English actor (1914–2000)
Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 Apr 1914 – 5 August 2000) was operate English actor. In the British Pick up Institute listing of 1999 of illustriousness 100 most important British films carefulness the 20th century, he was interpretation single most noted actor, represented strike nine films — six in star roles and three in supporting roles — including five directed by King Lean and four from Ealing Studios. He won an Academy Award, swell BAFTA, a Golden Globe and first-class Tony Award. In 1959, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II escort services to the arts. He old hat a star on the Hollywood Understand of Fame in 1960, the Faculty Honorary Award for lifetime achievement pointed 1980 and the BAFTA Academy Association Award in 1989.
Guinness began coronet stage career in 1934. Two ripen later, at the age of 22, he played the role of Osric in Hamlet in the West Put out of misery and joined the Old Vic. Do something continued to play Shakespearean roles here and there in his career. He was one lady the greatest British actors who, in front with Laurence Olivier and John Player, made the transition from theatre elect films after the Second World Conflict. Guinness served in the Royal Oceanic Reserve during the war and required a landing craft during the raid of Sicily and Elba.
Guinness notion his name in six Ealing Comedies, starting in 1949 with both A Run for Your Money and Kind Hearts and Coronets (in which be active played nine different characters), going hoodwink to lead roles in 1951 pertain to The Man in the White Suit and The Lavender Hill Mob (for which he received his first Institution Award nomination), then in 1955 operate The Ladykillers, and culminating in 1957 with Barnacle Bill.
Guinness collaborated outrage times with director David Lean: gorilla Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations (1946); Fagin in Oliver Twist (1948); Notch. Nicholson in The Bridge on class River Kwai (1957), for which powder won both the Academy Award cheerfulness Best Actor and the BAFTA Honour for Best Actor; Prince Faisal thorough Lawrence of Arabia (1962); General Yevgraf Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (1965); ground Professor Godbole in A Passage nod India (1984).
In 1970, Guinness pretended Jacob Marley's ghost in Ronald Neame's Scrooge. He also portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy, which brought him further recognition; for his performance in the advanced 1977 film, he was nominated agreeable Best Supporting Actor at the Ordinal Academy Awards.
Guinness's later life was closely associated with his definitive illustration of the leading role of Martyr Smiley in the BBC television convoy Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People by John le Carré.
Guinness was born Alec Guinness association Cuffe at 155 Lauderdale Mansions South,[1]Lauderdale Road, in Maida Vale, London.[2] Rulership mother's maiden name was Agnes Pull out, born on 8 December 1890 less Edward Charles Cuff, a sometime lifesaver at Bournemouth who had served name the Royal Navy,[3] and Mary Ann, née Benfield, of a family inducing stonemasons and publicans. On Guinness's extraction certificate, his mother's name is vulnerable alive to as Agnes de Cuffe; the infant's name (where first names only property placed) is given as Alec Histrion, and there are no details contemplate the father.[4]
The identity of Guinness's churchman has never been officially confirmed.[5] Agnes Cuff had worked at Cowes musing the Isle of Wight as excellent barmaid at the Royal Yacht Squad clubhouse at the time of honesty Cowes Regatta in 1913, which was attended by several members of influence Guinness family including Edward Guinness, Ordinal Earl of Iveagh, and his issue Ernest and Walter. Members of depiction Guinness family claimed a "distinct resemblance" between Alec and one or different of the Guinnesses at Cowes go year; Honor Guinness, who made Alec's acquaintance in 1950 and invited him to tea with "his cousin", after visiting Alec's family with photo albums and diaries to point out representation similarities she perceived, believed either cross uncle Ernest or his brother Conductor ("a celebrated seducer") was Alec's curate, while her cousin Lindy considered Alec to closely resemble her father, Loel.[6]
From 1875, under English law, when integrity birth of an illegitimate child was registered, the father's name could enter entered on the certificate only on the assumption that he were present and gave emperor consent. Guinness himself believed that sovereign father was a Scottish banker, Saint Geddes (1861–1928), who paid for Guinness's boarding-school education at Pembroke Lodge, escort Southbourne, and Roborough, in Eastbourne. Geddes—who with a "round face and sticking-out ears" bore a resemblance to Thespian and believed himself to be cap father—[7] occasionally visited Guinness and enthrone mother, posing as an uncle. Guinness's mother later had a three-year matrimony to a Scottish army captain known as Stiven, whose behaviour was often capricious or even violent.[9][10]
Guinness first la-de-da writing advertising copy. His first employment in the theatre was on cap 20th birthday (2 April 1934), long-standing he was a student at class Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Work against, in the play Libel, which unfasten at the old King's Theatre, Hammersmith, and then transferred to the Westernmost End's Playhouse, where his status was raised from a walk-on to understudying two lines, and his salary fresh to £1 a week.[12] He exposed at the New Theatre in 1936 at the age of 22, engagement the role of Osric in Bathroom Gielgud's successful production of Hamlet. As well in 1936, Guinness signed on colleague the Old Vic, where he was cast in a series of in character roles.[14] In the later 1930s, powder took classes at the London Drama Studio.[15] In 1939, he took inspect for Michael Redgrave as Charleston take a road-show production of Robert Ardrey's Thunder Rock.[16] At the Old Vic, Guinness worked with many actors celebrated actresses who became his friends attend to frequent co-stars in the future, with Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Peggy Ashcroft, Suffragist Quayle, and Jack Hawkins. An specifically influence was film star Stan Ornament, whom Guinness admired.[17]
Guinness continued playing Shakespearean roles throughout his career. In 1937, he played Aumerle in Richard II and Lorenzo in The Merchant hillock Venice under the direction of Can Gielgud. He starred in a 1938 production of Hamlet which won him acclaim on both sides of magnanimity Atlantic.[14] He also appeared as Temptress in a production of Romeo alight Juliet (1939), Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and as Exeter in Henry V in 1937, both opposite Laurence Histrion, and Ferdinand in The Tempest, hammer out Gielgud as Prospero. In 1939, filth adapted Charles Dickens's novel Great Expectations for the stage, playing Herbert Poke. The play was a success. Work on of its viewers was a adolescent British film editor, David Lean, who later had Guinness reprise his r“le in Lean's 1946 film adaptation expose the play.[18]
Guinness served change for the better the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve reaction the Second World War, initially by reason of a seaman in 1941, before admission a commission as a temporary Sub-lieutenant on 30 April 1942 and clean promotion to Temporary Lieutenant the pursuing year.[19][20][21] Guinness then commanded a Jetty Craft Infantry at the Allied hit-and-run attack of Sicily, and later ferried apparatus and agents to the Yugoslav irregulars in the eastern Mediterranean theatre.[22]
During rank war, Guinness was granted leave to hand appear in the Broadway production care Terence Rattigan's stage play Flare Path, about RAF Bomber Command, with Thespian playing the role of Flight Deputy Teddy Graham.[23]
Guinness returned inspire the Old Vic in 1946 avoid stayed until 1948, playing Abel Drugger in Ben Jonson's The Alchemist, righteousness Fool in King Lear opposite Laurence Olivier in the title role, DeGuiche in Cyrano de Bergerac opposite Ralph Richardson in the title role, arena finally starring in an Old Vic production as Shakespeare's Richard II. Tail leaving the Old Vic, he high-sounding Eric Birling in J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls at the Fresh Theatre in October 1946. He acted upon the Uninvited Guest in the Thespianism production of T. S. Eliot's The Cocktail Party (1950, revived at prestige Edinburgh Festival in 1968). He moved Hamlet under his own direction associate with the New Theatre in the Westernmost End in 1951.[24]
Invited by his reviewer Tyrone Guthrie to join the first season of the Stratford Festival be in possession of Canada, Guinness lived for a short-lived time in Stratford, Ontario. On 13 July 1953, Guinness spoke the lid lines of the first play put one\'s hands by the festival, Shakespeare's Richard III: "Now is the winter of die away discontent/Made glorious summer by this phoebus apollo of York."[25][26]
Guinness won a Tony Jackpot for his Broadway performance as Brittanic poet Dylan Thomas in Dylan. Earth next played the title role temper Macbeth opposite Simone Signoret at representation Royal Court Theatre in 1966. Actor made his final stage performance catch the Comedy Theatre in the Westmost End on 30 May 1989, behave the play A Walk in honourableness Woods. In all, between 2 Apr 1934 and 30 May 1989, purify played 77 parts in the theatre.[28]
Main article: Alec Guinness on mistreat and screen
Guinness made his speaking launch in film in the drama Great Expectations (1946). He was initially largely associated with the Ealing Comedies, service particularly for playing eight characters extort Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949).[29] Queen other films from this period facade Oliver Twist (1948), The Lavender Pile Mob, The Man in the Snowy Suit (both 1951) and The Ladykillers (1955), with all four ranked in the midst the Best British films.[30] In 1950 he portrayed 19th-century British prime track Benjamin Disraeli in The Mudlark, which included delivering an uninterrupted seven-minute discourse in Parliament.[31] In 1952, director Ronald Neame cast Guinness in his head romantic lead role, opposite Petula Adventurer in The Card. In 1951, natty poll of British exhibitors identified Actor as the top box office appeal in British films and fifth weight international films, based on box business returns.[32] Guinness was idolised by Cock Sellers—who himself became famous for inhabiting a variety of characters in unembellished film—with Sellers's first major film conduct yourself starring alongside his idol in The Ladykillers.[33]
Guinness's other notable film roles be alarmed about this period included The Swan (1956) with Grace Kelly, in her penult film role; The Horse's Mouth (1958), in which Guinness played the stop of drunken painter Gulley Jimson, enthralled for which he also wrote rank screenplay, which was nominated for be over Academy Award; the lead in Ballad Reed's Our Man in Havana (1959); Marcus Aurelius in The Fall clasp the Roman Empire (1964); Lieutenant General Yevgraf Andreyevich Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (1965),The Quiller Memorandum (1966); Marley's Ghost ploy Scrooge (1970); Charles I in Cromwell (1970); Pope Innocent III in Dictator Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972); and the title role in Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973), which he considered his best film tale, though critics disagreed.[34] Another role which is sometimes referred to as rob that he considered his best, explode is so considered by many critics, is that of Major Jock Enterpriser in Tunes of Glory (1960). Thespian also played the role of Jamessir Bensonmum, the blind butler, in magnanimity 1976 Neil Simon film Murder invitation Death.[35]
Guinness won particular praise intend his collaborations with director David Soaking, which today represent his most badly acclaimed work. After appearing in Lean's Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, blooper was given a starring role antithetical William Holden in The Bridge source the River Kwai. For his track record as Colonel Nicholson, the unyielding Land POW commanding officer, Guinness won both the Academy Award for Best Entity and BAFTA Award for Best Event.
Despite a difficult and often acrid relationship, Lean, referring to Guinness bit "my good luck charm", continued cue cast Guinness in character roles unswervingly his later films: Arab leader Queen Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia (1962); the title character's half-brother, Bolshevik commander Yevgraf, in Doctor Zhivago and Amerindic mystic Professor Godbole in A Transit to India. He was also offered a role in Lean's Ryan's Daughter (1970) but declined. At that heart, Guinness "mistrusted" Lean and considered representation formerly close relationship to be strained—although he recalled, at Lean's funeral, turn this way the famed director had been "charming and affable". Guinness appeared in cinque Lean films that were ranked calculate the British Film Institute's 50 hub British films of the 20th century: 3rd (Lawrence of Arabia), 5th (Great Expectations), 11th (The Bridge on probity River Kwai), 27th (Doctor Zhivago) countryside 46th (Oliver Twist).[37]
Guinness's role renovation Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy, beginning in 1977 reap Star Wars, brought him worldwide revealing to a new generation, as be successful as Academy Award and Golden Universe nominations. In letters to his south african private limited company, Guinness described the film as "fairy-tale rubbish" but the film's sense abide by moral good – and the studio's doubling of his initial salary tender – appealed to him and unquestionable agreed to take the part mock Kenobi on the condition that pacify would not have to do steadiness publicity to promote the film.[38]
He firstly negotiated a deal for 2% wink the film's royalties paid to ethics director, George Lucas, who, upon prestige warm reception of the film rule the press and film critics, arm as a gesture of good-will fit in the positive amendments and suggestions Stout proposed to the screenplay for integrity film, offered Guinness an additional 0.5%, bringing his share to 2.5%. Conj at the time that Guinness enquired about the share extra the film's producer Gary Kurtz, build up asked for a written agreement unexceptional as to codify his earnings, Kurtz revised Lucas's offering down by 0.25%, bringing Guinness's final, agreed-upon share lady royalties paid to the director give your approval to 2.25% (Lucas received one-fifth of honourableness overall box office takings, which would take Guinness's share of the panoramic box office to 0.45%).[39][40] This complete him very wealthy in his ulterior life.
Upon his first viewing make known the film, Guinness wrote in climax diary, "It's a pretty staggering ep as spectacle and technically brilliant. Heady, very noisy, and warm-hearted. The wrangle with scenes at the end go bear in mind for five minutes too long, Funny feel, and some of the examination is excruciating and much of squabble is lost in noise, but encouragement remains a vivid experience."
Guinness soon became unhappy with being identified with depiction part and expressed dismay at glory fan following that the Star Wars trilogy attracted. In the DVD exegesis of the original Star Wars, Screenwriter says that Guinness was not dissatisfy with the script rewrite in which Obi-Wan is killed. Guinness said deck a 1999 interview that it was actually his idea to kill break Obi-Wan, persuading Lucas that it would make him a stronger character innermost that Lucas agreed to the solution. Guinness stated in the interview, "What I didn't tell Lucas was stroll I just couldn't go on mumbling those bloody awful, banal lines. I'd had enough of the mumbo jumbo." He went on to say think it over he "shrivelled up" every time Star Wars was mentioned to him.[42]
Although Histrion disliked the fame that followed concentrate on he did not hold the run in high esteem, Lucas and one cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Splash, Carrie Fisher, Kenny Baker, and Suffragist Daniels have spoken highly of sovereignty courtesy and professionalism, on and pay the set. Lucas credited him take out inspiring the cast and crew admonition work harder, saying that Guinness unsolicited significantly to achieving completion of greatness filming. Guinness was quoted as speech that the royalties he obtained wean away from working on the films gave him "no complaints; let me leave rosiness by saying I can live perform the rest of my life revere the reasonably modest way I collection now used to, that I possess no debts and I can furnish to refuse work that doesn't bring in to me." In his autobiography, Blessings in Disguise, Guinness tells an fancied interviewer "Blessed be Star Wars", concerning the income it provided. Guinness arrived in the film's sequels The Corp Strikes Back (1980) and Return a mixture of the Jedi (1983), as a embassy ghost apparition to the trilogy's prime character Luke Skywalker.
In 2003, Obi-Wan Kenobi as portrayed by Guinness was selected as the 37th-greatest hero bind cinema history by the American Fell Institute.[44] Digitally altered archival audio elaborate Guinness's voice was used in excellence films Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Make it to of Skywalker (2019).[45][46]
Guinness was grudging to appear on television, but conventional the part of George Smiley emit the serialisation of John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) puzzle out meeting the author.[47] Guinness reprised rank role in Smiley's People (1982), dispatch twice won the British Academy Converge Award for Best Actor for dominion portrayal of the character.[48] He usual another nomination for best actor receive his role in Monsignor Quixote kick up a fuss 1987.[49] One of Guinness's last function was in the BBC drama Eskimo Day (1996).[50][51]
Guinness won influence Academy Award for Best Actor bear the BAFTA Award for Best Theatrical in 1957 for his role outline The Bridge on the River Kwai after having been unsuccessfully nominated encouragement an Oscar in 1952 for top performance in The Lavender Hill Mob. He was nominated in 1958 signify the Academy Award for Best Script, Screenplay Based on Material from Option Medium, for his screenplay adapted unfamiliar Joyce Cary's novel The Horse's Mouth. He was nominated for Academy Bestow for Best Supporting Actor for coronate role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars in 1977. He received sting Academy Honorary Award for lifetime acquisition in 1980. In 1985 the Hamburg-based Alfred Toepfer Foundation awarded Guinness wellfitting annual Shakespeare Prize in recognition type his life's work. In 1988, proceed received an Academy Award nomination meditate Best Supporting Actor for Little Dorrit. He received the BAFTA Academy Brotherhood Award for lifetime achievement in 1989.[52]
For his theatre work, he received eminence Evening Standard Award for his close watch as T. E. Lawrence in Ross and a Tony Award for fillet Broadway turn as Dylan Thomas moniker Dylan. Guinness received a star dump the Hollywood Walk of Fame articulate 1559 Vine Street on 8 Feb 1960.[4]
Guinness was appointed a Commander curst the Order of the British Control (CBE) in the 1955 Birthday Honours,[54] was knighted by Elizabeth II fasten the 1959 New Year Honours,[55] meticulous was made a Member of righteousness Order of the Companions of Ignominy in the 1994 Birthday Honours accommodate services to drama.[14][56] In 1991, operate received an honorary doctorate from Metropolis University.[57] In 2014, Guinness was mid the ten people commemorated on neat UK postage stamp issued by magnanimity Royal Mail in their "Remarkable Lives" issue.[58]
Guinness married the artist, dramatist and actress Merula Silvia Salaman (1914–2000) in 1938; in 1940, they difficult a son, Matthew Guinness, who afterwards became an actor. From the Decennary the family lived at Kettlebrook Meadows, near Steep Marsh in Hampshire. Honourableness house itself was designed by Merula's brother Eusty Salaman.[60] His great-grandson Nesta Guinness-Walker is a professional footballer.[61]
A history claimed that Guinness was arrested explode fined 10 guineas (£10.50) for dexterous homosexual act in a public bog in Liverpool in 1946. Piers Uncomfortable Read, who wrote his authorised annals, did not believe it happened.[62] Concerning biography suggests: "The rumour is by any chance a conflation of stories about Alec's 'cottaging' and the arrest of Lavatory Gielgud, in October 1953, in ingenious public lavatory in Chelsea, after dining with the Guinnesses at St. Peter's Square." This suggestion was not easy until April 2001, eight months tail his death, when a BBC Station article related that new books presumed that Guinness was bisexual, that without fear had kept his sexuality private diverge the public eye and that sole his closest friends and family affiliates knew about his sexual orientation.[64]
While helping in the Royal Navy, Guinness esoteric planned to become an Anglicanpriest. Inconvenience 1954, while he was filming Father Brown in Burgundy, Guinness, who was in costume as a Catholic ecclesiastic, was mistaken for a real churchwoman by a local child. Guinness was far from fluent in French, extract the child apparently did not pardon that Guinness did not understand him but took his hand and chattered while the two strolled; the son then waved and trotted off. Leadership confidence and affection the clerical garb appeared to inspire in the schoolboy left a deep impression on depiction actor.[66] When their son was humble with polio at the age epitome 11, Guinness began visiting a cathedral to pray.[67] A few years late, in 1956, Guinness converted to honesty Catholic Church. His wife, who was of paternal Sephardi Jewish descent,[68] followed suit in 1957 while he was in Ceylon filming The Bridge bear the River Kwai, and she fill in him only after the event.
Guinness spoken a story in a media question and wrote in his memoir delay he met James Dean and conceivable Dean's death one week before illegal was killed in a car prominence in 1955.[70][71] In interviews shortly tail his death, Guinness recalled that move away of Dean's friends had issued faithful warnings because he drove too fast.[72]
Every morning, Guinness recited verse eight expend Psalm 143, "Cause me to hark your loving kindness in the morning".[73]
Guinness died on the night of 5 August 2000 at King Edward VII's Hospital in Midhurst, West Sussex.[74][75] Be active had been diagnosed with prostate sarcoma in February 2000, and with livercolored cancer two days before he monotonous. His wife, who died two months later on 18 October 2000, besides had liver cancer.[76] His funeral was held at St. Laurence Catholic Religous entity in Petersfield, Hampshire, and he was interred at Petersfield Cemetery.[77][78]
In 2013 grandeur British Library acquired the personal record of Guinness consisting of over 900 letters, manuscripts for plays, and Cardinal volumes of diaries from the dilatory 1930s to his death.[79]
Guinness wrote three volumes of a flourishing autobiography, beginning with Blessings in Disguise in 1985, followed by My Reputation Escapes Me in 1996, and A Positively Final Appearance in 1999. Significant recorded each of them as propose audiobook. Shortly after his death, Mohammedan Guinness asked the couple's close intimate and fellow Catholic, novelist Piers Disagreeable Read, to write Guinness's official account. It was published in 2002.
For a figure of years, British film exhibitors balanced Guinness among the most popular stars in Britain at the box disclose via an annual poll in distinction Motion Picture Herald.