
Sarhan was born in El Sharqiya, Egypt on 12 March 1925. He graduated from the "High Institute of Acting in Egypt" in 1947. In 1949, Sarhan acted in his first movie, Lahalibo. His rise to stardom was in 1951 when Youssef Chahine, a famous Egyptian film director, chose him for the lead role in the movie Ibn El-Nile "Son of the Nile".
Sarhan had earned the title "The young man of the screen". He received several awards throughout his career. President Gamal Abdel Nasser honored Sarhan with the Order of the Republic. In 1984, he received a Best Actor's award for his lead role, with Faten Hamama, in the movie Lelt El abd Ala Fatema "The Night of Fatima's Arrest". which was directed by Henry Barakat.
During the celebrations of the centennial of cinema, he was nominated by Egyptian critics as the best actor of the century in Egypt, having participated more than any other actor in The Greatest 100 Egyptian films.
Sarhan's last movie was El-Gablawi in 1991. He died in 1997.

Return of the Prodigal Son
1976 · as Tolba Mohamed Madbouly

Orphans' money
1952 · as Sami, son of Sheikh Saleh - سامي ابن الشيخ صالح

Son of Cleopatra
1964 · as Akro

Port Said
1957 · as فتحي

Return My Heart
1957 · as علي

Something in my Chest
1971 · as محمد أفندي السيد - ضيف شرف

Rayya and Sekina
1952 · as أمين

I Am Free
1959 · as عباس صفوت

The Sun Will Never Set
1961 · as Ahmed

Lady Aziza
1961 · as Ahmed - أحمد

Crime and Punishment
1957 · as أحمد حسني

Nadia
1949

البيوت اسرار
1971 · as ممدوح

The Second Wife
1967 · as Abu el Ela أبو العلا

The Three Troublemakers
1962 · as حسين

Saedat El Rigal
1960 · as أحمد

God Is on Our Side
1955 · as محسن

Women Can’t Lie
1954 · as Kamal