A letter written by late acting legend Sir Alec Guinness dismissing his role in Star Wars as "rubbish" has been published to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday this week (beg31Mar14).

The Oscar winner, who died in 2000, would have celebrated his 100th birthday on Wednesday (02Apr14) and editors at Lettersofnote.com marked the occasion by sharing two letters written while he was preparing for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the 1977 sci-fi epic.

In Guinness' first note, written to his theatre director friend Anne Kaufman, he ponders whether to accept the part, calling the film "fairytale rubbish" but conceding he may agree to take it if "they come up with proper money".

In the second letter, written three months later, Guinness complains about the "rubbish dialogue" in the script, adding, "None of it makes my character clear or even bearable."

Guinness also bemoans his co-stars, claiming they "make me feel 90 - and treat me as if I was 106" and goes on to ask his friend whether she has ever heard of an actor named Harrison Ford, who had joined him on set.

Guinness' 100th birthday has also been marked by Britain's Royal Mail, who have commissioned a special series of stamps in celebration of notable figures born in 1914.