Wedad Hamdi[a] (Egyptian Arabic: وداد حمدى) was an Egyptian actress. She starred in over 600 films during her lifetime, and almost all her roles were as a servant or maid.[1]
Hamdi was born on 7 March 1924 in Kafr El-Sheikh. She studied at the Acting Institute and graduated after two years.[2] Hamdi started her career as a singer.[1] Her first film was Henry Barakat's This Was My Father's Crime (1945).[3]She worked with the Egyptian National Troupe on several plays. Hamdi retired in the sixties but was called out of retirement to work on the play Tamr Henna.[2]
Hamdi was married three times, to composer Muhammad al-Mougy and actors Salaah Kabeel and Muhammad al-Toukhy.[3]
Hamdi was killed in 1994. She was stabbed 35 times in the neck, chest, and abdomen. Her killer was convicted and later executed.[2] She died with very little money to her name.[4]