Kanza Omar Explained

Kanza Omar
Birth Name:Kanza Bent Larbi
Birth Date:February 26, 1912
Birth Place:Marrakesh, Morocco
Death Date:March 6, 1958
Death Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Dancer

Kanza Omar (February 26, 1912 – March 6, 1958), sometimes billed as Princess Kanza Omar, was a Moroccan dancer who appeared in Hollywood films in the 1940s and 1950s.

Early life and education

Omar was born in Marrakesh, according to her 1935 application for United States citizenship, filed in New York City under the name Kenza Bent Larbi.[1] However, publicity sometimes described her as Egyptian, Persian, or Syrian.[2] [3] She moved to the United States with her first husband in 1927, and became a United States citizen in 1943.[4] [5] [6]

Career

Omar appeared in small roles in Hollywood films of the 1940s, including Aloma of the South Seas (1941),[7] Cairo (1942), Mr. Co-ed (1944),[8] [9] Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944),[10] To Have and Have Not (1944), Adventure (1946), Easy to Wed (1946), Genius at Work (1946), Saigon (1948), The Bishop's Wife (1948),[11] The Eagle and the Hawk (1950),[12] Tropic Zone (1953), The Swan (1956) and The Buccaneer (1958).[13]

Omar danced at events and parties.[14] In 1942, Omar danced at a Los Angeles fundraiser for the USO, sponsored by the Syrian American Society.[15] In 1950, she performed at an international festival at UCLA.[16] In 1951, she danced at a New York City benefit for Palestinian refugees.[17] She toured as a dancer in the United States in the early 1950s, and was featured artist at the Attiyeh Benevolent Society's annual national meeting in 1952.[18] [19] In 1953 she danced at a Hafli event in Los Angeles, accompanied by violinist Sami Shawa.[20] 1955 she performed at the Western Pacific Annual Mahrajan, sharing the bill with Danny Thomas, musician Elia Baida, and Toufic Barham's orchestra.[21]

Personal life

Omar's first husband, Omar Ben Mohammed, died from carbon monoxide poisoning in 1928.[22] She married Jack Haddad in 1943; they divorced in 1949.[23] She died from cancer in 1958, at the age of 46, in Los Angeles, California.[24] [25]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Kenza Bent Larbi's Declaration of Intention, filed in New York City on November 29, 1935, in the California, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1843-1999, via Ancestry
  2. News: 1943-08-28 . Daughter of Mohammedan Priest in Films . 26 . The Buffalo News . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.
  3. News: 1951-12-09 . Happy People . 119 . The Des Moines Register . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: 1943-03-17 . Kanza Omar a Citizen . 12 . The Times . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: 1943-03-26 . Princess Becomes Citizen . 9 . St. Albans Daily Messenger . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.
  6. News: 1943-03-17 . Syrian Actress Wins Citizenship . 20 . The Los Angeles Times . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: 1941-08-05 . One of the early Fall Technicolor productions will be 'Aloma of the South Seas' . 5 . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Othman . Frederick C. . 1943-11-28 . 'Mr. Co-ed' to be 'Fake' Says Othman . 22 . The Enid Morning News . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  9. News: 1944-01-12 . Princess Jitterbugs . 22 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  10. News: 1944-03-01 . Harem Houris--Hollywood Fashion . 10 . The Seattle Star . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.
  11. News: 1947-08-27 . Princess Gets Role . 11 . Valley Times . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.
  12. News: 1949-08-23 . What! All This and No Camels? . 17 . Los Angeles Mirror . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.
  13. News: March 12, 1958 . Obituaries . 79 . Variety . August 1, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  14. News: 1941-06-08 . Dickson Host at Arab Party . 65 . The Los Angeles Times . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  15. News: 1942-09-05 . Syrian-American Fete Proceeds Will Go to USO . 5 . Los Angeles Evening Citizen News . Newspapers.com . 2023-08-01.
  16. News: May 19, 1950 . International Festival to be Held at UCLA . 27 . Los Angeles Times . August 1, 2023 . Internet Archive.
  17. News: 1951-03-02 . Stars of Orient Perform at Show to Aid Refugees . 7 . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  18. News: 1952-06-26 . National Attiyeh Society Convenes in C.R. July 3-5 . 18 . The Gazette . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  19. News: 1952-06-29 . To Be Featured Artist at Natl. Attiyeh Meeting . 2 . Newspapers.com. The Gazette . 2023-08-01.
  20. News: 1953-08-20 . Danny Thomas and Sami Shawa at Big Hafli in Los Angeles . 6 . Caravan . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  21. News: 1955-07-14 . L. A. Church Holds Giant Mahrajan . 6 . Caravan . Newspapers.com . 2023-08-01.
  22. News: 1928-02-27 . Dies from Gas Fumes; Pipeless bath heater causes death of Omar Ben Mohammed . 11 . Buffalo Courier Express . 2023-08-01 . Newspapers.com.
  23. News: 1949-08-23 . Unappreciative Hubby Divorced by Dancer; Had No Eye for Art . 2 . The Los Angeles Times . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.
  24. News: 1958-01-30 . Kanza Omar Fights for Life . 1 . Caravan . Newspapers.com . 2023-08-01.
  25. News: 1958-03-08 . Services Set for Kanza Omar, Actress-Dancer . 23 . The Los Angeles Times . Newspapers.com. 2023-08-01.

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