A superb tenor voice, like a silver trumpet muffled in silk.
An actor is at his best a kind of unfrocked priest who, for an hour or two, can call on heaven and hell to mesmerize a group of innocents.
An actor is totally vulnerable. His total personality is exposed to critical judgment - his intellect, his bearing, his diction, his whole appearance. In short, his ego.
Essentially, I'm a small-part actor who's been lucky enough to play leading roles for most of his life.
I don't know what else I could do but pretend to be an actor.
Who is more foolish? The fool or the fool that follows it?
At fourteen Alec was told, quite casually, that his real name was Guinness and that de Cuffe and Stiven were obliterated.
Alec brought a grace to the silver screen like few actors before or since. With his aristocratic gait and air of savoir fare, Sir Alec created a worldly array of memorable characters on the screen from British officers, to Arabian sheiks to Russian agents to otherworldy Jedi Knights to the most horrible butcher mankind has known. Although he left us, his legacy lives on in his art and the joy his performances continue to bring to us all.
While in the military, Alec commanded a landing craft taking part in the invasion of Sicily and Elba and later ferried supplies to the Yugoslav partisans.
Alec's wife, Merula Salaman, was a artist, playwright, and actress.
Alec's stepfather, a mentally ill soldier from the Anglo-Irish War who was suffering from what would today be known as Post-traumatic stress disorder.
On 1st October, 1946, in London, Alec played the part of "Eric Birling" in An Inspector Calls.
In 1999, Alec released his book A Positively Final Appearance.
In 1953, Alec played "Richard III" in Stratford Festival's tent theatre during its inaugural season.
Alec once sent a script back with a polite rejection. The writer came back with a "we tailored it just for you." He simply replied: "But no one came to take measurements."
Alec was considered for the role of "Hercule Poirot" in Murder on the Orient Express (1974).
Alec's great-grandson Otis Marlon Simeon Guinness-Walker was born in 1995.
Alec appeared with Kay Walsh in five different films: Oliver Twist (1948), Last Holiday (1950), The Horse's Mouth (1958), Tunes of Glory (1960) and Scrooge (1970).
Both Alec and his wife, Merula, converted to the Roman Catholic Church in the 1950's.
Harrison Ford said that Alec helped him find an apartment to stay at when he arrived in England to film the first Star Wars film.
One of Alec's last jobs was providing the voice (his first and only voice-over) for a cartoon character on a UK TV ad campaign by the Inland Revenue advising the public about the new tax return forms which were to be introduced. He said in his diary of the recording (made on 30th March 1995) "I did it feebly."
Alec's favourite hotel in London was the Connaught, in which he always stayed whenever visiting the city.
Though Alec often spoke critically of Star Wars, the three leads, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, have always spoken very fondly of him, praising him as being a very professional actor who was always respectful to the people he worked with.
Alec was the Grandfather of Sally Guinness.
Alec was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Special Award in 1989 (1988 season) for his outstanding contributions to West End Theatre.
Alec was a Grammy nominee in 1964, in the Spoken Word category, for the album Alec Guinness: A Personal Choice (RCA Victor Red Seal: 1964), on which he read a selection of his favorite poems.
Alec's films were studied by Ewan McGregor in preparation for his role as the young "Obi-Wan Kenobi" in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) to ensure accuracy in everything from his accent to the pacing of his words.
Alec made his final stage appearance at the Comedy Theatre in London on May 30 1989, in a production called A Walk in the Woods, where he played a Russian diplomat.
Alec was voted third in the Orange Film 2001 survey of greatest British film actors.
Alec was a fan of the television series Due South (1994).
Alec was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1955.
Alec was one of the last surviving members of a great generation of UK actors, which included Sir Laurence Olivier , Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson.
Alec only married once - it was to the love of his life, Merula Salaman from June, 1938 until his death in August, 2000.
In 1941, Alec entered the Royal navy as a seaman and was commissioned the next year.
Alec made his stage debut in 1934.
In 1958, Alec won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for: The Horse's Mouth (1958).
In 1950, Alec won the NBR Award for Best Actor for: Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949).
In 1988, Alec won the LAFCA Award for Best Supporting Actor for: Little Dorrit (1988).
In 1958, Alec won 2nd place for the Golden Laurel for Top Male Dramatic Performance for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
In 1968, Alec won the KCFCC Award for Best Supporting Actor for: The Comedians (1967).
In 1958, Alec won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
In 1989, Alec was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for: Little Dorrit (1988).
In 1987, Alec received a Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
In 1995, Alec won the Special Award at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
In 1960, Alec was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor (Lead or Support) for: The Wicked Scheme of Jebal Deeks (1959).
In 1980, Alec won the Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Best Actor for: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979).
In 1956, Alec was nominated for the BAFTA Film Award for Best British Actor for: The Prisoner (1955).
In 1960, Alec was nominated for the BAFTA Film Award for Best British Screenplay for: The Horse's Mouth (1958).
In 1980, Alec won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979).
In 1986, Alec was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for: Monsignor Quixote (1985).
In 1953, Alec was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for: The Lavender Hill Mob (1951).
In 1958, Alec won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
In 1978, Alec was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for: Star Wars (1977).
In 1989, Alec was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for: Little Dorrit (1988).
Alec's widow, Merula, died on October 17 2000, just two months after her husband.
Alec was 5' 10" (1.78 m) tall.
Alec disliked his role as "Obi-Wan Kenobi" in the Star Wars movies, and even claimed that he persuaded George Lucas to kill off the character as a way to limit his involvement in the films. He also claimed to have thrown away all of his Star Wars-related fan mail unopened.
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