egyptian order of Merit (1978).
Salaah worked as a consultant, Department of Theatre Education at the Ministry of Education until his death.