Samia Gamal was an Egyptian belly dancer and film actress. Gamal performed in more than 50 movies during her career. She is regarded as one of the most prominent Egyptian belly dancers in the golden era of Egyptian cinema.
After working as an extra in films such as The Determination, she became a leading lady in a number of Egyptian cinema classics, such as Red Lipstick, Lady Ghost, The Hawk, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Monster, The Second Man, and Sukkar Hanem. In 1949, she was made the National Dancer of Egypt by King Farouk. Gamal’s influence extended beyond the realms of Arabic cinema. She is credited with bringing belly dancing from Egypt to Hollywood and from there to the schools of Europe. In 1954, she starred as a belly dancer in the American film Valley of the Kings and the French film Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. She also appeared in the Italian film Hawk of the Nile.
Gamal officially retired from cinema in 1972. She returned briefly on stage in 1984 before devoting herself exclusively to dance until the early 1990s.