Ahmed Zaki was born on 18 November, 1949 and passed away on 27 March, 2005, and today marks what could have been his 71st birthday.
Known as 'The Legend', social media is filled today with celebratory posts to revive Zaki's birthday, as well as to highlight his life and career milestones.
Google, in the same time, saved its doodle to celebrate the legend by designing an exceptional doodle with young Zaki's picture on the front.
In the background, Google picked up 5 of The Legend's iconic movies and represented them by icons; "Four On An Official Mission," "Black Tiger," "Laugh, The Picture Comes Out Beautiful," "Istakoza (Crawfish)" and "Caboria (Crab)."
Ahmed Zaki acted for the first time while he was studying at the Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts in 1969, by embodying a simple role as a room service worker in the play "Hello Shalabi."
Thereafter, Ahmed Zaki appeared in the famous play Madrast Al-Mushaghebeen "School of the Rioters," and his stardom began with a starring role in the play El Eyal Kebret "Children Have Grown Up" in 1978.
Later he moved to television, by playing the role of the Dean of Arab Literature, Taha Hussein, in the series Al-Ayyam "The Days." Then he took his first steps towards cinema by participating in the movie Abna'a Al-Samt "Sons of Silence" in 1974, and then he joined many films, some of which entered the list of the 100 best films in the Egyptian cinema.
Ahmed Zaki had relations with a series of women but only married once; the late actress Hala Fuad, and they gave birth to their only child, late actor Haitham Ahmed Zaki who passed away in November last year.
Later the couple had separated because Hala refused to quit acting and her position as a broadcaster as per Ahmed's request, so they got divorced.
Ahmed Zaki fell in love with the great actress Naglaa Fathi, then with Shereen Seif El-Nasr, but non of these relationships were meant to continue.
However, the strongest relationship in Ahmed Zaki's life was with the Syrian artist Raghda, whom he wanted to marry in his last days, but she refused and indicated that their relationship was "a different state of love."
Ahmed Zaki's doctor mentioned that he went blind before his death.
The Legend had died on March 27, 2005, after a long struggle with lung cancer, as he was a heavy smoker, he suffered complications from the disease, and was transferred to Dar Al Fouad Hospital where he passed away.
