Mark Hamill & 'Star Wars' Fans Remember Late Sir Alec Guinness' Birthday

Actor Mark Hamill is paying tribute to the late Sir Alec Guinness, who was born on April 2, 1914. Sadly, he passed away on August 5, 2000.

Guinness got his start in stage plays, but also had notable roles in "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Bridge on the River Kwai." And, of course, he portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, starting with "A New Hope," which was released on May 25, 1977 - almost 45 years ago.

Emmy-award-winning actor Ewan McGregortook over the role of a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi for the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, starting with "A Phantom Menace" in 1999. McGregor will again reprise his role in the Disney+ live-action series "Obi-Wan Kenobi," which was supposed to be released on May 25, 2022.

However, in light of the annual Star Wars Celebration fan event taking place from May 26 through May 29, the premiere has been pushed back two days to May 27. To make it up to fans, Disney has decided to release two episodes on the same day.

But April 2 is the day to focus on the man behind the original Kenobi, and Mark Hamill, the actor behind Luke Skywalker, took to Twitter on Saturday morning to show remembrance for the late Sir Alec Guinness.

On Saturday morning, Hamill was one of the first to pay tribute to the late Sir Alec Guinness.

He tweeted, “Born April 2nd 1914 #AlecGuinness is one of the finest & most versatile actors of all time. He also happened to be kind, warm, witty, as well as generous & unassuming. He was everything I wanted him to be... & much, much more. #ForeverGratefulForOurFriendship”

Many fans commented on the post with their own fond memories of Alec Guinness and his work.

“Once watched Lawrence of Arabia twice in 1 day (commentary on the 2nd time),” one fan shared. “I recall at least 7 exceptional performances. Sirs Guinness and O’Toole held their own with Omar Shariff, Anthony Quinn, Jose Ferrer and Claude Rains. Anthony Quayle had a smaller role. All heavyweights!!”

“We did the same thing,” another shared. “Funny how much his character in Lawrence has the same attributes as Obi Wan.”

“Your seemingly daily commitment to using your celebrity to honor those you've worked with and give back to those who've enjoyed your work is truly special,” another fan commented. “Love your work from Star Wars, The Flash, Joker, Jay & Silent Bob and more but appreciate even more your humanity.”

“My favourite actor of all time and my favourite film of his ? ‘THE CARD’ a black and white masterpiece!” another shared. “If you have seen it, watch it! It’s still brilliant to this day!”

“He was fantastic in The Ladykillers,” another fan wrote. “I didn't think I'd enjoy a film from 1955 but it was hilarious. Charming movie and Guinness was the star.”

“Was fortunate enough to have a class where we studied his performances in both The Bridge on the River Kwai & Kind Hearts and Coronets,” another shared. “He could have played a can of soup and made it interesting.”

“He was King Charles I in ‘Cromwell,’” another fan pointed out. “His performance is quite impressive. A must watch movie.”

“His Desert Island Discs aired 3 days before Star Wars in the UK,” another fan commented. “When asked about it he laughed 'I don't know what I play, I play some sort of wise old, or allegedly wise old character from outer space and whether it's way in the past or way in the future I couldn't tell you.'”

“I loved his performance in The Malta Story,” another shared. “Filming on the island amidst all the rubble must have been so difficult, it's a film that shows the destructive power of bombs and the resilience of the people who were still living there.”

“My absolute all-time favorite actor,” another shared. “Have watched every movie he ever made, or those I could find. Own those I could find to purchase. His George Smiley is still the best. Thank you Mark.”