1914 2nd April
Birth of Alec Guinness
Alec Guinness is born as Alec Guinness de Cuffe
Cinema history · permanent subject timeline
Alec Guinness
British actor whose career ranged from Ealing comedy to epic and international cinema. This page combines historical context with 22 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database cinema archive.
Historical context
Alec Guinness: overview and significance
What happened?
Alec Guinness built a major British stage and film career, including celebrated comic performances and later dramatic work in large-scale international productions.
Why was it important?
Guinness became one of the most versatile British actors of the post-war era, combining character performance with major leading and supporting roles.
World History Database records
Alec Guinness timeline
The records below are selected from the 2,036-record Cinema History archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1914
1946
1946
Great Expectations
Starts in "Great Expectations"
1948
1948
Oliver Twist
Starts in "Oliver Twist", Fagin
1949
1949
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Starts in "Kind Hearts and Coronets", The Duke, The Banker, The Parson, The General, The Admiral, Young Ascoyne, Young Henry, Lady Agatha. Starts in "A Run for Your Money"
1951
1951
The Man in the White Suit
Starts in "The Man in the White Suit". Starts in "The Lavender Hill Mob"
1953
1953
Malta Story
Starts in "Malta Story"
1955
1955
CBE
Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
1955
The Ladykillers
Starts in "The Ladykillers"
1957
1957
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Starts in "The Bridge on the River Kwai"
1958
1958
Academy Award
Winner of the best male actor for "The Bridge On The River Kwai"
1960
1960
Tunes of Glory
Starts in "Tunes of Glory"
1962
1962
Lawrence of Arabia
Starts in "Lawrence of Arabia"
1965
1965
Doctor Zhivago
Starts in "Doctor Zhivago"
1970
1970
Scrooge
Starts in "Scrooge". Starts in "Cromwell"
1973
1973
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
Starts in "Hitler: The Last Ten Days"
1977
1977
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Starts in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope"
1980
1980
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Starts in "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back"
1983
1983
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Starts in "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi"
1984
1984
A Passage to India
Starts in "A Passage to India"
1988
1988
A Handful of Dust
Starts in "A Handful of Dust"
1999
1999
Companion of Honour
Made a Companion of Honour
2000
2000 5th August
Death of Alec Guinness
Death of Alec Guinness
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database cinema records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
British Film Institute · Library of Congress · Academy Awards
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