1949
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Played multiple members of the D’Ascoyne family.
FLM.REDALEC
GUINNESS
อเล็ก กินเนสส์
From Ealing comedy to a galaxy far away
Alec Guinness brought a gift for transformation to stage and screen, including Obi-Wan Kenobi.
London, England
A career of transformations
Born in London on 2 April 1914, Alec Guinness built an extensive stage and screen career. His early film work with David Lean included adaptations of Charles Dickens before he became a familiar face in Ealing comedies.
Kind Hearts and Coronets offered a showcase for his ability to distinguish multiple characters within one film. His later collaboration with Lean on The Bridge on the River Kwai earned him an Academy Award for best actor.
In Star Wars, Guinness introduced Obi-Wan Kenobi to a new generation of viewers. His calm presence gave the mentor a sense of history within a large adventure. Guinness died on 5 August 2000.
Comedy, war drama and space fantasy
1957
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Won an Academy Award for playing Colonel Nicholson.
1977
Star Wars
Played the Jedi mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Performance readings are FLM.RED editorial interpretation.
Films in FLM.RED
Titles in this collection; not a complete filmography.
Sources & image notes
- British Film Institute: performances
- Golden Globes: biography
- Smith Rafael Film Center: career
- IMDb: Alec Guinness
Portrait illustration: FLM.RED.