The Ministry of Culture announced on Saturday evening the death of Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz, one of Egypt's most renowned television and film actors in the past 40 years, after a long struggle with illness. 

Abdel-Aziz was born in Wardeyan, Alexandria on 4 June 1946.

He graduated from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at Alexandria University in the 1960s.

Abdel-Aziz came to the limelight in the 1970s' TV drama Al Dawama (The Whirlpool) where he co-starred with renowned actors Nelly and Mahmoud Yassin.

In the 1980s, he rose to stardom with successful roles in movies such as El Aar (The Shame, 1982), El Keef (Addiction, 1985).

Abdel-Aziz also captured millions of TV viewers' attention and admiration with his role as an Egyptian spy in Israel in the 1950s and the 1960s in the famous trilogy of Rafat El Haggan.

His other remarkable films include Kit Kat (1991) and Al-Saher (The Magician, 2001).

Throughout his decades-long career, Abdel-Aziz starred in over 100 movies and numerous television series.

Abdel-Aziz was married to Egyptian actress Poussy Chalabi.

He has two sons from his first marriage: Mohamed, a film producer and director, and Karim.

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