
( AP Photo )
This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.
Actor Alec Guinness speaks about his life as an actor and roles he has played. He tells some stories about his career to the delight of the audience.
He recites "In my Craft or Sullen Art" by Dylan Thomas.
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 70488
Municipal archives id: T238
This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
They generally are going to. Lead a girl to do human and gold came across. An article by a very English young horse a long time Newman. And here's a article about a young actor that time. And I'm going to remember and I think it's still very well. Written. Which is trying desperately to earn more foreign currency and balance currency is exporting two things products no. One thing Daryn down here. The mother is a mime drive and. I think that Byron great writing my heart. You know me and my drive can be many things as we have learned since that time we are back now on the time of the sorrow in nineteen fifty two. I don't know how many of you or any of you know that. We all be friends of ours here today to me in my business and in the end I've been. At a very tender age. And gotten started John in a London advertising company. Earning I think it was a bomb on the we that time with together with a legacy of about something we just about can buy and sold. He lost one half of that income one eighteen when he ordered an electric type four feet by four feet instead of four inches by four inches. And. Apple leading because of that error. He was thrown out into the stream because. He had a rather difficult time and. The end of the story is right here and have a few words from. The A nuclear attack you. Mr mr new one ladies and gentlemen ladies and gentlemen of the press familiar faces from villain. I may tell you that it has stopped raining and I think this is your time an opportunity to go in Atlanta. Ironic feel that I've been invited to lunch by the fish are born here or not not because of the excellent food but because I was told that I would not have to make a speech and all I'd have to do was to answer questions and not very good at answering questions let alone making a speech but I was comforted coming into the building to see that it said please be patient. Elevator changing to automatic also elevator it's more than all I can say and I'm not an auto speaker and this is entirely off the cuff I would be totally pointless and I've been discussing this in humans. While eating what I can posit the cervix. That I want sitting room who thought a lot of things. And I thought that maybe I could deal with a few of the actor. Clichés In the theater that is I mean she's in the kind of T.J. question that actors get up. And which we have a scale about I haven't found had forty eight hours I can hold up some. But people do get a strange idea of the performers and if I have to talk about myself please forgive me it's just my ego mania coming up. But about a year ago in London in Piccadilly a lady stopped me and said Excuse me. But you know I think it is untrue and I said yes and she said oh you're stronger than I thought you were but I don't know what to say to the end I. Read my how. The coupon and leave it on off about twenty odd days another woman stop you know that you counsel me she said your alligators and your ball of my balls. And I said Madam if you holiday in that direction. You'll catch up with a lady with whom you have nothing in common the old. And the new. And you know I do get yours there are people so sometimes a little they are going to try and get a rise out of me all you know see what kind of medals underneath the. Definitely they say doesn't worry you will be. The night only one up from the nightlife being going over thirty year Atlanta and I'm not one anymore in the Atlanta. I must just deal with one of two very kindly and well mannered creatures were. Which the first two were kind of. Lost trying to find a new reply to you cannot live. I want to settle for good and all and I have already quoted a. Softer tone. People say you know what is your favorite part. What road you enjoy playing I used to struggle with this because I couldn't think of what what it was until I read a few years ago what a great Russian actor. In the cherry orchard and he was our sisters he gave the reply which I use as my stock picture. Which is why I'm sorry I can't possibly tell you that because if I did all the other characters I play. With. The an outline of this is what I mean you know people like doing. Films around the time this person I really liked when I. When I was a I think I would be modest to have acquired a film studio and I'm filming I think know why that happens and they all live a Wired You know why isn't it kind of sparked an awful. But I wouldn't be standing here. Greatly on others I feel if it hadn't been for. Co-producer crackdown and pro producer George Jones and from the Sydney Michael that Mr Blair Bill having conspired together invited me to come to the States to play or something which was absolutely ridiculous as a player and I did point out I was but they kind of wore me down and I think I was worn down to have to get up and say a few words now and I know I have a spark of it happening to ask any questions but would you forgive me if I did ask this. QUESTION And I know that it is not the custom here for. To anyone to be told of that so I'm not suggesting that but may I toes so to speak on your behalf because I've still got some share that's a likely. Very speedy recovery. Of for me an absolutely blazing years and I bet it Peter Sellers who. Are. Like. They are. Ill and they have them in the wings not the. Role here. Right yes exactly as. Any Body Language deadline arrives please. Make. We recruit here. Anybody else. And using your. I was awesome I find interesting or less interesting playing on Broadway in London and. Well you know the stairs appear to everywhere. People often ask me What's it what's the difference between playing on Broadway and on the. Honest day I have I don't know the difference I'm I'm in and I'm not experienced enough in Broadway as one of the show I've done here and I haven't been in the play I have for thirteen years before his. I think audiences are the same although there you get the same people who women who wear jangling bracelets and sit in them from sought out their. Cosmetic to get the same people who got drunk feel troubled which should be enough. Now I got to say I'm enthusiastic kind of people who come to the usually during the first six weeks. I am honest they feel very at home here the only difference for me is that there's a kind of excitement about being in your go. Your. Lady and he'll. Oh I think it. Sounds kind of his route and. I was doing that I was also a question about Shane. I'd hoped to be the one actor to get to nine hundred sixty four without mentioning Shakespeare's next hour having said anything but I was telling a little story. Before lunch. As an example of how tremendous their observance. Opposition there was about his contemporaries and how they are still a political today now and about before the war outside the Old Vic and. Used to play them for the new Cup which was on Saturday Night Football gas players. Market people and in the prettiest It was a pretty rough neighborhood. And the kind of get anything there and there used to be a woman who used to sell live eels. In a wooden frame with water and I very often used to go out to do the math and then the evening performance and wander along those because it was always fascinating what one saw and heard a lot and I heard that woman. Shouted as an eel which raises its head. And she said down once and down and then you clobbered the piece of water the night in King Lear that is a line down one thousand dollars the top sense of the year I was illustrating that in four hundred years ago. Yes. I was reading about it. I get in to the editor and I Isaacson passing on my I mean we're talking about the count as. Some party up my nose at that comes in and smokes endless cigarettes my face masks the gossip of the day and by that time someone saying fifteen minutes and I'm putting on a sweater and. That's that I mean. I'm sorry it's true or not to be able to be more than just about Illinois. Lose. Like. Five or. Oh. I don't like. That. I only know one way or. Illinois. This is entirely my fault I'm not Mr city Michael's Mrs If I was put into a. Part of it was for that. I grumbled and. Got Dylan removed I'm afraid but you are sure you can combine. Them Thomas. I mean on Thomas fine but I mean you probably want to run and anyway I shouted out to the surgeon I've got a microphone and I don't know why one doesn't have the other newer and atm. I just think this has got to be the end of it if I do this. As in my craft and sort of. Exercise do the still like when over the Reduce of my mother's life there with all the grief. I labored by singing like. Not what I am no prayer nor the stratagem trade of charms on the United States. But for the common wages of the most secret. Not for the proud man and a half from the raging moon I arrived just on these Spindrift pages all for the pounding dead with nightingales hands. For the love of. The graves of the Asians. No prayers or wages. No heave my class. Than. The A. Little I have to go back to work I know within and around here. But the meeting of the fishermen over. Thank you very much. And I mean you. Know a. Lot.