Publish date: 2024-01-16 10:04:35
What was Alec Guinness' net worth and salary?
Alec Guinness was an English actor who had a net worth of $60 million at the time of his death. He was knighted in 1959 and passed away in 2000 at the age of 86. While he began his career in theater, he appeared in several films over the course of his life. He is perhaps best known for portraying Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy. His appearance in the 1977 film earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 50th Academy Awards. He was knighted in 1959.
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Perhaps to his dismay, Alec is most widely recognized today for playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in the "Star Wars" franchise. Sir Alec famously thought Star Wars was "fairy tale rubbish" but he ended up negotiating a killer deal to appear in the films.
- First he demanded that the studio double his standard paycheck.
- Second, he negotiated a small percentage of every Star Wars movie in perpetuity. That meant when the new movies were released, Alec earned a nice little fee for no work at all. Over the ensuing decades, Sir Alec's estate has earned an estimated $100 million off Star Wars, before taxes.
Early Life and Stage Career
Alec Guinness was born in Paddington, London, England on April 2, 1914. He first worked in advertising copy. His first job in the theater was on his 20th birthday when he was a student at the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art in the play "Libel," which opened at the Old King's Theater in Hammersmith before transferring to the West End's Playhouse. Guinness quickly moved from a walk-on role to an understudy with two lines. At age 22, he appeared in the Albery Theater in the role of Osric in a successful production of "Hamlet."
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After the war, Guinness went on to a stellar stage career, winning multiple awards, including a Tony Award for his portrayal of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in "Dylan."
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Guinness successfully transitioned into film work after his successful run on stage. Guinness was mainly associated with the Ealing Comedies and was known for playing nine characters in "Kind Hearts and Coronets" in 1949. Other notable films from this period included "The Lavender Hill Mob" (1951), "The Man in the White Suit" (1951) and "The Ladykillers" (1955). He portrayed Benjamin Disraeli in "The Mudlark," for which he had to deliver an uninterrupted seven-minute speech in Parliament.
Guinness worked closely with director David Lean and won acclaim for his performances in films such as "Great Expectations", "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (for which he won an Oscar), and "Lawrence of Arabia".
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Alec Guinness is most widely recognized today as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the "Star Wars" trilogy. His first appearance in 1977 brought him worldwide recognition as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. Sir Alec famously thought Star Wars was "fairy tale rubbish" but he ended up negotiating a killer deal to appear in the films.
- First he demanded that the studio double his standard paycheck.
- Second, he negotiated a small percentage of every Star Wars movie in perpetuity. That meant when the new movies were released, Alec earned a nice little fee for no work at all. To date, Sir Alec's estate has earned an estimated $100 million off Star Wars before taxes.
Personal Life
Alec was married to actress Merula Silvia Salaman from 1938 until his death in 2000. They had a son, Matthew Guinness, who later became an actor. Guinness died on August 5, 2000, in West Sussex.
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