 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 August 2000 Issue No. 494 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 August 2000 Issue No. 494
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Obituary
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Mustafa Metwalli (1949-2000)
Is it the fate of the popular firmament's lesser celestial bodies to go out with cruel abruptness, prior to the big stars? The death in the small hours of Saturday morning of Mustafa Metwalli -- a popular actor of wide-ranging presence who was also well-known as the brother-in-law of Egypt's foremost comedy star Adel Imam -- marks just such an occasion, as unexpected as it is saddening.The story is harrowingly simple. After a night of performance (in Adel Imam's ongoing hit Bodyguard), Metwalli quietly went home for a big meal and to unwind before another morning of sleep (actors in the commercial theatre are known to sleep during the day, since their working hours normally begin in the late evening). His family -- his wife Iman and his three children, Omar, Isam and Adel -- reported that he complained of severe pains of the chest. But the sudden plummeting in Metwalli's blood pressure (some say it was a result of the meal) had already killed him before the family doctor, summoned in the middle of the night, finally arrived.
Metwalli graduated in 1973 from the Institute of Theatrical Art -- for a long time the only higher education institution available to actors. After participating in a number of successful films -- Metwalli's low-key presence and his comic ability quickly raised his standing among actors, bringing him closer and closer to the limelight though never quite promoting him to the status of a stand-alone box-office star -- he became a regular in television shows (taking part, during his relatively brief career, in 50 different programmes) and eventually joined the ranks of commercial theatre actors, collaborating with his phenomenally famous brother-in- law and establishing a niche for himself.
Metwalli died at the age of 51 -- a detail that makes the event even more tragic. The funeral, attended by many stars as well as fans and admirers, took place later on Saturday.
Youssef Rakha
