Egyptian-born film legend Omar Sharif, star of classics like “Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) and "Doctor Zhivago" (1965), is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, his agent said Tuesday.Sharif’s agent, Steve Kenis, confirmed the news, first reported by the Spanish daily El Mundo, which had cited the 83-year-old actor's son Tarek. Kenis gave no further details in an email to AFP. Known for his charismatic good looks and bridge-playing prowess, Sharif is resting at his home in Egypt, according to the Los Angeles Times newspaper.
Born in 1932 the son of a lumber merchant in Egypt's second city Alexandria, Sharif was nominated for an Academy Award in 1963 for his role as Sherif Ali in "Lawrence of Arabia."
Sharif, who was raised a Roman Catholic, started acting in the 1950s and had his most high-profile roles in the 1960s, when he also starred in "Funny Girl" opposite Barbra Streisand in 1968.