Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE was an English actor. He was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played eight different characters. He later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai. He is known for playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy, Prince Feisal in Lawrence of Arabia, and George Smiley in the TV adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. He is also known for his portrayal of Herbert Pocket in Great Expectations . Guinness was born at 155 Lauderdale... Mansions South, Lauderdale Road, Maida Vale, London as Alec Guinness de Cuffe. His mother's maiden name was Agnes Cuff. She was born 8 December 1890 to Edward Cuff and Mary Ann Benfield. On Guinness's birth certificate, the space for the mother's name shows Agnes de Cuffe. The space for the infant's name says Alec Guinness. The column for name and surname of father is blank. It has been frequently speculated that the actor's father was a member of the Anglo-Irish Guinness family.
more
| Birthdate: | April 2, 1914 |
| Birthplace: | Marylebone |
| Date of death: | August 5, 2000 |
| Height: | 5' 10" |
| Religion: | Roman Catholicism |
| Also known as: | Alec Guinness de Cuffe, Alec Guiness, Sir Alec Guinness |