Naima Akef facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Naima Akef
نعيمة عاكف
Pronunciation	næˈʕiːmæ ˈʕæːkef
Born	7 October 1929 Tanta, Egypt
Died	23 April 1966 (aged 36)
Nationality	Egyptian
Occupation	Actress Bellydancer

Naima Akef (Arabic: نعيمة عاكف) was a very famous Egyptian dancer and actress. She lived from October 7, 1929, to April 23, 1966. Naima was a big star during the "golden age" of Egyptian movies. She appeared in many films.

Naima was born in Tanta, a city on the Nile Delta in Egypt. Her parents were skilled acrobats. They worked in the Akef Circus, which was run by Naima's grandfather. This circus was one of the most famous circuses of its time.

Naima started performing in the circus when she was just four years old. She quickly became very popular because of her amazing acrobatic skills. Her family lived in Cairo, but they traveled a lot to perform their shows.

Becoming a Dancer

The circus closed down when Naima was 14 years old. But this was just the start of her career! Her grandfather knew many people in Cairo's entertainment world. He helped Naima meet his friends.

When Naima's parents divorced, she created her own act. It was a mix of acrobatics and clowning. She performed in many clubs across Cairo. Later, she got a big chance to work at Badia Masabni's famous nightclub. There, Naima became a true star. She was one of the few performers who could both dance and sing.

However, her time with Badia was short. Badia liked Naima a lot, which made other performers jealous. One day, they tried to attack her. But Naima was strong and quick. She won the fight! Because of this, she was fired. So, Naima started performing in other places.

A Movie Star is Born

The Kit Kat club was another well-known place in Cairo. This is where Naima met a film director named Abbas Kemal. His brother, Hussein Fawzy, was also a film director. Hussein was very interested in having Naima star in one of his musical movies.

Her first movie was called Al-Eïch wal malh (which means "Bread and Salt"). Her co-star was Saad Abdel Wahab, a singer. He was the nephew of the legendary singer Mohammed Abdel Wahab. The movie first showed on January 17, 1949. It was an instant success! This film also brought a lot of attention to Nahhas Film studios.

Later Life and Legacy

Naima Akef decided to stop acting in 1964. She wanted to focus on taking care of her only child. She had a son from her second marriage to an accountant named Salaheldeen Abdel Aleem.

Sadly, Naima passed away two years later, on April 23, 1966. She was only 36 years old and died from cancer. Even though her life was short, Naima Akef left a lasting mark on Egyptian cinema and dance.

Filmography

Naima Akef starred in many films. Here are some of them:

• Aish Wal Malh (1949)
• Lahalibo (1949)
• Baladi Wa Khafa (1949)
• Furigat (1950)
• Baba Areess (1950)
• Fataat Al Sirk (1951)
• Al Namr (1952)
• Ya Halawaat Al Hubb (1952)
• Arbah Banat Wa Zabit (1954)
• Aziza (1955)
• Tamr Henna (1957) - She starred with Ahmed Ramzy, Fayza Ahmed, and Rushdy Abaza.
• Amir El Dahaa (1964)

See also

In Spanish: Naima Akef para niños