RIP Saeed Saleh “1938-2014”

Egypt lost one of its famous smiles and laughter makers last Friday , that laughter maker is Saeed Saleh.
Yes the talented comedian who made laugh madly in his plays passed away after long career full of success , failures , tragedies and politics as well.

So Long Folks "Tantawy Cartoons"

For my generation Saeed Saleh is the star of the two most famous comic plays ever “Madrasat El-Moshagbeen-1973” and “El-Eyal Kebret-1979” which have become our own annual plays to watch in every Eid in a way that it became an annual ritual.
Born in 1938 , Saleh had a golden opportunity in the 1980s after the smashing success of his plays but stumbled thanks to politics as well drugs or to be accurate because of politics.
The left leaning actor starred in the political play “Kaablon” in 1983 and sang songs composed by none other than the famous Sheikh Emam and Ahmed Fouad Nagm.


Here is a famous song from the play called “The prohibited”

Saeed Saleh sings “I am not allowed to travel”

“I am not allowed to travel , I am not allow to sing
I am not allowed to speak or to yearn to you’
I am not allowed to resent or to smile
Everyday I spend in your love more and more things are prohibited
and everyday I love you more and more”
Of course the political climax and the point for no return for him was when he said once in the play the following :

“My mom married 3 stepfathers , the first stepfather made us eat Mesh while the second stepfather taught us how to cheat and third .. knows nothing”

The 3 stepfathers are Nasser , Sadat and Mubarak. The “first stepfather made us eat means Mesh which is old cheese meant Nasser’s austerity and socialist economic policies. The second stepfather is Sadat and his open market policies that brought corruption to the society. The third stepfather is Mubarak and it is obvious what he meant.
Saeed Saleh was sentenced 6 months in jail in that year for insulting the president , yes he was the first actor to be convicted of such accusation because of his work. In 1991 he was arrested allegedly for the possession of Hashish but released later because there was not enough evidence to incriminate him.
In 1996 he was arrested once again for the possession of Hashish and was sent to jail but released later that year.
Drugs and politics made the old comedian resort to cult films in the 1980s and 1990s yet his fans have not forgotten his old glory.
Nevertheless Saleh has gone but he left a smile that won’t be forgotten.
Please pray for him.