Leila Mourad was an Egyptian singer and actress, and one of the most prominent superstars in the Arabic - speaking world in her era. Lillian Zaki Mourad Mordechai was born on 17 February 1918 , to a Gewish - Egyptian family and she later changed her name to Leila Mourad as a stage-name. After the Egyptian revolution of 1952, a rumor that she had visited Israel and donated money to the Jewish state, raised suspicions of spying and caused some Arab radio stations to boycott her songs. The Egyptian government investigated and concluded that the accusations were without foundation.
Leila Mourad starred in 20 films in the 30s and 40s. She decided to retire at the heights of her success aged 38.
She married three times , and died in a hospital in Cairo in 1995.
