Leon Angel

Leon Angel (born May 15, 1900), usually credited as simply Leon, is an Egyptian actor who was best known in the 1930s. Leon has appeared in a series of Muslim-Jewish buddy films in which he played a comic Jewish character. While other Jews of Egypt were involved in the Egyptian cinema industry, Leon was the only Jewish star to headline an Egyptian movie playing a Jewish character. Leon later immigrated to Australia, where he participated in founding the first Sephardic synagogue in Australia.

Leon was born on May 15, 1900, in Alexandria, Egypt to Olga Angelou and Victor Angelou.[1] His father smuggled hashish along the Nile, and left his family impoverished, so Leon had to work to support his family from a young age.[2] He studied civil engineering through a correspondence course in France. He married fellow Alexandria native, Esther Cohen.[3] Leon retired from cinema in 1937. He later immigrated to Australia, together with his family. In 1965, Leon was involved in founding the Sephardic Association of Victoria, the first Sephardic Synagogue in Australia.[4] Leon Angel died in Australia on July 12, 1973.[5]

Leon had no prior acting experience when he began collaborating with Togo Mizrahi in 1930 on a script for a feature film about the dangers of drug use.[6] Leon drew on his family's experience in writing the script. The film Cocaine, The Abyss premiered in Alexandria, Egypt on November 19, 1930.

Leon debuted his signature character, Shalom, in the silent film 05001 (1932), directed by Mizrahi. Chalom was Jewish and poor—trying to make ends meet with itinerant jobs, such as selling lottery tickets or operating a food cart. The characterization of Shalom as a member of the working classes appealed to Egyptian audiences who frequented third tier cinemas.[7] Shalom also represented Egyptian Jewish nativeness at a time of uncertainty for Jews of Egypt.[8]

In The Two Delegates (1934), and Mistreated by Affluence (1937), Chalom bumbled through the farcical plot with a Muslim sidekick named ‘Abdu. Through their depiction of Chalom and 'Abdu's friendship and the close relations depicted between other Jews and Muslims, these films advocated for a culture of coexistence.[9][10] Leon also directed two films in which he reprised his signature role: Chalom the Dragoman (1935), and The Athlete (1937), co-directed with Clément Mizrahi.

Esther Cohen Angel, Leon’s wife, who appeared under the screen name, ‘Adalat, was often cast as Shalom’s love interest.[11]

References

  1. ^ Angel, Leon. "Death Certificate". Births Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, Australia.
  2. ^ Starr, Deborah (2020). Togo Mizrahi and the Making of Egyptian Cinema. University of California. p. 35. doi:10.1525/luminos.91. ISBN 9780520366206. S2CID 224941664.
  3. ^ Starr, Deborah (2020). Togo Mizrahi and the Making of Egyptian Cinema. University of California. pp. 119–120. doi:10.1525/luminos.91. ISBN 9780520366206. S2CID 224941664.
  4. ^ Aaron, Aaron (1979). The Sephardim of Australia and New Zealand. Waterloo, NSW. p. 34.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Angel, Leon. "Death Certificate". Births Deaths and Marriages, Victoria, Australia.
  6. ^ Starr, Deborah (2020). Togo Mizrahi and the Making of Egyptian Cinema. University of California. pp. 34–35. doi:10.1525/luminos.91. ISBN 9780520366206. S2CID 224941664.
  7. ^ Shafik, Viola (2007). Popular Egyptian Cinema: Gender, Class, and Nation. American University in Cairo Press. pp. 29–31. ISBN 9789774160530.
  8. ^ Starr, Deborah (2017). "Chalom and 'Abdu Get Married: Jewishness and Egyptianness in the Films of Togo Mizrahi". Jewish Quarterly Review. 107 (2): 209–230. doi:10.1353/jqr.2017.0007.
  9. ^ Starr, Deborah (2016). Bryant, Rebecca (ed.). In Bed Together: Coexistence in Togo Mizrahi's Alexandria Films (PDF). Berghan Books. pp. 129–131, 143–150.
  10. ^ Shafik, Viola (2007). Popular Egyptian Cinema: Gender, Class, and Nation. American University in Cairo Press. pp. 29–31. ISBN 9789774160530.
  11. ^ Starr, Deborah (2020). Togo Mizrahi and the Making of Egyptian Cinema. University of California. pp. 119–120. doi:10.1525/luminos.91. ISBN 9780520366206. S2CID 224941664.
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