Manama: Ghanem Al Saleh, a well-known and very successful Kuwaiti comedian, has died in London.
The 68-year-old, who starred in many TV dramas and comedies, as well as theatrical plays, was suffering from cancer and had gone to the English capital on October 9 for treatment, according to the Kuwaiti news portal Al Aaan.
Al Saleh founded the Arab Theatre in 1961 and the Gulf Theatre. He was in charge of drama at Bahrain TV from 1961 until 1983 when he retired. Over the years, he won several awards from Gulf and Arab media institutions for roles in plays and TV dramas.
Numerous citizens from both Kuwait and the Gulf paid tribute to him, expressing their sadness at his death.
"May God bless his soul. I’ve always liked him for his impressive immersion in whatever he was doing," said Shaikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa, an avid theatre fan from Bahrain. "As Gulf nationals, we were proud of his talent and his ability to portray the local scene with ease and deep conviction," he added.
Fatima from the UAE said on Al Aan site that "she and the UAE people offered their deep condolences to Kuwait on the sorrowful demise of a great person".
Kuwaiti Fahad Al Fareeh said that Kuwait had lost a "dear father, brother and friend who has helped educate generations of Kuwaitis". "We will miss him dearly," he wrote.
