h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

1914 - 2000
One of the greatest actors of a generation that included John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and John Mills, Sir Alec was perhaps most famous for his role as Obi Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. However this role was perhaps his least favourite, as he often seemed to prefer stage to the screen. He was one of the first great actors to fully embrace acting in both cinema and on the stage. Known primarily as a charcter actor, rather than a leading man, he showed great daring in chosing his roles; he wanted to perform in the first staging of 'Waiting for Godot', and played 8 roles - including one female - in the classic Ealing comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'. He recieved two Oscars; a Best Actor award for 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' one of several collaborations with director David Lean, and also a Lifetime Achievment Award. He first appeared on television as George Smiley in the BBC's 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' and his last role was in Jack Rosenthal's 'Eskimo Day'. He also produced 3 volumes of memoirs 'Blessings in Disguise', 'My Name Escapes Me' and 'A Positively Final Appearance'.

Thanks Swiv. I'm glad Sir Alecc's passing didn't go unnoticed. I was surprised that, among his many great roles, almost nobody has mentioned Prince Feisal

http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~tem/law/feisal.jpg

JTG

I haven't seen 'Laurence of Arabia' for ages. My personal favourite of his roles is Professor Marcus in 'The Ladykillers'. One of the funniest, blackest films ever.

My wife and I watched 'The Ladykillers' a couple of weeks ago on TV. It really is a gem, isn't it?

JTG

I just love when the cockatoo swings its head along in time to string quintet
My dad and I are crazy about it and 'The Lavender Hill Mob' and 'Kind Hearts and Coronets', so we got a shock the other day when we discovered that my mum hasn't seen either. We are busy encouraging her in the right direction

I have to confess that I don't think I've seen the last two either.

JTG

*shakes her head in horror*
Actually I probably only got round to watching them because they were on TV on rainy afternoons a few summers ago.
But they are well worth a look, Especially Kind Hearts

Isn't that the best situation in which to watch films like these? Rainy afternoons, grey skies, a big mug of tea... bliss.

JTG

I just wish those conditions didn't occur so often during the summer

We've certainly had plenty of them this summer. But it makes a refreshing change from the hot, dry weather we've had for the last couple of summers. It's good to see things so green.

JTG

Where was I the last couple of summers?

oh right - Cornwall, where it always rains

Last year I would have cheerfully - well, not killed; but I would have cheerfully done a funny and slightly humiliating dance to borrow some of that lovely Cornish rain. All my poor wee shrubs were withering in the drought; and I spent all summer running about with hoses in a way that, now that I think of it, probably did rather look like a funny dance.

JTG

Swop gardens?
I was being bribed to mow the lawn practically every week. And our main bit of grass has a large flower bed thing full of prickly bushes.
Not only hell to steer the mower round, but most adapt at swallowing cricket balls

Every garden seems to have a shrub like that lurking about in the shadows. I used to mow the grass in a big rose garden; and, every time, the same bush would grab me by the arm as I went by.

JTG

But at least Rose bushes look and smell nice.
Our bush really doesn't - and I'm still unsure of how 2 cricket balls and a tennis ball could just vanish.

Maybe it's time to reclaim all those lost balls through a spot of hatchet pruning.

JTG

hatchets probably wouldn't get through the bush. I'd have to do serious weeding, and then have a quarry in the back garden

There you go... for every door that swings shut, another one opens: a sunken rockery.

JTG

And the fielder I would then have to put down there would be known as?........

Gully!... extremely deep or very silly.

JTG