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Thursday, 17 August, 2000, 11:16 GMT 12:16 UK
Sir Alec Guinness - Your memories and tributes
The world of showbusiness is paying tribute to one of Britain's best loved and most respected screen and stage actors, Sir Alec Guinness, who has died at the age of 86.Disclaimer: The BBC will put up as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.
During a career that spanned six decades he made more than seventy films, starring in such classics as Great Expectations, Bridge over the River Kwai and Star Wars.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Alec some time ago in London following his version of a Walk in the Woods. What a wonderful experience for someone like me, not in show business. As fine an actor as he is, I found him to be it was truly fine to have him look me in the eye in such a friendly manner and say thank you for my admiration of is efforts. Once again, I say bravo to you Sir, and with glad sadness I remember that night.
Jeremy Sharp, Canada
He was about the Best British along with Larry Oliver and the World will miss him dearly.
Tristan and Sylvia, UK
Sir Alec Guinness - smart , dignified, and
truly a most captivating stage performer.
I would have liked to have seen him in the role of brother Cadfael.
Much as I respect and enjoy Derek Jacobi's performance, the character is somewhat removed from that of the books and I feel that Sir Alec would have been a better match to the written character.
He was especially kind to me over this last year, it is said he was not signing anymore, even he in his own books says so. But he must have signed twenty five or more items on separate occasions. Even two half weeks before he passed away he signed three small photos and four theatre programmes of his past plays, he also told me he was far from well, but never did I realise how ill he must have been he was thinking of his fans right to the last.
Sylvia Dry, England
Isn't it strange. It's a long time since I thought about Sir Alec Guinness. But now that he's dead, I feel as if I have lost a close friend.
Sir Alec´s death has saddened me greatly. I bow my head in reverence to one of the greatest actors of the 20th century.
"The Bridge on the River Kwai" which was my first introduction to Sir Alec, "Lawrence of Arabia", "A Passage to India"... His brilliant performances have left a strong impression on my mind. Thank you Sir Alec for giving me wonderful moments of happiness.
Sir Alec Guinness was a very kind man. I owe him so much. He loved his acting and the day he passed on was the day we lost the best actor in the world. He will be sorely missed by both me, and anyone else who loves great acting.
I have always enjoyed Sir Alex's fine acting, and I (for one) enjoyed the fact that he make good science fiction legitimate.
He will be missed.
Doreen Jenkins, Wales
I adored Sir Alec as an actor, but it disturbs me that he was so rude to the fans of Obi-Wan Kenobe in Star Wars. If he did the part and took the large fortune it made him, how could he be so cold to the fans that wanted to thank him for his wonderful performance? It seems to me that he was very haughty and cold towards the fans that made him rich. He was also riveting as George Smiley in the John Le Carre TV series.
And, as with Gielgud and Olivier, the loss of another Great Briton again causes me to reflect with disappointment on the trend away from acting - and scriptwriting for that matter - as an art. Sir Alec lived and worked in an era during which ars gratia artis was worthy of something more than lip service. (How many movie-goers today could explain the difference between "actor" and "movie star")?
Paul Meehan, USA
This man was an ACTOR, who would bring to life the person he was playing.
It's very hard to choose a favourite, as Alec Guinness was
an extremely talented actor. Diverse too. He will be remembered for the many brilliant Ealing comedies and the dramatic. The Bridge on the River Kwai, Star Wars, The Man in the White Suit, the Lavender hill Mob, the Lady Killers, shows range and depth.
All different. All good.
His role in Last Holiday was my favourite - one of his many moving roles. Britain has produced a ton of great screen actors, but Alec Guinness was the finest of them all. Nevertheless, don't be too despondent, we still have Anthony Hopkins, Tim Roth, Ralph Fiennes, and countless others. Thanks to the inspiration of greats like Sir Alec, the river will never run dry.
What a great loss for humanity. An actor and a great gentleman are gone. He was owned by the world, not only the Brits. His kind of actor is almost nonexistent nowadays. I pray for his soul.
I had the wonderful luck of meeting Mr. Guinness while he was filming Monsignor Quixote, in León, my hometown in Spain. It was in May, 1985 and I went to San Marcos hotel one night to visit him. I was a seventeen-year-old boy and he was extremely nice with me. He invited me to the making of the film and I have the greatest memories of him. I feel very sad of not meeting him again after that. I will never forget you.
Sunny Chia Bart Por, Singapore
Now that Alec Guinness has died, he will "become more powerful than we can possible imagine".
PLEASE will the BBC issue a video of the wonderful Michael Parkinson interview with Sir Alec, which we were lucky enough to catch on TV the night the death was announced; it captured the many facets of Guinness as nothing else could.
Katie Withers, England
6 billion people on this planet, but only one Sir Alec Guinness. Rest in peace sir, rest in peace.
It is very difficult to say which role we liked best from "The Bridge over the River Kwai" to "Smiley's People" and all the many films in between. An actor you couldn't see too often.
When I first came across the figure of "George Smiley" in the Le Carré novels, I immediately thought that Alec Guinness WAS George Smiley. Apparently, so did Le Carré himself. Guinness had this rare talent of impersonating a "persona" and of going straight to its essence at the same time: the hallmark of both great actors and great spies.
To say that Sir Alec's death is a great personal loss to me and millions of others around the world is an understatement. Although he played many different film roles, there was a consistent thread that drew the audience to him. It was his humanity, vulnerability, and an "everyman" quality that showed through many roles. We were drawn to him by a talent that made every one of his film roles real to us. It was not Sir Alec playing a part on the screen, it was someone we knew, identified with, and cared for. Such actors so rare indeed.
I remember as a young boy in Petersfield seeing Sir Alec at the railway station on Sunday mornings after church and thinking what a remarkable and anonymous person he was. He never came across as the big movie star. I have seen every movie he has made with the exception of Star Wars and consider him one of the greatest actors of all time.
He appealed to my generation and to my son's. With his ability to portray the character and not Alec Guinness, whether it be in a comedy (The Lady Killers) or as a very bitter colonel (Tunes of Glory).
We will sadly miss him.
Olivier, Gielgud and Guinness - the three greatest actors of my lifetime. I consider Sir Alec's greatest role was in "Bridge over the River Kwai". We will never see acting greatness like his again.
Gawain Williams, Wales
Sir Alec Guinness is the prototype of British gentleman. He was a combination of talent, kindness and intelligence.
I hope he won't only be remembered as Obi Wan Kenobi.
He deserves much more respect.
As an actor, he was definitely the best. But, unlike most actors, he was also an extremely interesting person. I very much regret not having been able to meet him personally (although I tried). And last, I think it very unfair to make emphasis on his role as Obi Wan Kenobi. Unfortunately I could not see him on stage, but, when it comes to films, he was much greater in other roles, such as King Charles in Cromwell. Smiley or the colonel in the Bridge over the Kwai River (and all the Ealing films). I will always remember Alec Guinness!
Alex V.M., USA
Sir Alec inspired me to do many valuable things, it was after reading 'My Name Escapes me' that I ventured into the novels of Dickens and the works of John Ruskin. His books, apart from being hilarious and informative accounts of a distinguished acting career, also offer a cultural and historical education, and more importantly they offer an education in kindness and compassion. What a wonderful actor and human being - I can safely say that the world seemed a better place with Sir Alec in it.
Goodnight and God bless Sir Alec, we shall never see the likes of you again.
Unfortunately I first made the acquaintance of Sir Alec in Star Wars at the tender age of 6, not knowing or understanding his career before that film. Since then, I have come to know him very well through his films and it is to him I owe thanks, for he gave me a new direction to take my performance of Macbeth this past fall. Goodnight sweet Prince, the theatre marquis in London are dimmer now due to your loss.
"Lawrence of Arabia" and his work in it was one of the defining moments of my youth. Thank-you, Sir Guinness, for giving me a life full of the love for movies.
The silencing of his great voice - as an actor and a writer - moves me to tears. At the beginning of this summer I slowly read his final book - enjoying every word, every phrase. His reflections on acting, politics, and life in general were full of wit and charm. As an actor, he was a shape-shifter, giving his entire being to the role. His loss is a blow to the theatre; we have lost the classic representation of an entire era.
Peter Hannon, Germany
Who can ever forget those bulging eyes and insane smile as he asks the lady at the door in the "Ladykillers"; "I believe you have rooms to rent".
He was an incredibly strong and convincing actor - someone to look up to.
I remember being distinctly captivated by Guinness the actor back in the early 50's. There was a theatre in Gainesville which showed foreign films, among which were the Ealing comedies. My sister had been coerced into babysitting me but wanted to see the "Lavender Hill Mob" with her boyfriend. I was promised a box of Heath bars all to myself if I sat there and let them watch unimpeded. As things turned out, I was the one mesmerised, they ate all the Heaths and I became a hopeless Guinness fan at the tender age of 6. 48 years later it's hard to say goodbye.
Sleep in peace, your memory will live on forever.
With his death, Britain has lost one of its 20th century cultural icons.
Ron Oliver, USA
A wonderful actor, Obi Wan will never be the same without him.
I took notice of Sir Alec Guinness in "Star Wars" and admired him instantly. He is one of the few English actors who attained international status without doing films from Hollywood. He is truly the one who kept the British cinema alive.
Of all the films I have seen Sir Alec Guinness in, there is not a single one I didn't loved. It is sad to lose such a great actor; he always (even in comedy) brought class to the film.
May you rest in peace Sir Alec and my deepest regret and sympathy to your family.
You only have to watch "Kind Hearts and Coronets" to realise the huge influence he had over another genius Peter Sellers. Britain has lost quite possibly its finest character actor.
Sir Alec Guinness made it worthwhile for me to attend the cinema. It was wonderful to watch this great actor enter into each and every one of his roles with such tremendous intelligence and understanding.
Patrick Cooper, Ireland
At the ceremony where he received Broadway's 1964 Best Actor "Tony" award for his amazing performance in the play "Dylan", Sir Alec approached Richard Burton (who had been nominated for Hamlet, but lost) and asked Burton if he wanted the award - an act of graciousness and humility from one so very deserving and talented. I am an acting teacher, and I always recommend all of Sir Alec's film performances - the often recognised ones as well as others like Disraeli in "The Mudlark", Gully Jimson in "The Horse's Mouth" and Jim Wormold in "Our Man in Havana". He never gave a bad performance.
A great actor passed away but we always remember him as a good person and a talented man!
Rest in Peace Sir Alec Guinness
I agree with Tony White UK, old England is gradually fading away.
Not only first class actors, but Richardson, Gielgud, Olivier and Sir
Alec were first class gentlemen too. I will always remember Sir Alec for his role as Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations, written by another first class Englishman. It will take the new stars, such as Vinnie Jones, a long while to even walk in the same sun as these men.
Simply, the greatest.
After reading all these tributes, what can I say?
I hope the Captain has now found his Paradise.
Juan Carlos Fauvety, Argentina
I just want to say that his Character Obi Wan- Kenobi has been a great guidance in my life! I know he didn't like playing him in the Star Wars Films, which truly breaks my heart to hear that. The Jedi Force is with him always. His body is gone now, but his Blue Jedi Spirit will be with us all because he has now become ONE WITH THE FORCE! I Love you Ben, and thank you for being such a Magical and Spiritual teacher for me! I will always stay in the Light Side of life because of you and Yoda.
What a marvellous actor the world has lost. I have watched him over the years and we have lost just about the best. Thank you Sir Alec.
Anthony J. Saxon USA
Sir Alec Guinness was my favourite actor of all time, beginning with his earliest films.
I am sad, but oh so happy to have been lucky enough to have seen him perform.
My best wishes go his family and friends.
You - your faith and your talent, in particular - will be missed.
Sir Alec Guinness was one of my favourite actors. I still watch his old movies over and over again. There will not be any actor that can take his pace. Mr. Guinness was able to take on a variety of roles that no other actor can do. He will be greatly missed.
Sir Alec will always be remembered as the personification of the British gentleman with a delightful sense of humour.
I first saw him in art theatre films, The Man in the White Suite and The Lavender Hill Mob. From those films on through the 50's and 60's to his last, I made a point to see his roles, even if the film was bad, which they never were. If Sir Alec was in it - it had to be excellent.
Brian Paul Bach, USA
A terrible lost - he was a fine gentleman and a great actor. May the force be with you for ever, Sir Alec.
Without him there wouldn't have been a Peter Sellers.
Chloe Watson, USA
What a great loss! He was a workingman's actor. Somebody, that you could easily relate to.
I saw him in a pub near Kew Bridge once, I think he lived nearby, and I said hello. He was almost embarrassed that I recognised him.
I worked at the Royal Court Theatre in the Sixties and saw Sir Alec perform "Exit The King" night after night. He was marvellous, except on the last night when his timing was out and he was relieved to be finishing. Did anyone else see the performance?
I'll miss this magic actor: the "Quiet Man" in a volatile industry. Such a talent! My memories of him centre on his Ealing comedies but his talents extended far beyond those gems. Thanks for the memories Sir Alec. My condolences to his widow and son.
I gasped when I read the news of Sir Alec's death. He, like many of his acting generation was knighted in recognition for his contribution to the arts but for many of us he was a King of his art.
I still cannot believe it - it's so very, very sad.
Gordon Pullar, UK
He will always be Obi-Wan Kenobi to me. I know he wouldn't like to hear this but it's thanks to "Star Wars" he was known to the youth.
Rest in Peace Sir Alec Guinness.
He was so good; they named a drink after him!
I notice in his obituary that he also had a distinguished military career. No wonder his acting career was such an example to me in providing a role model but the part that is most significant is:
Asked what motivated him, Guinness once said: "It's practically all due to lack of food and plenty of disappointments - they can be real incentives".
That is something I am enduring myself so I feel he is even more of a role model than I thought.
A truly great man in every respect.
Even though I am a member of the younger generation, my favourite film of Sir Alec's was the little known "Malta Story", a love story between a British pilot and a Maltese girl during the Second World War. He was the archetypal "English gentleman" and will be remembered as such.
I'm only 13, yet from the movies I have seen Sir Alec appear in, I knew he was one of the true great actors of his generation. R.I.P
Alec, the force will always be with you.
Keith Homan, USA
"The Lady Killers" says it all
I was first introduced to Sir Alec in "Star Wars" when I was five. I found him a fascinating person based on his interpretation of Obi-Wan Kenobi. I know that Sir Alec despised what the movie eventually became. For me, "Star Wars" was a wonderful introduction to him as an actor. My father, a great fan of the Ealing Comedies, would lure me to the TV on many a Saturday night to watch a movie starring "Obi-Wan Kenobi." I greatly enjoyed the versatility and distinct style he presented to each character. Now, as a 28-year-old, I am so sad that Sir Alec is gone. We have lost probably the best actor of England. Thank you, Sir Alec, for your performances and being a bridge between my father and me.
A consummate actor. His astonishing career will be looked upon as a standard in stage and screen for generations to come. Thankfully, he has left us his recently published diaries, which give us a hint at the depth of the man behind the actor. The world is a lesser place for his absence.
As a kid growing up in Australia, Saturday afternoon at the pictures introduced me to the genius of Sir Alec.
Sir Alec was probably the most versatile actor of his time. He was most inflexible and frustrating in his Oscar-winning role as the Colonel in the "Bridge on the River Kwai" ; he was most powerfully strong in a quiet manner in "Star Wars"; he was most vicious in one of his last films "Mute Witness". We'll miss his ability to "soak" himself into every role he played, making it look effortless. Goodbye, Sir Alec!
Another great light has gone out here on earth, only to shine brighter in the sky.
I consider myself lucky to have lived in an age when these great actors graced us with their ability and talents. I wonder if my children will be able to say the same.
Thank you Sir Alec for filling my life with the wonder and joy of great stories brought to life through your gift.
I am too young to have been familiar with a large part of his career, but I knew a great actor when I saw it. He will be missed.
Neil, North Wales
I saw Sir Alec in a Passage to India, and I was instantly hooked. A great actor and a terrific person. So sad to see such a great legend pass away quietly.
Don't forget his wonderful recordings of T.S. Eliot's poetry.
Tahir Nawab, USA
My childhood was filled with the David Lean films and the unforgettable acting of Sir Alec. One of the greatest actors of our times.
Irreplaceable. Tragic that most people shall only remember him for his role in Star Wars.
Peter C. Kohler, USA
Even more so than with the other "greats" - Olivier, Richardson and Gielgud - when watching Alec Guinness I would forget that I was watching an actor and become simply absorbed in the character. To me, he was the greatest of them all.
Sir Alec Guinness is a name that first caught my eye when I was 10 years old, in Kind Hearts and Coronets. Since then he has remained the only actor whose work I will actively seek. He showed the true English Gentleman, the master villain, and the genius. Yet in my mind, his greatest role was as a retard, alongside Leo McKern, in the BBC's "A Foreign Field". There is a corner of a foreign field that is forever England. Sir Alec, it is where we will think of you.
While not a great film, who else could have played Marcus Aurelius in Fall of the Roman Empire? As much as I like him, compare the style of Richard Harris in this role in the recent Gladiator with Sir Alec Guinness in Fall of the Roman Empire. He brought the philosopher king to life for me.
Peter, United Kingdom
I still get a thrill watching Kind Hearts and Coronets, as my Gran would have said, they broke the mould when God made that Man.
The first time I saw Sir Alec on screen was in the movie he most hated! Twenty-five years later and I'm still in awe of the man and everything he's done before and since. My only regret is that I never met him in person. A credit to himself, he will be missed. May the force be with you Sir Alec!
Trevor Hunt, UK
A perfect gentleman! I wonder how many of today's actors will be held with the same regard when they die? Sir Alec will always be one of my all time favourites and I shall miss him.
Truly the greatest character actor of the modern age. So many 'great' actors only ever really play themselves but Sir Alec genuinely was a man of many parts.
Although I am under 30, I think my generation find the Ealing films great. I personally enjoy the Lady Killers and the Lavender Hill Mob - superb British films, starring a superb British actor.
He was one of a kind and will be remembered by our generation and those to come for his unforgettable career. He will live with us forever, his movies will make him a eternal movie-legend.
The world's finest actor. He will be missed.
A sad day. The world has lost another giant of the English acting world. Who can replace Guinness, Olivier, Gielgud, Richardson? Sometimes it seems we live in an age of pygmies or only semi-giants in the acting world. There will never be such a time again as when we saw, laughed with, cried with, and listened to such a giant as Sir Alec Guinness.
His adaption and of Fagin and the friendly Indian in Passage to India¿and then in Star Wars, Wan Kenobi, an eternal being, but of course George Smiley will live forever. Sir Alec was a great actor. But he has left us much, his work is a piece of our time for all future generations to see.
Mark W Rhodes, USA
Only yesterday I watched David Lean's Oliver Twist for the first time. Sir Alec's performance was incredible, far removed from his role in Great Expectations. His passing is very sad news indeed. He was, simply put, a Quality Actor.
Goodbye Obi-Wan Kenobi. A fine man, a great actor and already very much missed!
Kathleen Riley, Australia
My favourite was the pipe-major promoted from the ranks in 'Tunes of Glory' - the best film about the British Army ever made and a wonderful evocation of the traditions of the Highland Regiments. Sir Alec's sympathy and understanding of the part was incredible.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. A brilliant performance. Lets hope the beeb will show this again soon.
The best are Tinker, Taylor, soldier, Spy, Smiley's People
Sir Alec made Star Wars what it is today... nobody will ever forget his performance as Obi Wan Kenobi. May the Force be with you, Alec!
I never saw him on the stage, but greatly enjoyed his performance as Smiley in the TV adaptations of John Le Carre's spy novels.
I seem to remember his saying once that he could tell a lot about someone from their feet...
A great loss
Will Smith, UK
Sadly, the old England is gradually fading away. Sir Alec epitomised in his demeanour and his roles everything we took for granted. As for his films, I shall always remember Kind Hearts and Coronets - truly a genius at work. Genuine and a gentleman, England will not be the same without you Sir Alec. May God grant you rest on your Heavenly veranda.
But this magnificent actor never lived off his past credits. He was always capable of something new and wonderful. The greatest example of this is his creation of John LeCarre's Smiley for the screen. I think I would nominate this as the finest of all his fine work. His passing is like losing one of those rare and wonderful neighbourhood characters you see only occasionally but whose very existence enriches your sense of life.
John Chuckman, USA
Although I am part of the younger generation who best knew Sir Alec for his part in Star Wars, I will remember him for brilliant performances like Bridge Over the River Kwai which I watched on Sunday afternoons with my father. My father used to tell me that 'they didn't make them like that any more'. Quite.
I'm in my mid-twenties and like virtually everyone else of my generation Alec Guinness will forever be known as Obi-Wan Kenobi first. However, his finest moment for me has to be as Professor Marcus in the Ladykillers, closely followed by the D'asgoyne family in Kind Hearts & Coronets (and there is dangerous talk of remaking KH&C with Robin Williams in the Guinness roles - sacrilege!).
Sir Alec was loved and respected here. Memories of his performances in such films as Bridge Over the River Kwai, Lavender Hill Mob, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Dr. Zhivago and Star Wars have left an indelible impression on the minds of American moviegoers and on their hearts as well. All film lovers feel the loss keenly.
I was so impressed by his book My Name Escapes Me that I wrote to him to thank him for such a wonderful read making it very clear that I wanted no reply as the book mentioned how much he hated replying to fan mail. However, two days later a handwritten card arrived from Sir Alec - something I have always cherished and will cherish all the more from this day on.
Scott Pack, England
One by one, the brightest lights of British film and television are going out. I fear we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.
Sir Alec, may the theatre of heaven be your finest stage.
As a huge Star Wars fan I am much saddened by this loss. He might not have liked his Star Wars role but I loved it. I would wish to thank him for doing it.
We won't see his like again. My sincere condolences to his family, especially his wife.
For sheer versatility and range, not even Olivier, Gielgud or Richardson could match his ability. He was my all-time favourite actor and I am greatly saddened by this news.
Pete Ricketts, England
Living fairly close, I decided earlier this year to write a letter to him to congratulate him on his achievements.
I took the liberty of asking him what he enjoyed doing in his spare moments.
Here is a quote I shall always remember him for:
"You don't need to see my Identification!"
What a terrible loss to British Cinema - My enduring image of Sir Alec is the hilarious scene in The Ladykillers (one of his greatest roles) when he tries to justify his thieving ways to Mrs Wilberforce - it had me in tears. A true Everyman actor the likes of which we will never see again....
What always impressed me
about Sir Alec Guiness' performances
was that you saw the character he
portrayed, more than you saw him, the
person. A magnificent actor. We'll miss
I was extremely sad to learn of the
passing of Sir Alec Guinness. To me
he was always George Smiley. I
learned a few years ago that John
le Carre had Sir Alec in mind when he
wrote the Smiley novels and one of
the later books was dedicated to him.
A great honour to a great man.
A gentleman with the diversity of a chameleon.
The greatest British film actor ever? Only Sir Alec would disagree.
Watching Sir Alec Guiness has given me many hours of pleasure. He is one of the "greats" and completely irreplaceable.
I met Sir Alec some years ago outside a theatre where he was performing. I was in awe of the great man and gained enough courage to ask for an autograph. He was most surprised that I should want it and graciously spent some time talking to me about the production and asking about myself. I have never met such a modest, interesting or humorous man and shall miss him, as shall everyone whose lives he touched.
He will be missed by everyone who loves theatre, whether filmed or live. I'm so sorry for his family.
He was a spell-binding performer whom I've loved most of my life and I took great care to learn from each of his films I saw. His mastery of stage-craft was awe-inspiring.
While "Lawrence of Arabia" is my all-time favourite film, I cannot forget "Great Expectations", "Oliver Twist", "Bridge On The River Kwai" and "Tunes of Glory."
A consummate actor whose gentle portrayal of all human nature will be sadly missed both in the theatre and on film.
For me, Sir Alec Guinness was never better than when he played the criminally insane Professor Marcus. I'm sure that for many people he will be most fondly remembered for those great, early Ealing comedies.
He leaves a role, that as with so many of the greats that have gone before him, a role that will never be filled again.
I live in a neighbouring village to Steep Marsh and literally bumped into Sir Alec briefly on Petersfield Railway station a few years ago.
Although it was wholly my fault for not looking where I was going, he apologised profusely and smiled very kindly at me. I've never forgotten that.
A consummate actor and a gentleman.
Great moments of pure pleasure and happiness were given by Sir Alec. What a gift to the world!
It's a shame that many the majority of people my age (26)
and younger will only remember him for Stars Wars - a part
he never particularly valued.
As I'm 23 I like many others remember Alec for his part in Star Wars. Given the credibility and range he bought to this small but important part, I'm sure many of his other films are a much better showcase of his talents. I hope he is also remembered for these.
To read Alec Guinness's two recent diaries, "My Name Escapes Me" and "A Positively Final Appearance" is to get to know a quiet, nature-loving man, full of curmudgeonly good humour and a rare talent for sincere reflection. An admirable man, he will be sorely missed.
He enriched millions of lives
Another pillar of the English cinema has gone. Will there ever be another great actor like Alec? I very much doubt it. The days when actors were judged by their performances and not by the clothes they wear at premieres are long gone.
What is there to say? A great man, one who was liked and respected by generations of film buffs and critics. A very English Englishman, and a man who even managed to be a British-accented hero in Hollywood. One of our last great acting stars has gone, and we will sorely miss him.
Rest in Peace, Sir Alec.
07 Aug 00 | Entertainment
Sir Alec Guinness dies
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