Google honours Omar Sharif with 86th birthday doodle

Close to three years after his death, Google has honoured veteran Egyptian actor Omar Sharif with a Google Doodle to mark what would have been his 86th birthday.

Sharif, who was best known to international audiences for his appearances in Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962), passed away after suffering a heart attack in July 2015.

He was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria on April 10, 1932.

His long career in cinema saw Sharif win three Golden Globes, an Academy Award nomination and UNESCO's Sergei Einstein Medal - which he became the first recipient of.

Google's posthumous tribute to the actor graced the screens of the search engine's millions of users worldwide.

"Actor Omar Sharif made his indelible mark on Hollywood cinema without uttering a word," Google said on its Google Doodle blog. "Playing the Arab warrior Sherif Ali in the 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia, Sharif first appears as a tiny dot on the desert horizon, growing larger as his camel gallops into the frame with Peter O'Toole."

The animated Google Doodle was displayed  on April 10, to mark Omar Sharif's birthday [Google]

Google said that the image, created by illustrator Sophie Diao, portrayed the late actor in "true dashing form."

To mark Sharif's birthday, fans from around the world also shared their tributes on social media.

Many posted quotes from the Sharif and the many characters he played.

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Others, meanwhile, shared nostalgic photos from the actor's colourful career.

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