Rassim al-Jumaili
Encyclopedia
Rassim al-Jumaili was a well known Iraq
i comedian
and actor
.
He was born in 1938 in a poor neighborhood in Baghdad
, Iraq
. He attended and graduated from Baghdad's College of Fine Arts
in 1964. Al-Jumaili joined the Iraq military following his graduation as an officer. He became an active member of the military theater while in the service. His first break in the Iraqi entertainment industry by performing in theater stage productions in Baghdad in the early 1980s.
Al-Jumaili and his family fled to Syria
in 2003 following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, joining the dozens of other Iraqi actors and comedians who also fled the violence that was sweeping Iraq in the years following the invasion. Al-Jumaili's last role was in "The Leader" series, which was focused on the daily suffering of ordinary Iraqis. Al-Jumaili played a sarcastic dictator
in the play
, believed to be a parody
of Iraqi's post-Saddam Hussein
administration. It was widely seen during the month of Ramadan
in 2007.
Rassim al-Jumaili died of kidney failure at Younes Hospital in the Al-Hajar Al-Asswad quarter 10 km south of Damascus
, Syria
, on December 1, 2007, at the age of 69. His death was announced on Sharqiyah, Iraq's satellite television station. The President of Iraq
at the time of al-Jumaili's death, Jalal Talabani
, was quoted to have said that he would pay out of his own money to have al-Jumaili's body taken from Syria for Iraqi burial. Talabani called al-Jumaili "one of Iraq's art icons for nearly a half-century [who] had a deep influence through his works in television
, theater and film
."
Yahya al-Jaberi, the head of Damascus-based Iraqi Artists Syndicate, said of al-Jumaili, "His death is a big loss to Iraq and Iraqi theater." He called al-Jumaili and his work as part of Iraq's cultural tradition.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
He was born in 1938 in a poor neighborhood in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He attended and graduated from Baghdad's College of Fine Arts
College of Fine Arts
The College of Fine Arts is the creative arts faculty of the University of New South Wales and is located on Oxford Street, Paddington, Sydney, Australia.- History :...
in 1964. Al-Jumaili joined the Iraq military following his graduation as an officer. He became an active member of the military theater while in the service. His first break in the Iraqi entertainment industry by performing in theater stage productions in Baghdad in the early 1980s.
Al-Jumaili and his family fled to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
in 2003 following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, joining the dozens of other Iraqi actors and comedians who also fled the violence that was sweeping Iraq in the years following the invasion. Al-Jumaili's last role was in "The Leader" series, which was focused on the daily suffering of ordinary Iraqis. Al-Jumaili played a sarcastic dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
in the play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, believed to be a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Iraqi's post-Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
administration. It was widely seen during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
in 2007.
Rassim al-Jumaili died of kidney failure at Younes Hospital in the Al-Hajar Al-Asswad quarter 10 km south of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, on December 1, 2007, at the age of 69. His death was announced on Sharqiyah, Iraq's satellite television station. The President of Iraq
President of Iraq
The President of Iraq is the head of state of Iraq and "safeguards the commitment to the Constitution and the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity, the security of its territories in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution." The President is elected by the Council of...
at the time of al-Jumaili's death, Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
, was quoted to have said that he would pay out of his own money to have al-Jumaili's body taken from Syria for Iraqi burial. Talabani called al-Jumaili "one of Iraq's art icons for nearly a half-century [who] had a deep influence through his works in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, theater and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
."
Yahya al-Jaberi, the head of Damascus-based Iraqi Artists Syndicate, said of al-Jumaili, "His death is a big loss to Iraq and Iraqi theater." He called al-Jumaili and his work as part of Iraq's cultural tradition.