Nadim Sawalha Explained

Nadim Sawalha
Birth Date:8 September 1935
Birth Place:Madaba, Emirate of Transjordan
(present-day Jordan)
Children:3, including Nadia and Julia Sawalha
Relatives:Nabil Sawalha (brother)
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1964–present

Nadim Joakim Sawalha (Arabic: نديم صوالحة) (born 8 September 1935) is a Jordanian-British actor, the father of actresses Nadia and Julia Sawalha. He appeared in two Bond films, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and The Living Daylights (1987).

Background

Sawalha was born in Madaba, Jordan, in 1935[1] and moved to Britain in the early 1950s, to study drama.[2] His daughter Julia revealed on her episode of Who Do You Think You Are? that even he is uncertain of his birth date, but it is thought to be around 7 to 9 September.[3]

Acting career

Nadim Sawalha has made over 100 appearances in film and television, in a career spanning more than 40 years.

Personal life

Sawalha is married to Roberta Mary Lane, and has three daughters, Nadia, Julia and Dina.[4] His brother is comedian Nabil Sawalha.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973Yellow DogAn Arab pilot
A Touch of ClassNight Hotel Manager
1974CallanPadilla
The Bunny CaperAbduraka Sex Play
GoldA member of the Syndicate
VampiraAn airline representative
1975The Wind and the LionThe Sherif of Wazan
The Return of the Pink PantherMuseum guide
1977Are You Being Served?The Emir's Interpreter
Sweeney!Chairman of the Oil Producers' Conference
Sinbad and the Eye of the TigerHassan
The Spy Who Loved MeAziz Fekkesh
1980The AwakeningDr El Sadek
1981Göta kanal eller Vem drog ur proppen?Sheikh Kahlifa bin Hirscham al Saba
1985Young Sherlock HolmesEgyptian tavern owner
1987The Living DaylightsTangier police chief
1991Company BusinessFaisal
2005SyrianaEmir Hamad Al-Subaai
2006The Nativity StoryMelchior
2007Whatever Lola WantsAdham
2008Captain Abu RaedAbu Raed
2010West Is WestPir Naseem
2015The RendezvousProfessor Al Ahmad
2018Tel Aviv on FireBassem

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976ZoranEpisode: The Immunity Syndrome
The SweeneyCaptain ShebbeqEpisode: Visiting Fireman
SurvivorsAmulEpisodes: Lights of London parts 1 & 2
1977The ProfessionalsSheikh AchmeiaEpisode: Long Shot
1978The ProfessionalsArab DiplomatEpisode: First Night
1979The KnowledgeArab Man
MinderSardiEpisode: A Tethered Goat in Series 1
1981Juliet BravoMr. HamidEpisode: The Third Man
1981 to 1982Sorry, I'm A Stranger Here MyselfMumtaz
1984BergeracZaki MansoorEpisode: A Touch Of Eastern Promise Season 3 Ep.6
1985Open All HoursMr.GuptaEpisode: Horse-Trading
1988Tales of the UnexpectedZayidEpisode (9/8): The Finger of Suspicion
1990House of CardsBank ManagerEpisode 1
1993-2006The BillMultipleEpisode: Part of the Family (1993) Mr. Said
Episode: Nice Boy (1996) Hussein Bakri
Episode: To Catch a Cobra (1999) Amit Roy
Episode: On the Wagon (2000) Viviek Gupta
Episode: 461: Go For Gold (2006) Rafi Nadir
1995-1998DangerfieldDr. Shaaban Hamada
2000Arabian NightsJudge Zadic
2002The Last Cavalier
2003Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle for the Arab WorldNarratorPBS
2007Mohammed Al-Fayeddocudrama
2007Robin HoodBassamEpisode: We Are Robin Hood
2008House of SaddamKing Hussein
2011The HourNaguib HafizEpisode #1.2

Other roles

Notes and References

  1. News: The Arab Talks To....Nadim Sawalha. 12 January 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100921051338/http://the-arab.blogspot.com/2009/10/arab-talks-tonadim-sawalha.html. 21 September 2010.
  2. Episode page on BBC website. Who Do You Think You Are?. Who Do You Think You Are? (British TV series). BBC. BBC One. 3. 8. Participant: Julia Sawalha. 2006-10-25. London, England. 1:10.
  3. Who Do You Think You Are?; Event occurs at 22:00
  4. Web site: Nadia Sawalha: My family values. 18 April 2014.
  5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b4f03l BBC Radio 4 - Drama, A Tale of Two Cities: Aleppo and London