---
name: "Alec Guinness"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/alec-guinness"
fi1m_id: "alec-guinness"
imdb_id: "nm0000027"
tmdb_id: 12248
wikidata_id: "Q103894"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "2 April 1914"
died: "5 August 2000"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 15
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 15
updated: "2026-10-07T10:55:20.062287+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alec Guinness

## Identity

Alec Guinness

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/alec-guinness
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** alec-guinness
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000027
- **TMDB ID:** 12248
- **Wikidata ID:** Q103894
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Guinness, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q103894, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12248

Actor. Born 2 April 1914 in Marylebone, London, England, UK. Died 5 August 2000.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 2 April 1914, Marylebone, London, England, UK
- **Died:** 5 August 2000
- **Active:** 1946–1991
- **Also known as:** Alec Guinness de Cuffe, Sir Alec Guinness
- **Frequently works with:** [David Lean](https://film.one/person/david-lean.md), [Michael Balcon](https://film.one/person/michael-balcon.md), [Anthony Bate](https://film.one/person/anthony-bate.md), [Carrie Fisher](https://film.one/person/carrie-fisher.md), [Gary Kurtz](https://film.one/person/gary-kurtz.md), [Harrison Ford](https://film.one/person/harrison-ford.md), [Jack Hawkins](https://film.one/person/jack-hawkins.md), [John le Carré](https://film.one/person/john-le-carre.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 4 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 15 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 88 (2), 1950s 85 (3), 1960s 80 (2), 1970s 88 (2), 1980s 71 (5), 1990s 58 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 71 across 13 titles
- **Score spread:** 10 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 7 of 15 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Adventure 6, Action 4, Science Fiction 4, Comedy 3, Crime 3
- **Screen time:** 29 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,161m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Guinness, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q103894, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12248

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The Empire Strikes Back*](https://film.one/film/the-empire-strikes-back.md) (92), [*Star Wars*](https://film.one/film/star-wars.md) (88), [*Return of the Jedi*](https://film.one/film/return-of-the-jedi.md) (75)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*A Passage to India*](https://film.one/film/a-passage-to-india.md) (71), [*Raise the Titanic*](https://film.one/film/raise-the-titanic.md) (36)
- **Apple TV:** [*Kind Hearts and Coronets*](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets.md) (91)
- **Netflix:** [*Lawrence of Arabia*](https://film.one/film/lawrence-of-arabia.md) (90)
- **HBO Max:** [*Great Expectations*](https://film.one/film/great-expectations.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Alec Guinness

> Alec Guinness can make a change of posture tell us who expects to be obeyed. We prize his quiet precision, especially when it makes comedy cruel or an apparently courteous man frightening.

In Robert Hamer’s *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949), Alec Guinness changes his voice and posture and gives us another relative certain of their own importance. Across eight D’Ascoynes, the family resemblance survives without making the encounters feel repeated. We rate him especially highly here because he never lets the disguises interrupt the comedy. Even with eight parts to play, he seems chiefly interested in making the person in front of us credible.

His early films with David Lean took him from Herbert Pocket in *Great Expectations* (1946) to Fagin in *Oliver Twist* (1948), before the Ealing comedies established his reputation for transformation. Lean later put that precision to work in Colonel Nicholson in *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), a role that drew on his ability to make obsession credible. Obi-Wan Kenobi in *Star Wars* (1977) brought him to another generation. The famous roles make a useful introduction, but the small ones can tell us just as much about his acting.

*Kind Hearts and Coronets* also shows how much this precise acting needs from the people behind the camera. Douglas Slocombe’s restrained framing gives small changes of expression room to register, and Peter Tanner’s editing lets the polite phrasing land without labouring the joke. Hamer can enjoy Guinness’s variations without making the film stop for them. The pleasure in Louis’s scheming does leave other characters short of attention at times, but the D’Ascoynes remain distinct enough to hold ours.

In Steven Soderbergh’s *Kafka* (1991), Guinness makes the Chief Clerk’s courtesy threatening in only a handful of scenes. We felt a chill as he came down the office aisle towards Kafka, with a hundred pens scratching around them. Walt Lloyd’s hard light and deep black, Gavin Bocquet’s ranks of desks and Cliff Martinez’s sparse score help make that walk unsettling. The story underneath remains pulp, and a performance this good cannot make it more substantial. Start with the D’Ascoynes; save the Chief Clerk for an evening when courteous menace will do.

## Biography

Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe) was an English actor whose career spanned more than sixty years. He began on the stage in 1934 and appeared in numerous films, including eight roles in the Ealing comedy *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Colonel Nicholson in *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957).

Guinness collaborated six times with director David Lean and played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original *Star Wars* trilogy (1977–1983). Later credits include *Kafka* (1991), in which he played The Chief Clerk. He was knighted in 1959 and received the Academy Honorary Award in 1980.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (15)

- *Kafka* (1991), Fi1m 58, as The Chief Clerk — [page](https://film.one/film/kafka.md)
- *A Passage to India* (1984), Fi1m 71, as Professor Godbole — [page](https://film.one/film/a-passage-to-india.md)
- *Return of the Jedi* (1983), Fi1m 75, as Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi — [page](https://film.one/film/return-of-the-jedi.md)
- *Smiley's People* (1982), Fi1m 82, as George Smiley — [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md)
- *Raise the Titanic* (1980), Fi1m 36, as John Bigalow — [page](https://film.one/film/raise-the-titanic.md)
- *The Empire Strikes Back* (1980), Fi1m 92, as Obi-Wan Kenobi — [page](https://film.one/film/the-empire-strikes-back.md)
- *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), Fi1m 88, as George Smiley — [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md)
- *Star Wars* (1977), Fi1m 88, as Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi — [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars.md)
- *Doctor Zhivago* (1965), Fi1m 70, as Gen. Yevgraf Zhivago — [page](https://film.one/film/doctor-zhivago.md)
- *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962), Fi1m 90, as Prince Feisal — [page](https://film.one/film/lawrence-of-arabia.md)
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), Fi1m 88, as Col. Nicholson — [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *The Ladykillers* (1955), Fi1m 86, as Professor Marcus — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ladykillers.md)
- *The Lavender Hill Mob* (1951), Fi1m 82, as Henry 'Dutch' Holland — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob.md)
- *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949), Fi1m 91, as The D'Ascoyne Family: The Duke / The Banker / The Parson / The General / The Admiral / Young Ascoyne / Young Henry / Lady Agatha — [page](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets.md)
- *Great Expectations* (1946), Fi1m 84, as Herbert Pocket — [page](https://film.one/film/great-expectations.md)

## Complete filmography (77)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker* (2019), as Obi-Wan Kenobi (archive voice) — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker.md)
- *Star Wars: The Force Awakens* (2015), as Obi-Wan Kenobi (archive sound) (uncredited) — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens.md)
- *Starring Sigmund Freud* (2012), as (archive footage)
- *Hitler: The Comedy Years* (2007), as Adolf Hitler (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *When Star Wars Ruled the World* (2004), as Obi-Wan Kenobi (archive footage)
- *The Story of Star Wars* (2004), as Obi-Wan Kenobi (archive footage)
- *Eskimo Day* (1996), as James
- *Mute Witness* (1995), as The Reaper (credited as Mystery Guest Star)
- *A Foreign Field* (1993), as Amos
- *Tales from Hollywood* (1992), as Heinrich Mann
- *Kafka* (1991), as The Chief Clerk — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/kafka.md)
- *Performance* (1991), series, as Heinrich Mann
- *Screen One* (1989), series, as Amos
- *A Handful of Dust* (1988), as Mr. Todd
- *Little Dorrit* (1987), as William Dorrit
- *Grace Kelly: The American Princess* (1987), Thanks
- *Monsignor Quixote* (1985), as Father Quixote
- *A Passage to India* (1984), as Professor Godbole — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/a-passage-to-india.md)
- *Edwin* (1984), as Sir Fennimore Truscott
- *Return of the Jedi* (1983), as Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/return-of-the-jedi.md)
- *Lovesick* (1983), as Sigmund Freud
- *Smiley's People* (1982), series, as George Smiley — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md)
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Heinrich Mann
- *Little Lord Fauntleroy* (1980), as Earl of Dorincourt
- *SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back* (1980), as Obi Wan Kenobi (archive footage)
- *Raise the Titanic* (1980), as John Bigalow — Fi1m 36, [page](https://film.one/film/raise-the-titanic.md)
- *The Empire Strikes Back* (1980), as Obi-Wan Kenobi — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-empire-strikes-back.md)
- *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), series, as George Smiley — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md)
- *The Art of Film: The Many Roles of Alec Guinness* (1978), Actor
- *The Star Wars Holiday Special* (1978), as Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Star Wars* (1977), as Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/star-wars.md)
- *Murder by Death* (1976), as Butler Jamesir Bensonmum
- *Caesar and Cleopatra* (1976), as Caesar
- *The Gift of Friendship* (1974), as Jocelyn Broome
- *Hitler: The Last Ten Days* (1973), as Adolf Hitler
- *Brother Sun, Sister Moon* (1972), as Papst Innozenz III.
- *Great Performances* (1971), series, as Father Quixote
- *Scrooge* (1970), as Jacob Marley's Ghost
- *Cromwell* (1970), as King Charles I
- *Twelfth Night* (1970), as Malvolio
- *The Comedians* (1967), as Major H. O. Jones
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as Jocelyn Broome
- *The Quiller Memorandum* (1966), as Pol
- *Hotel Paradiso* (1966), as Benedict Boniface
- *Doctor Zhivago* (1965), as Gen. Yevgraf Zhivago — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/doctor-zhivago.md)
- *Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious* (1965), as Wilhelm Frick
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, as The Executioner
- *The Fall of the Roman Empire* (1964), as Marcus Aurelius
- *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962), as Prince Feisal — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/lawrence-of-arabia.md)
- *H.M.S. Defiant* (1962), as Captain Crawford
- *A Majority of One* (1961), as Koichi Asano
- *Tunes of Glory* (1960), as Maj. Jock Sinclair, D.S.O., M.M.
- *Our Man in Havana* (1960), as Jim Wormold
- *Startime* (1959), series, as Jebal Deeks
- *The Scapegoat* (1959), as John Barratt / Jacques De Gue
- *The Horse's Mouth* (1958), as Gulley Jimson · Writer
- *Barnacle Bill* (1957), as Captain William Horatio Ambrose
- *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957), as Col. Nicholson — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai.md)
- *The Swan* (1956), as Prince Albert
- *The Ladykillers* (1955), as Professor Marcus — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ladykillers.md)
- *The Prisoner* (1955), as The Cardinal
- *To Paris with Love* (1955), as Sir Edgar Fraser
- *Rowlandson's England* (1955), as Narrator
- *Father Brown* (1954), as Father Brown
- *The Captain's Paradise* (1953), as Captain Henry St. James
- *Malta Story* (1953), as Flight Lt. Peter Ross
- *The Card* (1952), as Edward Henry 'Denry' Machin
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Julius Caesar
- *The Man in the White Suit* (1951), as Sidney Stratton
- *The Lavender Hill Mob* (1951), as Henry 'Dutch' Holland — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob.md)
- *The Mudlark* (1950), as Benjamin Disraeli
- *Last Holiday* (1950), as George Bird
- *A Run for Your Money* (1949), as Whimple
- *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949), as The D'Ascoyne Family: The Duke / The Banker / The Parson / The General / The Admiral / Young Ascoyne / Young Henry / Lady Agatha — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets.md)
- *Oliver Twist* (1948), as Fagin
- *Great Expectations* (1946), as Herbert Pocket — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/great-expectations.md)
- *Evensong* (1934), as W.W.I. soldier in concert audience (uncredited)

## Gallery

- ![Alec Guinness as The D'Ascoyne Family: The Duke in Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)](https://film.one/media/title/392/still-76943a9848c6.jpg) Alec Guinness as The D'Ascoyne Family: The Duke in *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949) — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness as Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)](https://film.one/media/title/3376/still-5c3a45c5ff38.jpg) Alec Guinness as Col. Nicholson in *The Bridge on the River Kwai* (1957) — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-4220c81b4c2c.jpg) Alec Guinness — Allan warren, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Alec_Guinness_6_Allan_Warren.jpg/1280px-Alec_Guinness_6_Allan_Warren.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-033617d24fe8.jpg) Alec Guinness — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-d310e1da6460.jpg) Alec Guinness — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-859371cd4ae2.jpg) Alec Guinness — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-b467047b5018.jpg) Alec Guinness — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-47cfb7942525.jpg) Alec Guinness — Image via TMDB
- ![Alec Guinness](https://film.one/media/person/9963/gallery-caef7872a68f.jpg) Alec Guinness — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 4 nominated

- 1989: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Little Dorrit*
- 1978: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope*
- 1959: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Horse's Mouth*
- 1958: Best Actor (won), for *The Bridge on the River Kwai*
- 1953: Best Actor (nominated)

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- 1989: BAFTA Fellowship (won)
- 1960: Best British Screenplay (nominated), for *The Horse's Mouth*

### BAFTA Television Awards — 2 won, 1 nominated

- 1986: Best Actor (nominated), for *Great Performances*
- 1983: Best Actor (won), for *Smiley's People*
- 1980: Best Actor (won), for *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*

### Golden Globes — 1 won, 2 nominated

- 1988: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *Little Dorrit*
- 1977: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope*
- 1957: Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (won), for *The Bridge on the River Kwai*

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1983: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (nominated), for *Smiley's People*

### Other awards — 12 won, 3 nominated

- European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award 1996: European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award (won)
- Companion of Honour 1994: Companion of Honour (won)
- honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge 1991: honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge (won)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play 1988: Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play (nominated)
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor 1988: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Little Dorrit*
- Society of London Theatre Special Award 1988: Society of London Theatre Special Award (won)
- Shakespeare Prize 1985: Shakespeare Prize (won)
- Academy Honorary Award 1979: Academy Honorary Award (won)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play 1977: Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play (nominated)
- Saturn Awards 1977: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope*
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1964: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (won)
- Knight Bachelor 1959: Knight Bachelor (won)
- National Board of Review Award for Best Actor 1957: National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (won), for *The Bridge on the River Kwai*
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire 1955: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (won)
- National Board of Review Award for Best Actor 1950: National Board of Review Award for Best Actor (won), for *Kind Hearts and Coronets*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/alec-guinness