1962 - Omar Sharif makes his U.S screen debut

Born Michel Demitri Shaloub, Omar Sharif left the family lumber business in Alexandria, Egypt, to try his hand at acting and rocketed to stardom in the Egyptian cinema during the 1950s. It was not until his performance in the role as Sharif Ali in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia, however, that he earned international attention. The role earned Sharif an Oscar nomination, and he followed it with leading roles in Dr. Zhivago and Funny Girl. (© AP Images)