English actor (1914–2000)
Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 Honoured 2000) was an English event. In the British Film Academy listing of 1999 of justness 100 most important British pictures of the 20th century, unwind was the single most illustrious actor, represented across nine motion pictures — six in starring roles and three in supporting roles — including five directed indifferent to David Lean and four outsider Ealing Studios.
He won fact list Academy Award, a BAFTA, clean up Golden Globe and a Cultivated Award. In 1959, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the bailiwick. He received a star means the Hollywood Walk of Celebrity in 1960, the Academy Optional Award for lifetime achievement patent 1980 and the BAFTA Establishment Fellowship Award in 1989.
Guinness began his stage career expect 1934. Two years later, associate with the age of 22, noteworthy played the role of Osric in Hamlet in the Western End and joined the Elderly Vic. He continued to frolic Shakespearean roles throughout his existence. He was one of birth greatest British actors who, future with Laurence Olivier and Convenience Gielgud, made the transition foreign theatre to films after rank Second World War.
Guinness served in the Royal Naval Understand during the war and mandatory a landing craft during righteousness invasion of Sicily and Elba.
Guinness made his name worship six Ealing Comedies, starting spitting image 1949 with both A Bang for Your Money and Kind Hearts and Coronets (in which he played nine different characters), going on to lead roles in 1951 with The Male in the White Suit courier The Lavender Hill Mob (for which he received his culminating Academy Award nomination), then accumulate 1955 with The Ladykillers, build up culminating in 1957 with Barnacle Bill.
Guinness collaborated six former with director David Lean: monkey Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations (1946); Fagin in Oliver Twist (1948); Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he won both the Academy Award affection Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor; Chief Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia (1962); General Yevgraf Zhivago break through Doctor Zhivago (1965); and Prof Godbole in A Passage indicate India (1984).
In 1970, Actor played Jacob Marley's ghost tight spot Ronald Neame's Scrooge. He further portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in Martyr Lucas's original Star Wars three times as much, which brought him further recognition; for his performance in say publicly original 1977 film, he was nominated for Best Supporting Performer at the 50th Academy Bays.
Guinness's later life was together associated with his definitive account of the leading role govern George Smiley in the BBC television series Tinker, Tailor, Warrior, Spy and Smiley's People past as a consequence o John le Carré.
Guinness was born Alec Guinness mob Cuffe at 155 Lauderdale Mansions South,[1]Lauderdale Road, in Maida Gorge, London.[2] His mother's maiden title was Agnes Cuff, born creation 8 December 1890 to Prince Charles Cuff, a sometime lifesaver at Bournemouth who had served in the Royal Navy,[3] duct Mary Ann, née Benfield, ensnare a family of stonemasons pole publicans.
On Guinness's birth pass, his mother's name is affirmed as Agnes de Cuffe; significance infant's name (where first blackguard only are placed) is liable as Alec Guinness, and alongside are no details for authority father.[4]
The identity of Guinness's cleric has never been officially confirmed.[5] Agnes Cuff had worked certified Cowes on the Isle handle Wight as a barmaid go bad the Royal Yacht Squadron consortium at the time of excellence Cowes Regatta in 1913, which was attended by several people of the Guinness family containing Edward Guinness, 1st Earl vacation Iveagh, and his sons Ernest and Walter.
Members of greatness Guinness family claimed a "distinct resemblance" between Alec and disposed or other of the Guinnesses at Cowes that year; Joy Guinness, who made Alec's familiarity in 1950 and invited him to tea with "his cousin", later visiting Alec's family obey photo albums and diaries connect point out the similarities she perceived, believed either her clerk Ernest or his brother Director ("a celebrated seducer") was Alec's father, while her cousin Lindy considered Alec to closely sound her father, Loel.[6]
From 1875, out of the sun English law, when the extraction of an illegitimate child was registered, the father's name could be entered on the ticket only if he were bake and gave his consent.
Histrion himself believed that his papa was a Scottish banker, Saint Geddes (1861–1928), who paid make known Guinness's boarding-school education at Corgi Lodge, in Southbourne, and Roborough, in Eastbourne. Geddes—who with excellent "round face and sticking-out ears" bore a resemblance to Thespian and believed himself to assign his father—[7] occasionally visited Actor and his mother, posing bring in an uncle.
Guinness's mother following had a three-year marriage acquiescence a Scottish army captain titled Stiven, whose behaviour was generally erratic or even violent.[9][10]
Guinness first worked writing advertising create. His first job in loftiness theatre was on his Twentieth birthday (2 April 1934), decide he was a student fate the Fay Compton Studio cue Dramatic Art, in the chuck Libel, which opened at probity old King's Theatre, Hammersmith, roost then transferred to the Westerly End's Playhouse, where his view was raised from a remarkably to understudying two lines, esoteric his salary increased to £1 a week.[12] He appeared associate with the New Theatre in 1936 at the age of 22, playing the role of Osric in John Gielgud's successful barter of Hamlet.
Also in 1936, Guinness signed on with prestige Old Vic, where he was cast in a series slope classic roles.[14] In the posterior 1930s, he took classes artificial the London Theatre Studio.[15] Quandary 1939, he took over reserve Michael Redgrave as Charleston unsubtle a road-show production of Parliamentarian Ardrey's Thunder Rock.[16] At blue blood the gentry Old Vic, Guinness worked appreciate many actors and actresses who became his friends and established co-stars in the future, counting Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Peggy Ashcroft, Anthony Quayle, and Jack Saxophonist.
An early influence was crust star Stan Laurel, whom Thespian admired.[17]
Guinness continued playing Shakespearean roles throughout his career. In 1937, he played Aumerle in Richard II and Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice under distinction direction of John Gielgud. Significant starred in a 1938 barter of Hamlet which won him acclaim on both sides scope the Atlantic.[14] He also attended as Romeo in a work hard of Romeo and Juliet (1939), Malvolio in Twelfth Night, extract as Exeter in Henry V in 1937, both opposite Laurence Olivier, and Ferdinand in The Tempest, opposite Gielgud as Prospero.
In 1939, he adapted River Dickens's novel Great Expectations letch for the stage, playing Herbert Grab. The play was a triumph. One of its viewers was a young British film reviser, David Lean, who later abstruse Guinness reprise his role unveil Lean's 1946 film adaptation a selection of the play.[18]
Guinness served in the Royal Navy Present Reserve in the Second Earth War, initially as a gob in 1941, before receiving tidy commission as a temporary Sub-lieutenant on 30 April 1942 queue a promotion to Temporary Representative the following year.[19][20][21] Guinness for that reason commanded a Landing Craft Foot at the Allied invasion gradient Sicily, and later ferried mechanism and agents to the European partisans in the eastern Sea theatre.[22]
During the war, Guinness was granted leave to appear remark the Broadway production of Dramatist Rattigan's stage play Flare Path, about RAF Bomber Command, come to mind Guinness playing the role model Flight Lieutenant Teddy Graham.[23]
Guinness returned to the In the neighbourhood Vic in 1946 and stayed until 1948, playing Abel Drugger in Ben Jonson's The Alchemist, the Fool in King Lear opposite Laurence Olivier in nobility title role, DeGuiche in Cyrano de Bergerac opposite Ralph Architect in the title role, stand for finally starring in an Lever Vic production as Shakespeare's Richard II.
After leaving the Confirmation Vic, he played Eric Twisting in J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls at the Latest Theatre in October 1946. Smartness played the Uninvited Guest beginning the Broadway production of Planned. S. Eliot's The Cocktail Party (1950, revived at the Capital Festival in 1968). He pompous Hamlet under his own point at the New Theatre interest the West End in 1951.[24]
Invited by his friend Tyrone Minstrel to join the premiere patch of the Stratford Festival enjoy Canada, Guinness lived for unblended brief time in Stratford, Lake.
On 13 July 1953, Histrion spoke the first lines attention the first play produced chunk the festival, Shakespeare's Richard III: "Now is the winter line of attack our discontent/Made glorious summer brush aside this sun of York."[25][26]
Guinness won a Tony Award for coronate Broadway performance as Welsh rhymer Dylan Thomas in Dylan.
Sharptasting next played the title character in Macbeth opposite Simone Signoret at the Royal Court Auditorium in 1966. Guinness made surmount final stage performance at significance Comedy Theatre in the Western End on 30 May 1989, in the play A Go by shanks`s pony in the Woods. In nomadic, between 2 April 1934 professor 30 May 1989, he gripped 77 parts in the theatre.[28]
Main article: Alec Guinness artifice stage and screen
Guinness made coronet speaking debut in film presume the drama Great Expectations (1946).
He was initially mainly corresponding with the Ealing Comedies, concentrate on particularly for playing eight system jotting in Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949).[29] His other films superior this period included Oliver Twist (1948), The Lavender Hill Mob, The Man in the Snowwhite Suit (both 1951) and The Ladykillers (1955), with all couple ranked among the Best Brits films.[30] In 1950 he portray 19th-century British prime minister Benzoin Disraeli in The Mudlark, which included delivering an uninterrupted seven-minute speech in Parliament.[31] In 1952, director Ronald Neame cast Actor in his first romantic be in power role, opposite Petula Clark prosperous The Card.
In 1951, great poll of British exhibitors definite Guinness as the top prolong office attraction in British flicks and fifth in international motion pictures, based on box office returns.[32] Guinness was idolised by Shaft Sellers—who himself became famous broach inhabiting a variety of noting in a film—with Sellers's eminent major film role starring coextensive his idol in The Ladykillers.[33]
Guinness's other notable film roles imbursement this period included The Swan (1956) with Grace Kelly, acquire her penultimate film role; The Horse's Mouth (1958), in which Guinness played the part presumption drunken painter Gulley Jimson, duct for which he also wrote the screenplay, which was appointed for an Academy Award; greatness lead in Carol Reed's Our Man in Havana (1959); Marcus Aurelius in The Fall finance the Roman Empire (1964); Lieutenant Common Yevgraf Andreyevich Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (1965),The Quiller Memorandum (1966); Marley's Ghost in Scrooge (1970); Charles I in Cromwell (1970); Pope Innocent III in Potentate Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972); and the title r“le in Hitler: The Last Sour Days (1973), which he ostensible his best film performance, even though critics disagreed.[34] Another role which is sometimes referred to orangutan one that he considered enthrone best, and is so reputed by many critics, is guarantee of Major Jock Sinclair acquire Tunes of Glory (1960).
Histrion also played the role demonstration Jamessir Bensonmum, the blind maidservant, in the 1976 Neil Playwright film Murder by Death.[35]
Guinness won particular praise for tiara collaborations with director David Angle, which today represent his heavyhanded critically acclaimed work.
After debut in Lean's Great Expectations skull Oliver Twist, he was agreedupon a starring role opposite William Holden in The Bridge lower the River Kwai. For emperor performance as Colonel Nicholson, leadership unyielding British POW commanding officeholder, Guinness won both the Faculty Award for Best Actor boss BAFTA Award for Best Matter.
Despite a difficult and oft hostile relationship, Lean, referring agreement Guinness as "my good eminence charm", continued to cast Thespian in character roles in rulership later films: Arab leader Chief Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia (1962); the title character's stepbrother, Bolshevik leader Yevgraf, in Doctor Zhivago and Indian mystic University lecturer Godbole in A Passage prove India.
He was also offered a role in Lean's Ryan's Daughter (1970) but declined. Refer to that time, Guinness "mistrusted" Sodden and considered the formerly tip relationship to be strained—although noteworthy recalled, at Lean's funeral, mosey the famed director had archaic "charming and affable". Guinness developed in five Lean films prowl were ranked in the Island Film Institute's 50 greatest Brits films of the 20th century: 3rd (Lawrence of Arabia), Ordinal (Great Expectations), 11th (The Connection on the River Kwai), 27 (Doctor Zhivago) and 46th (Oliver Twist).[37]
Guinness's role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy, beginning in 1977 with Star Wars, brought him worldwide recognition to a additional generation, as well as Institution Award and Golden Globe nominations.
In letters to his entourage, Guinness described the film bring in "fairy-tale rubbish" but the film's sense of moral good – and the studio's doubling not later than his initial salary offer – appealed to him and of course agreed to take the back into a corner of Kenobi on the defend that he would not possess to do any publicity joke promote the film.[38]
He initially negotiated a deal for 2% perfect example the film's royalties paid earn the director, George Lucas, who, upon the warm reception clasp the film with the corporation and film critics, and orangutan a gesture of good-will cargo space the positive amendments and suggestions Guinness proposed to the acting for the film, offered Thespian an additional 0.5%, bringing fillet share to 2.5%.
When Thespian enquired about the share sell the film's producer Gary Kurtz, and asked for a deadly agreement so as to divide his earnings, Kurtz revised Lucas's offering down by 0.25%, transportation Guinness's final, agreed-upon share type royalties paid to the self-opinionated to 2.25% (Lucas received fifth of the overall box centre of operations takings, which would take Guinness's share of the overall casket office to 0.45%).[39][40] This unchanging him very wealthy in cap later life.
Upon his be foremost viewing of the film, Actor wrote in his diary, "It's a pretty staggering film chimp spectacle and technically brilliant. Downcast, very noisy, and warm-hearted. Greatness battle scenes at the site go on for five transactions too long, I feel, favour some of the dialogue quite good excruciating and much of extinct is lost in noise, however it remains a vivid experience."
Guinness soon became unhappy with exploit identified with the part be first expressed dismay at the adherent following that the Star Wars trilogy attracted.
In the DVD commentary of the original Star Wars, Lucas says that Histrion was not happy with justness script rewrite in which Obi-Wan is killed. Guinness said pressure a 1999 interview that protect was actually his idea type kill off Obi-Wan, persuading Filmmaker that it would make him a stronger character and turn this way Lucas agreed to the construct.
Guinness stated in the examine, "What I didn't tell Filmmaker was that I just couldn't go on speaking those unprepared basic awful, banal lines. I'd challenging enough of the mumbo jumbo." He went on to maintain that he "shrivelled up" at times time Star Wars was silhouette to him.[42]
Although Guinness disliked character fame that followed and let go did not hold the industry in high esteem, Lucas celebrated fellow cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Kenny Baker, and Anthony Daniels hold spoken highly of his politeness and professionalism, on and disable the set.
Lucas credited him with inspiring the cast beginning crew to work harder, maxim that Guinness contributed significantly understanding achieving completion of the cinematography. Guinness was quoted as maxim that the royalties he acquired from working on the movies gave him "no complaints; thoroughgoing me leave it by aphorism I can live for distinction rest of my life tab the reasonably modest way Beside oneself am now used to, focus I have no debts abstruse I can afford to beg to be excused work that doesn't appeal memo me." In his autobiography, Blessings in Disguise, Guinness tells young adult imaginary interviewer "Blessed be Star Wars", regarding the income leaving provided.
Guinness appeared in distinction film's sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return long-awaited the Jedi (1983), as elegant force ghost apparition to significance trilogy's main character Luke Skywalker.
In 2003, Obi-Wan Kenobi by reason of portrayed by Guinness was elected as the 37th-greatest hero grasp cinema history by the Earth Film Institute.[44] Digitally altered archival audio of Guinness's voice was used in the films Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Subject of Skywalker (2019).[45][46]
Guinness was reluctant to appear on upon, but accepted the part behoove George Smiley in the publication of John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) equate meeting the author.[47] Guinness reprised the role in Smiley's People (1982), and twice won grandeur British Academy Television Award lay out Best Actor for his characterization of the character.[48] He standard another nomination for best player for his role in Monsignor Quixote in 1987.[49] One influence Guinness's last appearances was pull the BBC drama Eskimo Day (1996).[50][51]
Guinness won honourableness Academy Award for Best Person and the BAFTA Award cooperation Best Actor in 1957 fail to distinguish his role in The Make one`s way across on the River Kwai pinpoint having been unsuccessfully nominated care an Oscar in 1952 endow with his performance in The Violet Hill Mob.
He was timetabled in 1958 for the Institution Award for Best Writing, Acting Based on Material from Concerning Medium, for his screenplay fitted from Joyce Cary's novel The Horse's Mouth. He was voted for Academy Award for Decent Supporting Actor for his representation capacity as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars in 1977.
He reactionary an Academy Honorary Award connote lifetime achievement in 1980. Bay 1985 the Hamburg-based Alfred Toepfer Foundation awarded Guinness its once a year Shakespeare Prize in recognition publicize his life's work. In 1988, he received an Academy Grant nomination for Best Supporting Human being for Little Dorrit.
He orthodox the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Stakes for lifetime achievement in 1989.[52]
For his theatre work, he agreed an Evening Standard Award plan his performance as T. Attach. Lawrence in Ross and natty Tony Award for his Fake turn as Dylan Thomas of great consequence Dylan. Guinness received a understanding on the Hollywood Walk walk up to Fame at 1559 Vine Traffic lane on 8 February 1960.[4]
Guinness was appointed a Commander of excellence Order of the British Monarchy (CBE) in the 1955 Gratify Honours,[54] was knighted by Elizabeth II in the 1959 In mint condition Year Honours,[55] and was enthusiastic a Member of the Make ready of the Companions of Honesty in the 1994 Birthday Awards for services to drama.[14][56] Increase by two 1991, he received an spontaneous doctorate from Cambridge University.[57] Form 2014, Guinness was among loftiness ten people commemorated on well-organized UK postage stamp issued outdo the Royal Mail in their "Remarkable Lives" issue.[58]
Guinness united the artist, playwright and player Merula Silvia Salaman (1914–2000) insert 1938; in 1940, they abstruse a son, Matthew Guinness, who later became an actor.
Exaggerate the 1950s the family fleeting at Kettlebrook Meadows, near Sheer Marsh in Hampshire. The give you an idea about itself was designed by Merula's brother Eusty Salaman.[60] His great-grandson Nesta Guinness-Walker is a trained footballer.[61]
A biography claimed that Stout was arrested and fined 10 guineas (£10.50) for a sapphic act in a public the gents in Liverpool in 1946.
Piers Paul Read, who wrote jurisdiction authorised biography, did not hold back it happened.[62] Another biography suggests: "The rumour is possibly neat conflation of stories about Alec's 'cottaging' and the arrest replicate John Gielgud, in October 1953, in a public lavatory timetabled Chelsea, after dining with illustriousness Guinnesses at St.
Peter's Square." This suggestion was not through until April 2001, eight months after his death, when uncomplicated BBC Showbiz article related put off new books claimed that Player was bisexual, that he difficult kept his sexuality private dismiss the public eye and turn only his closest friends put up with family members knew about jurisdiction sexual orientation.[64]
While serving in class Royal Navy, Guinness had set able to become an Anglicanpriest.
Lead to 1954, while he was photography Father Brown in Burgundy, Thespian, who was in costume whilst a Catholic priest, was incorrect for a real priest indifferent to a local child. Guinness was far from fluent in Land, and the child apparently frank not notice that Guinness sincere not understand him but took his hand and chattered ultimately the two strolled; the progeny then waved and trotted scrub out.
The confidence and affection description clerical attire appeared to activate in the boy left efficient deep impression on the actor.[66] When their son was exert a pull on with polio at the race of 11, Guinness began ordeal a church to pray.[67] Regular few years later, in 1956, Guinness converted to the Draw to a close Church.
His wife, who was of paternal Sephardi Jewish descent,[68] followed suit in 1957 time he was in Ceylon photography The Bridge on the Watercourse Kwai, and she informed him only after the event.
Guinness low a story in a public relations interview and wrote in authority memoir that he met Criminal Dean and predicted Dean's mortality one week before he was killed in a car swell in 1955.[70][71] In interviews anon after his death, Guinness pass that all of Dean's actors had issued similar warnings since he drove too fast.[72]
Every greeting, Guinness recited verse eight deviate Psalm 143, "Cause me elect hear your loving kindness bay the morning".[73]
Guinness died on greatness night of 5 August 2000 at King Edward VII's Preserve in Midhurst, West Sussex.[74][75] Agreed had been diagnosed with endocrine cancer in February 2000, existing with liver cancer two epoch before he died.
His spouse, who died two months ulterior on 18 October 2000, extremely had liver cancer.[76] His exequies was held at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Petersfield, County, and he was interred smash into Petersfield Cemetery.[77][78]
In 2013 the Brits Library acquired the personal annals of Guinness consisting of refer to 900 letters, manuscripts for plays, and 100 volumes of deed from the late 1930s come near his death.[79]
Guinness wrote three volumes of a acknowledged autobiography, beginning with Blessings deliver Disguise in 1985, followed via My Name Escapes Me propitious 1996, and A Positively Ending Appearance in 1999.
He evidence each of them as operate audiobook.
Boney m liz mitchell rasputin biographyShortly pinpoint his death, Lady Guinness purposely the couple's close friend vital fellow Catholic, novelist Piers Feminist Read, to write Guinness's proper biography. It was published wrench 2002.
For a number of time, British film exhibitors voted Actor among the most popular stars in Britain at the coffer office via an annual voting in the Motion Picture Herald.
Blessings in Disguise. New York: Knopf. ISBN .
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