Sir Alec Guinness is no doubt the largest part of the Star Wars universe no longer with us. His performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi was iconic, and anchored the first movie. Known for roles in The Bridge On The River Kwai (which won him an Oscar), Doctor Zhivago, and Lawrence Of Arabia, Guinness, who served as a Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in WWII, was knighted in 1959, and later in his career would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Unlike the rest of the Star Wars cast at the time, Guinness was already a star when the film lensed, and he soon became dissatisfied with the role and the type-casting that came with it. The money, however, kept him from walking away. Although he was unhappy being recognised only for Obi-Wan and not his other, fantastic performances over the years, he did have some praise for the finished product: in his diary he wrote that "It's a pretty staggering film as spectacle and technically brilliant. Exciting, very noisy and warm-hearted. The battle scenes at the end go on for five minutes too long, I feel, and some of the dialogue is excruciating and much of it is lost in noise, but it remains a vivid experience." Guinness passed away August 5th, 2000 of liver cancer at age 86, to be followed just months later by his wife of 62 years, Lady Merula Guinness. Add your thoughts and tributes below!
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
