Alec Guinness

"I honestly couldn't bear speaking those bloody banal lines."

- Alec Guinness on Star Wars

Sir Alec Guinness (April 2, 1914 – August 5, 2000) played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Original Trilogy.

A common misconception is that he hated Obi-Wan. In truth, he loved the character, but disliked being identified solely with his role as Kenobi. There were rumors, probably untrue, that Sir Alec actually hated the part, and that it was he who came up with the idea to kill Kenobi off. However, it is believed that he did not voice this opinion during shooting, as the other actors looked up to him as a role model during the filming of the original trilogy.

He was born in England of Agnes Cuffe and an unknown father. His mother married a mentally ill soldier suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder. In the year 1938, he married actress Merula Salaman and had a son, Matthew Guinness, in 1940.

During World War II, he served the British Navy and became a commissioned officer in 1942. During his service, he thought of becoming an Anglican Priest but returned to acting after performing in Flare Path by Terence Rattigan during the war. He returned to England in 1946.

Besides his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Guinness won acclaim for many roles on live theater, television, and film, including his Academy Award-winning role as Lt. Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai. He was honored with a knighthood in 1959, and an Academy Honorary Award in 1980.

In 1973, he had a role as Adolf Hitler in Hitler: The Last Ten Days, which also starred Star Wars actors Julian Glover and Kenneth Colley and he had a prominent role in Lawrence of Arabia as Prince Feisal. Other memorable films which he performed in include Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, Bridge on the River Kwai and Doctor Zhivago.

He died on the 5th of August, 2000, of liver cancer at the age of 86 and was buried in Petersfield, Hampshire, England.

In March of 2007, the Jedi robe Guinness wore sold at an auction for $104,000.