Quicknation    Sir Alec Guinness

Images of Sir Alec Guinness: G Y AOL AV MSN Books of Sir Alec Guinness: B

Sir Alec Guinness (April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000) was an Oscar winning English actor who became one of the most versatile and best-loved performers of his generation.

He was born in London, England, allegedly as , although what is written on his birth certificate, which reportedly lacked a father's name, is not known. His mother's maiden name was "Agnes Cuffe". She would later marry 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. It is rumoured that Guinness' birth father was a wealthy businessman whom he once met.

Guinness first worked writing copy for advertising before making his debut at the Old Vic Theatre in 1936 at the age of 22.

He married the artist, playwright, and actress Merula Salaman, a British Jew, in 1938, and they had a son, Matthew Guinness, an actor born in 1940.

Alec Guinness served in the Royal Navy throughout World War II, serving first as a seaman in 1941 and being commissioned the following year. While in the military Guinness for awhile planned on becoming an Anglican priest. He commanded a landing craft taking part in the invasion of Sicily and Elba and later ferried supplies to the Yugoslav partisans. During the War he appeared in Terence Rattigan's . He returned to the Old Vic in 1946.

He was initially mainly associated with the Ealing comedies, and particularly for playing eight different characters in . In 1952, director Ronald Neame cast Guinness in his first romantic lead role, opposite Petula Clark in .

Invited by his friend Tyrone Guthrie to join in the premier season of the Stratford Festival of Canada, Guinness lived for a brief time in Stratford, Ontario. On July 13, 1953, Guinness spoke the first lines of the first play produced by the festival (Shakespeare's Richard III): ", he and his wife converted to Roman Catholicism and became devout regular church-goers for the rest of their lives. It is not clear if their minor-aged son, Matthew (14), was also converted at the same time.

Guinness was also a talented dramatic and character actor. His memorable film appearances included . From the 1970s, Guinness made regular television appearances, including the part of George Smiley in the serialisations of two novels by John le Carré: trilogy brought him worldwide recognition to a new generation. Guinness agreed to do the part on the condition that he would not have to do publicity to promote the film. He was also one of the few cast members who believed that the film would be a box office hit and negotiated a percentage deal that made him very wealthy in later life. However, he was never happy with being identified with the part, and expressed great dismay at what he perceived to be the obsessive, out-of-touch-with-reality fan following the Star Wars fantasy attracted.

. He also received an Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievements in 1980.

He was appointed CBE in 1955, and was knighted in 1959. He became a Companion of Honour in 1994 at the age of 80.

He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1559 Vine Street.

Guinness wrote three volumes of bestselling autobiography, beginning with in 1999.

Guinness died on August 5, 2000 at the age of 86 from liver cancer, at Midhurst in West Sussex, and was interred in Petersfield, Hampshire, England. His widow died of cancer two months later and is interred with her husband of 62 years.