If Guinness been born a few decades later, his youthful imagination might have been fired instead by science fiction and movie serials and comic books and all the other pop cult flotsam that beguiled another lonely boy named George Lucas. His real father, he later believed, was a Scott… To study Alec Guinness’ work and his performance in Star Wars and then try and feel like I was the younger version of him. And to put up with it for over 20 years. Did you know that Sir Alec Guinness, the original actor who played Obi Wan Kenobi, actually hated the Star Wars franchise? He was honored with a knighthood in 1959, and an Academy Honorary Award in 1980. McGregor will be 50 years old when production starts in March. It made him richer than Croesus, of course — when George Lucas threw the actor 2 1/4 percent of the grosses as a come on, even the director had no idea what kind of payday was coming. He currently resides in London, England. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. That and the sword fights were pretty good fun to learn, as well. Sir Alec Guiness as Obi-Wan Kenobi, as drawn by famed illustrator Drew Struzan Sir Alec left us a bit more than 20 years ago, having passed away on August 5, 2000 at age 86. Other memorable films in which he performed include Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and Doctor Zhivago. Among his notable films are Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Horse’s Mouth, and Star Wars. It … The role of a lifetime made the actor rich -- and rueful, says Ty Burr. Alec Guinness influencing the weak-minded in Star Wars A short while ago, I wrote a blog post charting the uneasy relationship between Alec Guinness and Star Wars . Sir Alec Guinness died at age 86 of liver cancer on August 5, 2000. Help us. Occupation Star Wars set decorator Roger Christian has said that Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Sir Alec Guinness ‘held the production together’ when crew members began a … Phil Brown. Characters of Star Wars: The High Republic, How Wookieepedia treats Canon and Legends, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens voice actors, Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker voice actors, Anthony Daniels: Remembering That Galaxy Far, Far Away, 50 Things to Notice in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Alec Guinness was an English actor. Peter William Mayhew (May 19, 1944 – April 30, 2019) was an English-American actor, best known for portraying Chewbacca in the Star Wars film series. According to playwright Neil Simon, Alec was reading the script for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) while on set filming Murder by Death (1976) and commented that Star Wars may be a “good one”. In one particularly fiendish — and, okay, extremely funny — incident (related in the last of his three autobiographies), Guinness was approached by a young boy who begged for his autograph, claiming to have seen ”Star Wars” countless times. Guinness said one of the letters read. Born on April 2, 1914, in London, Guinness began his theater career when he was 20 years old, while still a drama student. By Cooper Hood Published Dec 02, 2019 After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including The Ladykillers and Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played nine different characters. WARNING: The following contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.. Ahsoka Tano's much-anticipated big screen debut finally happens in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.Directed by J.J. Abrams, Episode IX is the final film in the Skywalker saga, serving as the culmination of everything that has transpired in the space opera.Abrams was tasked with tying all … He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in the 1957 film, The Bridge on the River Kwai. Sep 9, 2013 - Explore All Things Star Wars's board "Alec Guinness", followed by 1898 people on Pinterest. Here are all the reasons why. Biographical information He played the character in all of his live-action appearances from the 1977 original to 2015's The Force Awakens before his retirement from the role. If we assume each actor portrayed a character of exactly his own age, that implies a gap of 29 years -- which is close to Mark Hamill's age of 26 when Episode IV was released. Alec Guinness was great as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977, but he hated filming the movie. He has a career that spans over 50 years, and to be mostly remembered for only Star Wars by the MTV Generation probably rubs him the wrong way. Alec Guinness was 63 when Star Wars was released in 1977 (and would have been slightly younger during filming). Alec Guinness added gravitas and a sly wink to "Star Wars" as the Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, seen here in a light-saber duel to the death with Darth Vader. The legendary actor was 62 years old during the production of A New Hope. Kenobi was played by Sir Alec Guinness, who was not only a great actor but also a World War II hero. ”Twenty years ago, when it was first shown, [”Star Wars”] had a freshness, also a sense of moral good and fun. Alec Guinness, Actor: Star Wars. Based on some estimates regarding Rogue One's place in the Star Wars timeline, that puts the Obi-Wan show right smack in the middle of Sith and New Hope. This article or section is in need of referencing per Wookieepedia's sourcing guidelines. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Alec Guinness, 1938. Died Alec Guinness famously disdained the Star Wars series, but fans still love him as Obi-Wan Kenobi anyway. All the Star Wars orders – the best order to watch the movies and shows in. Well, he was of his generation, and of his country, and of a theatrical tradition stretching back centuries. You're my only hope. [3], Edited audio of Guinness saying the word "afraid" was used for Obi-Wan to say "Rey" in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens.[4]. Guinness whose roles in a 66-year career ranged from Hamlet to Obi-Wan Kenobi in 'Star Wars,' has died at age 86, a hospital spokesman said Monday, August 7, 2000. [Source]. Ewan McGregor was 34 when Episode III was released. What if you played a crucial part in one of the defining phenomena of modern pop culture — and came to regret it intensely? Sir Alec agreed, on one condition — that the boy never, ever watch the film again. Distinguished actor who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars installments. Born The great British thespian passed away at the age of 86 in 2000. English No, I think the real reason he resisted the Force unto death may be that, as an actor, he prided himself on his facelessness — on his chameleonic ability to assume, with or without the aid of wigs, funny teeth, and fake noses, the personality of anyone he chose. You might remember Phil Brown as Uncle Owen, Luke’s reluctant guardian who runs a moisture farm on Tatooine. 20 bloody years! Guinness honed his acting chops at London’s Old Vic Theatre in the 1930s, apprenticing under John Gielgud and playing Hamlet at the tender age of 24. But as ”Star Wars” quickly turned into a hit, then a megahit, then a defining line in the cultural sand, Guinness found himself the object of a very different kind of affection than he was used to. Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition, Boss Nass Warned George Lucas about Jar Jar Binks (Brian Blessed Interview), https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Alec_Guinness?oldid=9968374. Sir Alec Guinness ( April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000) was an English actor who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy . Remove this notice when finished. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The film earned him an Oscar nomination and an awful lot of money, but Guinness had doubts about it even during the shooting, and in later years he came to despise it. But on the whole, Guinness seemed annoyed by the whole idea of George Lucas’ space opera. And on 5th August 2000, at the age of 86, the brilliant star passed away. The discomfiting little not so secret about Guinness’ appearance in ”Star Wars” was that he went into the job expecting it to be another genre quickie and was stunned and dismayed when it became the touchstone film experience for an entire generation. Also, he was kind of terrible at remembering people’s names. The kid burst into tears, the kid’s mother called Guinness a nasty man, and one clearly envisions the actor leaving the encounter with a quietly satisfied smile playing about his lips. This article needs appropriate citations. May the Force roll on without you. And Guinness blinked — and kept blinking for the rest of his life. But it has led to a worldwide taste for a fantasy world of secondhand, childish banalities.” He won’t get any arguments from me there. This article or section is in need of referencing per Wookieepedia's, This article needs appropriate citations. Besides his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Guinness won acclaim for many roles on live theater, television, and film, including his Academy Award-winning role as Lt. Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai. While he appeared in lots of films over the years and won many awards, he is best known as having played Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. Wookieepedia is a FANDOM Movies Community. Actor Alec Guinness, British actor famous for the variety and excellence of his stage and screen characterizations. An interview with Star Wars legend, Alex Guinness, from over 35 years ago has revealed that the film’s producers actually screwed him out of a deal that was worth millions upon millions of … Was the man a snob? Who knows? In 1973, he had a role as Adolf Hitler in Hitler: The Last Ten Days, which also starred Star Wars actors Julian Glover and Kenneth Colley, and he had a prominent role in Lawrence of Arabia as Prince Feisal. Offers may be subject to change without notice. That, apparently, was the fate of Sir Alec Guinness, who died on Saturday at 86 — an actor who to your parents was the shape shifting soul of classic British comedy and/ or a dramatic, Oscar winning actor of unparalleled subtlety but who to anyone 40 and under was simply… Obi Wan Kenobi. He begged Lucas to kill Ben Kenobi off for good, later confessing ”I just couldn’t go on speaking those bloody awful lines. Sir Alec Guinness hated being remembered as ''Star Wars''' Jedi Knight. Rest in peace, Sir Alec. With more Star Wars than ever on our screens, we investigate the best way of tackling the sprawling franchise. I’d had enough of the mumbo jumbo.” He returned all ”Star Wars” related fan mail unopened, grousing that American fans enclosed return envelopes stamped with U.S. postage useless in England. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Besides his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Guinness won acclaim for many roles on live theater, television, and film, including his Academy Award-winning role as Lt. Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai. While dishing on the series, McGregor discussed how he is now much closer in age to Alec Guinness in the original Star Wars movie in 1977. Thanks, especially, to the re-release of Star Wars in the 90s, Alec Guinness and his estate have earned more than $95 million from Star Wars. Sir Alec Guinness, the man whose name is synonymous with that of Star Wars Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, would have been 107 years old today. Guinness was the most unassuming of the British theater knights, the blandest of all major stars. He intentionally used that blandness as an empty canvas on which to paint. Alec Guinness Alec Guinness was born in Maida Vale, London on 2nd April 1914 to Agnes Cuff and Andrew Geddes. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Career For a third, it was largely inarticulate — the starry eyed appreciation of kids who’d just seen the greatest comic book ever made. An old Alec Guinness interview has surfaced in which the Obi-Wan Kenobi actor discussed seeing Star Wars in theaters for the first time. The circumstances of Guinness’ birth in 1914 were scandalous: His mother, Agnes Cuff—perhaps in an attempt to give her illegitimate son some semblance of social acceptability—listed his name on his birth certificate as Alec Guinness de Cuffe. Back in August, Lucasfilm officially confirmed their worst-kept secret: the … August 5, 2000, Sussex, England[2] When asked what it was that drew him to acting, Guinness was fond of telling interviewers, “One became an actor to escape from oneself.” That Guinness might have a deep-seated need to escape was understandable. During his career, he won numerous prestigious accolades like a Golden Globe. Every RuPaul's Drag Race season 13 runway look, ranked, Spread the love with EW's Valentine's Day gift guide, The Masked Dancer revealed: Every unmasked celebrity on season 1. Can't really blame Alec Guinness' sometimes spiteful reaction to Star Wars. Alec Guinness (born April 2, 1914) is famous for being movie actor. Alec Guinness Alec Guinness autographs for sale | Obi Wan Kenobi Star Wars Sir Alec Guinness, (born 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. Help us improve this article by referencing valid resource material. Nationality And then George Lucas went and tagged the face of Obi Wan Kenobi on the canvas in indelible Day-glo. Sir Alec Guinness hated being remembered as ”Star Wars”’ Jedi Knight What if you played a crucial part in one of the defining phenomena of modern pop culture — and came to regret it intensely? Sir Alec Guinness (April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000) was an English actor who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original trilogy. As of today, Ewan McGregor is 48. LONDON — Sir Alec Guinness, a Shakespearean actor who was knighted after his role in "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and was introduced to a new generation of fans as a wise Jedi knight in "Star Wars," has died at age 86. 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