Leila Mourad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leila Mourad = Layla Morad
Layla Mourad in 1947.
Background information
Birth name	Lilian Zaki Ibrahim Mourad
Born	(1918-02-17)February 17, 1918 Cairo, Egypt
Died	November 21, 1995(1995-11-21) (aged 77) Cairo, Egypt
Genres	Egyptian music
Occupation(s)	Singer actress
Years active	1934–1963

Leila Mourad (also known as Layla Morad) was a very famous Egyptian singer and actress. She was born Lilian Zaki Ibrahim Mourad on February 17, 1918, in Cairo, Egypt. She became one of the biggest stars in Egypt and the Arab world during her time. Leila Mourad came from an Egyptian Jewish family known for their love of their country. She later changed her name to Leila Mourad for her stage career. She passed away in 1995.

Her Early Life and Career

Leila Mourad was born into a musical family. Her father, Zaki Mourad, was a respected singer and musician. Her mother was Gamilah Ibrahim Roushou. Leila's brother, Mounir Mourad, also became a well-known actor and composer.

Leila first performed on stage when she was just nine years old. This was at the Saalat Badi'a, a popular music hall in Cairo. The theatre was started by actress Badia Masabni, who helped Leila in her early career.

At fifteen, Leila appeared in her first film, "Al-Dahaaya" (The Victims), in 1932. This movie was originally silent, but her song, The Day of Departure, was added when it became a "talkie" (a film with sound).

Leila learned music from her father and from Dawood Hosni, who was also Jewish. Hosni wrote the first operetta (a short opera) in Arabic. He also composed two songs for Leila.

Becoming a Star

Leila's career really took off when the famous Egyptian composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab heard her sing. He gave her a role in his 1938 film, Yahia el Hob (Viva Love!). This movie was a huge success.

After Yahia el Hob, Leila starred in five more popular films with director Togo Mizrahi. She quickly became Egypt's top actress. In 1945, she made Layla Bint al-Fuqara ("Layla, Daughter of the Poor"). She married the director of this film, Anwar Wagdi, soon after.

Leila went on to make 20 more films. One of her most famous movies was Ghazel el-Banat ("The Flirtation of Girls"). This film was also directed by and co-starred Anwar Wagdi.

Later Years and Retirement

In 1953, Leila Mourad was chosen to be the official singer of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. This was a big honor.

However, a rumor spread that Leila had visited Israel and given money to its army. This caused some Arab radio stations to stop playing her music. Leila denied these claims. The Egyptian government investigated and found that the accusations against her were false.

Leila decided to retire from acting and singing when she was 38 years old. This happened after her last film, Al Habib al Majhoul (The Unknown Lover), didn't do well. Also, a song she sang praising the 1952 revolution was banned.

Even though her films were very popular, her singing career was often compared to Umm Kulthum, another legendary Egyptian singer. Umm Kulthum was very dominant in Egypt's music scene.

Leila Mourad made a few short comebacks in 1970. She read "Fawazeer Ramadan" (Ramadan's puzzles), a traditional radio program during the holy month of Ramadan.

Leila Mourad passed away in a Cairo hospital in 1995.

Her Marriages

Leila Mourad was married three times.

• Her first marriage was to Anwar Wagdi in 1945. They divorced in 1953. Leila said their divorce was partly because of Anwar's health issues, which made him often irritable.
• She then secretly married Wagih Abaza in 1955. They had a son named Ashraf Wagih Abaza before divorcing in 1956.
• Her last marriage was to film director Fatin Abdel Wahab in 1957. They had a son named Zaki Fatin Abdel Wahab. They divorced in 1969.

Her Works

Many of Leila Mourad's most popular songs came from her musical films. Here are some of her well-known songs:

• "Yama Arak El-Nasim" (How Calm the Breeze is) from Yahya El-Hob (1938)
• "Ghany Ya Tair" (Sing, Bird) from Laila Bint Madares (1941)
• "Alby Dalili" (My Heart is My Guide) from Alby Dalili (1947)
• "Etmakhtary Ya Kheil" (Trot, My Horse) from Ghazal El-Banat (1949)
• "El Hob Gameel" (Love Is Beautiful) from Ghazal El-Banat (1949)
• "Einy Betref" (My Eye Wanders) a duet with Naguib AlRaihani, from Ghazal El-Banat (1949)
• "Bil Nizam Wal-Amal Wal-Etihad" (With Order, Work, and Unity) (1953) - This song was an anthem for the Egyptian Revolution.

Leila Mourad starred in 27 films between 1938 and 1955. She also recorded songs for the film "El-Dahaya" (The Victims) in 1935, but she did not appear in it.

Legacy

In 2009, a TV series called "Ana Albi Dalili" (My Heart is My Guide) was made about Leila Mourad's life. It was an Egyptian show directed by Muhamad Zuhair Rajab. Jordanian actress Safa Sultan played Leila Mourad.

Images for kids

• 

  Layla holding a photo of Egypt's President Mohamed Naguib, around 1953.

• 

  A letter from the Egyptian Army command denying the accusations against Layla, October 27, 1952.

• 

  Layla with Youssef Wahbi.

See also

In Spanish: Leila Mourad para niños