Naji Jaber ( ar, ناجي جبر, Naji Jabr), was a

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

n actor who was foremost identified with the character ''Abu Antar'' ().

Career

Following his older brother Mahmoud, Naji Jaber pursued a career in acting by 1967 and became a member of the Syrian Actors' Syndicate in 1972. The greatest turn in his career came the same year with the popular

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

''Wake Up Time'' (صح النوم) where he was cast for the stereotypical

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

thug character named Abu Antar. The character contrasted with the light-hearted protagonist Ghawar al-Toshi (

Duraid Lahham Duraid Lahham ( ar, دريد لحام; in Roman transliteration, sometimes spelled "Durayd Lahham") is a leading Syrian comedian and director born 1934 in Damascus, Syria. He is famous for acting the role of "Ghawwar El Toshe" in a number of movie ...

) and Abu Antar soon became one of the most popular characters in the show (along with Husni al-Borazan played by Nehad Kaleai). He played the same character in following ''Ghawar'' series on TV and also in the

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

''Ghawar Empire'' (امبراطورية غوار) released in 1982. Jaber's character became so popular that "Abu Antar is a symbol of strength and humor throughout the

Arab World The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western A ...

".Syrian actor who played Abu Antar dies.
/ref> Nevertheless, one of his exceptional but prominent roles was in ''

Dreams of the City ''Dreams of the City'' or ''Ahlam al-Madina'' ( ar, أحلام المدينة, lit=Dreams of the City) is a Syrian feature drama film by director Mohamed Malas. It is a coming-of-age story of a boy forced to flee his native Quneitra to Damascus in ...

'' in 1984.Syria bids farewell to "Abu Antar", the character who will remain in the memories of generations of people
/ref> and share for Shaytan Al Jazzirah (1978), Sah Al-Nawm (1975) and Amoot marratayn wa uhibbuk (1976).

Family

Jaber came from a

Druze The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...

family of actors and actresses that includes Mahmoud and Haitham Jaber (brothers), Leila and Marah Jaber (nieces) and Dana Jaber (grandniece).

Death

Jaber died from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

on 30 March 2009 at 69 years of age. His brother, Mahmoud Jaber, also died of cancer in July 2008 at 73 years of age.

References

External links

Naji Jaber
at ElCinema {{DEFAULTSORT:Jaber, Naji Syrian people of Druze descent Syrian male television actors Syrian Druze 1940 births 2009 deaths People from as-Suwayda Governorate Deaths from cancer in Syria