Biography

Oum Kalthoum was born on December 31, 1898 in Tamay AZ Zahayrah, El Senbellawein, Dakahlia, Egypt. She was an actress and composer, known for Wedad (1936), Nashid al-Amal (1937) and Aydah (1942). She was married to Hassan Al Sayed Al Hefnawi, Mahmoud El Sherif and Mustafa Amin. She died on February 3, 1975 in Cairo, Egypt.

Whenever she appeared on stage or in a film, she always held a handkerchief in one hand.

Over 3 million people attended her funeral in Cairo.

She performed her last concert on January 3, 1973, two years before her death.

Established her career as a famous singer before the rise of Egyptian cinema. Although she appeared in several musicals that featured songs performed by her, she was unremarkable as an actress and discovered that film was not her strength as a performer. For this reason, she did not appear in many feature films. Also, however, the lights used on these films severely damaged her eyes, and she was required to wear dark glasses when bright lights were present for the rest of her life.

In 1964, Gamal Abdel-Nasser awarded her Egypt's highest honor, the Medal of Honor.

A museum containing her memorabilia resides on Rhoda Island in Cairo, Egypt. It offers a short 15-minute documentary about her life.