Salt Lake Telegram | 1952-01-01 | Page 17 | Most Versatile Actor Stars in British Comedy Cinema

Most Versatile Actor Stars In British Comedy Cinema HOLL HOLLYWOOD Alec Guinness Guin Guin- Guinness ness last seen as Disraeli in The and now starring in The uThe Lavender Hill Mob lob comedy successor to Kind Hearts And Coronets and Tight Little Island enjoys enjoys enjoys en en- joys the reputation of being Britain's most versatile actor It used to be said of the late George Arliss that every character character character char char- acter he played bore an uncanny uncanny uncanny un un- canny resemblance to Mr 11 Ar Ar- liss The very reverse is true of Alec Guinness His Fagin in Oliver Twist was totally unlike unlike unlike un un- like his youthful Herbert Pocket in Great His eight characterizations in Kind Hearts and Coronets included man-about- man a young town an elderly spinster a peppery peppery peppery pep pep- pery colonel a stubborn admiral admiral admiral ad ad- miral and a doddery old clergy clergy- man r P The man who was expected to die in Last Holiday bears no resemblance whatever to the meek bank clerk who stole in The Lavender Hill Mob The secret if there Is one he said is to imagine yourself I as the person you are portraying portray portray- ing ing It means studying the character carefully and intimately inti inti- Youve You've got to know his mind what mind what he thinks his reactions to life his background back background ground his mannerisms For instance the character Holland in The uThe Lavender Hill Mob l is a minor bank worker who has been doing the same job fob day in and day out from young manhood into middle age He would almost certainly wear spectacles He would probably be a trifle paunchy through lack of exercise He lie might have a double chin He would have a nervous disposition disposition disposition tion and might stutter a little Guinness brings this word picture to life liCe in The Laven Laven- der Hill Mob l through the device device device de de- de- de vice of sagging his body pressing pressing pres pres- sin sing his chin down to his neck giving the illusion of a double chin and by providing Holland Holland Hol Hol- land with a slight speech impe impe- diment