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A stage actor of distinction before the Second World War, in the late 1940s Alec Guinness extended his range to films and won acclaim with the eight roles he played in Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949). A string of successes followed, including a number of Ealing Studio films. Notable roles included Fagin in Oliver Twist (1948), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Dr Zhivago (1965). He became an international star when he reluctantly appeared as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the first three Star Wars films (1977–1983). He is the author of three autobiographical works: Blessings in Disguise (1985), My Name Escapes Me (1996) and A Positively Final Appearance (1999). The portrait was painted between January and May 1998 from sittings at the artist's Hampstead studio.