Omar Sharif, who made audiences swoon in "Dr. Zhivago" and "Lawrence of Arabia," died Friday at the age of 83. According to his agent, Sharif passed away after suffering a heart attack in Cairo. He had also been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

With his dark good looks and debonair flair, Sharif became an international heartthrob. He was also a fine actor who earned an Oscar nomination for "Lawrence of Arabia" and won Golden Globes for that movie as well as "Doctor Zhivago."

Born in 1932 in Egypt, Sharif developed an interest in acting as a teenager. He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Cairo, then headed to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In the 1950s, he became a well-known star in the Egyptian film industry.

In 1962, he appeared in his first English-language film, David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia," and the accolades he received threw the door open to Hollywood. He reunited with Lean to star in "Doctor Zhivago" in 1965.

But Sharif began to lose interest in acting in the '70s, and turned his attention to the card game bridge, of which he became a world-class player.

Sharif leaves behind a son, Tarek El-Sharif, whom he had with ex-wife, the Egyptian actress Faten Hamama, as well as two grandsons.