Alec guinness

There seems to be no end to the senseless wickedness done on this little planet in a minor solar system, and we puny mortals appear to be decreasing in importance so far as the universe is concerned.

Styling is designing for obsolescence.

An Actor is an interpreter of other men's words, often a soul which wishes to reveal itself to the world but dare not, a craftsman, a bag of tricks, a vanity bag, a cool observer of mankind, a child and 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.

Essentially, I'm a small-part actor who's been lucky enough to play leading roles for most of his life.

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.

A person who is keen to shake your hand usually has something up his sleeve.

I shrivel up every time someone mentions Star Wars to me.

A superb tenor voice, like a silver trumpet muffled in silk.

All creative people hate mathematics. It's the most uncreative subject you can study.

Young men make wars, and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage, and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution.

The applause of all but very good men is no more than the precise measure of their possible hostility.

Much of the day I have busied myself making notes on the small parts in Shakespeare, often nameless, which are rewarding to the actor if only he'll not dismiss them as beneath his dignity. If I can work it up into a talk I might call it, 'Only a cough and a spit ' -the phrase so often used by actors to explain away a lack of opportunity.

I never knew how good it is to be unknown until now. The last time I was unknown I was too busy trying to become known to realize the advantages of obscurity.

Best performance of the year: Aston Villa v. Milan, September 1994

I don't know what else I could do but pretend to be an actor.

We live in an age of apologies. Apologies, fake or true, are expected from the descendants of empire builders, slave owners and persecutors of heretics, and from men who -in our eyes- just got it all wrong. So, with the age of 85 coming up shortly, I want to make an apology. It appears I must apologize for being male, white, and European.

My contribution to film has always been negligible.

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.

Failure has a thousand explanations. Success doesn't need one.

That's no moon. It's a space station.

Author details

Alec Guinness: Biography and Life Work

Alec Guinness was a notable Actor. The story of Alec Guinness began on 2 April 1914 in Maida Vale, London, England. The legacy of Alec Guinness continues today, following their passing on 5 August 2000 in Midhurst, West Sussex, England.

Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe ; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI listing of the 100 most important British films of the 20th century, he was the single most noted actor, represented across nine films—six in starring roles and three in supporting roles—including five directed by David Lean and four from Ealing Studios . He won an Academy Award , a BAFTA , a Golden Globe , a Tony Award and a Volpi Cup . In 1959, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, the Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievement in 1980 and the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award in 1989.

Legacy and Personal Influence

Personally, Alec Guinness was married to Merula Salaman.

Philosophical Views and Reflections

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 new generation, as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. In letters to his friends, Guinness described the film as "fairy-tale rubbish" but the film's sense of moral good—and the studio's doubling of his initial salary offer—appealed to him and he agreed to take the part of Kenobi on the condition that he would not have to do any publicity to promote the film.

Guinness wrote three volumes of a best-selling autobiography, beginning with Blessings in Disguise in 1985, followed by My Name Escapes Me in 1996, and A Positively Final Appearance in 1999. He recorded each of them as an audiobook. Shortly after his death, Lady Guinness asked the couple's close friend and fellow Catholic, novelist Piers Paul Read , to write Guinness's official biography. It was published in 2003.

EQ
Empery Quotes
Inspire · Reflect · Repeat