Yehia Chahine, a renowned actor, was born in Imbaba, Giza, and shares the same name as his father. He pursued his passion for performing arts, earning a diploma in the field and commencing his acting career in theatre. His first performance was in the play "Murtafat w Darag" (Heights and Stairs). In 1935, he made his film debut.
Throughout his illustrious career, Yehia Chahine acted in numerous films, with his most notable role being that of Al-Sayyid Ahmad Abd al-Jawad, a Cairene patriarch, in the Cairo Trilogy films. The trilogy, consisting of "Bayn al-Qasrayn" (Palace Walk),"Qasr al-Shawq" (Palace of Desire),and "Al-Sukkariya" (Sugar Street),was set in Cairo and followed the family of Abd al-Jawwad across three generations, from World War I to the overthrow of King Farouk in 1952. The trilogy received widespread acclaim and commercial success in Egypt and the Arab world.
In addition to his work in the Cairo Trilogy, Yehia Chahine starred in many other successful films. He collaborated with film director Youssef Chahine in the 1951 film "Ibn al-Nile" (Son of the Nile),alongside Faten Hamama. He also played a leading role in the 1954 film "Gaalouni Mujriman" (I Have Been Made a Murderer),which was based on a novel by Naguib Mahfouz. In 1957, he starred in "La Anam" (Sleepless),a film that was chosen as one of the best 150 Egyptian film productions. His last film role was in 1988, in the film "Kul Hatha al-Hub" (All This Love).
Throughout his career, Yehia Chahine received several awards for his film roles. In 1993, he was awarded the Sciences and Arts prize. He passed away at the age of 76 on March 18, 1994.
