Alec Guinness de Cuffe Wiki Biography
Alec Guinness de Cuffe was born in Marylebone, London, England, on April 2, 1914, to mother Agnes Cuffe. He was an English actor renowned for his appearances in “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” “Dr. Zhivago,” “Hitler: The Last Ten Days,” and “Star Wars.” He died of liver cancer in the year 2000.
How wealthy was Alec Guinness, a well-known actor? According to sources, Guinness amassed a net worth of over $100 million from his long career as an actor and the sale of his autobiographies.
Alec Guinness Net Worth $100 Million
Guinness was reared in Maida Vale, north London, by his mother; his father’s identity is unknown. He went to Fettes College, where he was educated thanks to a Scottish financier named Andrew Geddes, whom Guinness mistook for his father. His mother eventually married a British soldier, although the union was short-lived. Guinness worked as an apprentice copywriter in a local ad agency after graduating in 1932, but was then awarded a scholarship to the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art, where he made his stage debut in 1934 with “Queer Cargo.”
From 1936 until 1942, he played legendary parts at the Old Vic theater, including “Hamlet,” “Thunder Rock,” “Richard II,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Twelfth Night,” “Henry V,” “The Tempest,” and many others, before joining the Royal Navy at the outbreak of World War II. He appeared in the Broadway production of “Flare Path” during this time.
Guinness returned to the Old Vic after the war, appearing in “The Alchemist,” “King Lear,” “Cyrano de Bergerac,” and “Richard II,” before moving on to “An Inspector Calls,” “The Cocktail Party,” “Hamlet,” and “Richard III.” He won a Tony Award for his portrayal in “Dylan.” Guinness’ last theatrical performance was in 1989’s “A Walk in the Woods.” His net worth grew significantly as a result of his numerous theatrical appearances.
In 1946, Guinness made his film debut in David Lean’s “Great Expectations,” in which he played Herbert Pocket. In 1948, he played Fagin in David Lean’s “Oliver Twist,” and the following year in “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” he played a total of eight characters, including women. Guinness went on to star in films such as “The Lavender Hill Mob,” “The Ladykillers,” “The Swan,” “The Card,” and “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” another Lean production for which he received an Oscar for Best Actor and a Golden Globe.
He was nominated for an Academy Award for screenwriting for the satirical film “The Horse’s Mouth” the following year. Guinness went on to play a number of additional roles, and he became a well-known personality in the cinema industry. His work with Lean continued throughout the 1960s, with parts such as Prince Faisal in “Lawrence of Arabia,” Bolshevik commander General Yevgraf Zhivago in “Doctor Zhivago,” and Professor Godbole in “A Passage to India” all earning him critical praise and increasing his net worth significantly.
Guinness’ title role in the 1970s film “Hitler: The Last Ten Days” was one of his best. He also participated in the television series “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “Smiley’s People” during this time, roles for which he won two British Academy Television Awards for Best Actor. Guinness was best known at the time for his portrayal as Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi in the 1977 film “Star Wars,” which became a worldwide sensation and a tremendous box office triumph, earning Guinness acclaim from at least two generations of fans as well as a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to star in the film’s equally blockbuster sequels, “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi,” in the early 1980s. Guinness’ net worth was greatly increased as a result of his portrayal of the Jedi warrior.
Apart from his acting career, Guinness published three autobiographies: “Blessings in Disguise” in 1985, “My Name Escapes Me” in 1996, and “A Positively Final Appearance” in 1999. Guinness’ riches improved as a result of all three books becoming best-sellers.
The actor has already received numerous prizes and medals, including Golden Globe, Oscar, Tony, and BAFTA nominations. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to the arts and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Guinness was married to Merula Sylvia Salaman, an artist, dramatist, and actress, from 1938 until his death in West Sussex from liver cancer in 2000. Matthew Guinness, an actor, is their son.
Full Name | Alec Guinness |
Net Worth | $100 Million |
Date Of Birth | April 2, 1914, in Marylebone, London, England |
Died | August 5, 2000, Midhurst, United Kingdom |
Height | 1.78 m |
Profession | English actor |
Education | Public school at Fettes College, Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art |
Nationality | British |
Spouse | Merula Salaman (m. 1938–2000) |
Children | Matthew Guinness |
Parents | Agnes Cuff |
IMDB | http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027 |
Awards | Tony Award, Best Actor Oscar, Golden Globe Award, Academy Award for Best Actor (1957), Saturn Award (1977), Hollywood Walk of Fame star |
Nominations | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ( 1977), BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Golden Globe Award, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (1982), British Academy Television Award (1985) |
Movies | “Flare Path”, “Dylan”, “The Horse’s Mouth”, “The Bridge on the River Kwai”, “Dr. Zhivago”, “Hitler: The Last Ten Days”, “Star Wars”, |
TV Shows | “Queer Cargo” (1934), “Hamlet”, “Thunder Rock”, “Richard II”, “The Merchant of Venice”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Twelfth Night”, “Henry V”, “The Tempest” |