The Lebanese artistic community was devastated by the news of the death of the esteemed actor Samir Shams at the age of 81. The head of the Actors Syndicate, Ni'mah Badawi, expressed his condolences with a heartfelt tribute that read: "Samir Shams, star of stars. In the memory of God. The Syndicate of Theater, Cinema, Radio, and Television Artists in Lebanon mourns the star Samir Shams, who enriched the artistic movement and Arab drama with many valuable works. We extend our sincerest condolences to his esteemed family, friends, and fans. To God we belong and to Him we shall return."
Who is Samir Shams? He began his career as a journalist and writer, where he wrote numerous screenplays for radio, television, and theater. His artistic life started in the early 1960s, participating in several films such as "Safar Berlik," "Bint Al-Harith," "Bitter Honey," "Al-Shuridan," and "Shari' Al-Dabab." He also took part in many Lebanese and Egyptian series, including "Al-'Anab Al-Murr," "A Man from the Past," and the Egyptian series "A Woman from the Time of Love" alongside the actress Samira Ahmed. Additionally, Shams participated in the 2005 film "The Seekers of Freedom" directed by Inas El-Dghidi. In 2006, he published his first novel titled "At the Edge of the Universe," classified as a science fiction novel.
According to Shams himself, he was born an artist. In his youth, he imitated voices, a skill he learned from nature as he was from Hermel (located in northeastern Lebanon). He founded a troupe in the north named "The Lebanese Theater Stars Troupe" and presented plays, after which he continued to work on numerous cinematic, television, and theatrical projects.
A shining star, he was distinguished by his handsomeness, which served as his ticket into Egyptian cinema, combined with his impeccable performances. His name is associated with great stars from Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon in various works, including the towering lady Fairuz, Shahroura Sabah, Mervat Amin, Faten Hamama, Dorreid Laham, and others. Shams was the first Lebanese actor to work in Egypt and the first Lebanese actor to sign a contract to work at the National Theater with Shosho and Nizar Miqati. Throughout his cinematic history, he recorded approximately 27 films between Egypt and Lebanon, in addition to several plays at the National Theater.
