Cairo: Famous Saudi actor Khalid Samy, one of the most prominent Gulf performers, has passed away after a long fight against illness, his family said.
“My father died today [Friday] due to health problems,” his son Faisal tweeted.
“My father was an art icon, but most importantly, he was a good man,” he added.
Born as Khalid Al Desyamani in Saudi Arabia’s central region of Al Qassim on December 4, 1961, he launched an acting career in early 1980s, adopting the stage name Khalid Samy.
In the ensuing four decades, he performed in a series of TV and stage works in his homeland and other Arab countries including Egypt and Kuwait until he had to keep a low profile due to illness and hospitalisation in 2019.
His widely popular works include the multi-part Saudi TV comedy “Tash Ma Tash” and the Egyptian series “Al Metwaly Gate”.
Last year, his health deteriorated and he slipped into a coma for some time after a liver transplant.
The government-run Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) mourned his death. SBA called Khalid “one of the creative artists who have enriched the production journey of Saudi television for decades”.
