[25] He took part in the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944, although he was sent to France several days after D-Day. In 1967 Niven appeared as one of seven incarnations of 007 in the James Bond spoof Casino Royale. There I saw David lose his British phlegm, his politeness and class. James David Graham Niven was born March 1, 1910, at Kirriemuir, Scotland. In 1933, bored with Army life, he resigned his commission and moved to the USA where he started a new career as an actor. This professional for his staying power that he was still in regular demand after nearly David Niven Jr has a net worth of $100 million USD. William Niven, David's father, was of Scottish descent; his paternal grandfather, David Graham Niven, (18111884) was from St. Martins, a village in Perthshire. He attended Attleboro schools through high school, Class of 1938. In 1982 he appeared in Blake Edwards' final "Pink Panther" films Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther, reprising his role as Sir Charles Lytton. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond visits an exclusive ski resort in Switzerland where he is told that David Niven is a frequent visitor and in You Only Live Twice, David Niven is referred to as the only real gentleman in Hollywood. unsettled childhood, being pushed by an unsympathetic step-father into Niven first met Churchill at a dinner party in February 1940. Rosalind Russell later named the house "Cirrhosis-by-the-Sea". Niven divided his time in the 1960s and 1970s between his chalet in Chteau-d'x[42] and Cap Ferrat on the Cte d'Azur in the south of France.[38]. Niven wrote four books. [33] Niven was the only actor who played James Bond mentioned by name in the text of a Fleming novel. Niven was reluctant to take a supporting part in Wuthering Heights (1939) for Goldwyn, but eventually relented and the film was a big success. Niven wrote four books. After Sandhurst, he joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Niven later claimed credit for bringing future Major General Sir Robert E. Laycock to the Commandos. Niven resumed his acting career after his demobilisation, and was voted the second-most popular British actor in the 1945 Popularity Poll of British film stars. Goldwyn pulled out, and the film did not appear in the U.S. for three years. Niven later wrote, "How he did this, I shall never know, but he made every single boy at that school feel that what he said and what he did were of real importance to the headmaster. . Niven explained in his autobiography that there was no military way that he, a lieutenant-colonel, and Ustinov, who was only a private, could associate, other than as an officer and his subordinate, hence their strange "act". Infantry, mainly on Malta, but resigned his commission after three son . Introducing the family Hjrdis and David Niven with Kristina and Fiona. He also began writing books, with considerable commercial success. Niven also had special scorn for the newspaper columnists covering the war who typed out self-glorifying and excessively florid prose about their meagre wartime experiences. Niven often claimed that he was born in Kirriemuir, in the Scottish county of Angus in 1909, but his birth certificate shows this was not the case. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Separate Tables (1958).. Born in London, Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory . Niven moved to New York City, where he began an unsuccessful career in whisky sales and horse rodeo promotion in Atlantic City. James David Graham Niven was born in London to William Edward Graham Niven (1878-1915) and his wife, Henrietta Julia (ne Degacher) Niven. Niven appeared in many shows for television and nearly 100 films. [47], Biographer Graham Lord wrote, "the biggest wreath, worthy of a Mafia Godfather's funeral, was delivered from the porters at London's Heathrow Airport, along with a card that read: 'To the finest gentleman who ever walked through these halls. It now appears that Niven recounted many incidents from a first-person perspective that actually happened to other people, especially Cary Grant, and which he borrowed and embroidered. David Niven Junior last saw his father a few months before his death at the movie star's spectacular villa overlooking the sea at Cap Ferrat in the South of France. Entdecke Niv: The Authorised Biography of David Niven by Lord, Graham Hardback Book The in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Niven's friend Billie More noted: "This is not kind, but when Hjrdis died I can't think of a single soul who was sorry". However, another doctor advised Niven to allow the swelling of the face to go down. It was royal. billing, and first real chance to show his gift for comedy, came in He resumed his career in 1946, now only in starring roles. In 1964, Charles Boyer, Gig Young and top-billed Niven appeared in the Four Star series The Rogues. I only saw David get angry once. After McGeachin affirmed that he was, Niven quipped, "Did you have the misfortune to have me as your officer?". A 1981 interview on Michael Parkinson's talk show alarmed family and friends; viewers wondered if Niven had either been drinking or suffered a stroke. Niven ended the war as a lieutenant-colonel. Niven resumed his acting career after his demobilization, and was voted the second most popular British actor in the 1945 Popularity Poll of British film stars. He refused to return to the hospital, and his family supported his decision. While crossing the Atlantic, Niven resigned his commission by telegram on 6 September 1933. He was alone among British stars in Hollywood in doing so; the British Embassy advised most actors to stay. Mother Jessie Robertson. As more of a raconteur rather than an accurate memoirist, it seems that Niven recounted many incidents from a first-person perspective that actually happened to other people, among them Cary Grant. [16] On 21 October 1956, in an episode of the game show What's My Line?, Niven, as a member of the celebrity panel, was reacquainted with one of his former enlisted men. Born in London in 1910, David Niven went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1928 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry the following year. From Maggie Smith to Michael Caine, from Richard Harris . - Lerner & Loewe; Bishop Sheen; David Niven [panel] (Oct 21, 1956), (fee usually required to view full pdf of original recommendation), Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:47, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme, David Niven on screen, stage, radio, record and in print, "Niven, (James) David Graham (19101983), actor and author", "Casualty detailsNiven, William Edward Graham", "1917 David Niven's mother marries Thomas Comyn Platt", "David Niven's idyllic childhood home comes up for sale: 'I adored it and was happier there than I had ever been', "It's being so cheerful that keeps me going", "The flawed real life of the perfect movie gentleman", "David Niven was the only British star in Hollywood to enlist during WWII", "Recommendation for Award for Niven, John David Rank: Lieutenant Colonel", "The Politics of Oscar: Inside the Academy's Long, Hard Road to a Hostless Show", "David Niven Dead at 73; Witty Actor Won Oscar", "Archival material relating to David Niven", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Niven&oldid=1139476105, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:47. Both were made with a view to winning support for the British war effort, especially in the U.S. Niven's Film Unit work included a small part in the deception operation that used minor actor M. E. Clifton James to impersonate Field Marshal Montgomery. 47 sold. Niven's last sizeable film part was in Better Late Than Never (1983). Niven enjoyed success in 1956, when he starred as Phileas Fogg in Michael Todd's immensely successful production of Around the World in 80 Days. On one occasion Prince Rainier asked Niven who among . In 1998, they got divorced. David Niven was born on the 1st of March, 1910. Born to a longtime military family, Niven attended Sandhurst Military Academy. Rose Cottage, the childhood home of The Pink Panther actor David Niven in the village of Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, is now on sale for 975,000. Early life and family. David Niven Family Background & Career. When Niven presented himself at Central Casting, he learned that he needed a work permit to reside and work in the United States. In 1971, with the His range as an actor was limited and He served in the "Phantom Signals Unit", which located and reported enemy positions, and kept rear commanders informed on changing battle lines. Niven took part in the Invasion of Normandy, although he was sent to France several days after D-Day. He registered with Central Casting as "Anglo Saxon Type Number 10. Whigham adored Niven until the day he died. He served as an officer with the Highland Light as "Raffles" the gentleman burglar. The congregation of 1,200 included Prince Michael of Kent, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, Sir John Mills, Sir Richard Attenborough, Trevor Howard, Sir David Frost, Joanna Lumley, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Lord Olivier. After numerous affairs, Niven refused to change his ways and walk down the aisle. Showing the typical rebelliousness of his early years, Niven asked, "Could you tell me the time, sir? David Niven was a true Renaissance Man. According to his autobiography, Errol Flynn and he were firm friends and rented Rosalind Russell's house at 601 North Linden Drive as a bachelor pad. Having developed an interest in acting, he left the Highland Light Infantry, travelled to Hollywood and had several minor roles in film. Niven commanded "A" Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as "Phantom". Instead, it led to a stone staircase to the basement. Niven's next few films were made in England: The Love Lottery (1954), a comedy; Carrington V.C. This brought him to wider attention within the film industry and he was spotted by Samuel Goldwyn. [38][39] It is believed by some that Niven's choice to become a tax exile may have been one reason why he never received a British honour. Less widely seen was The Extraordinary Seaman (1969). About to lead his men into action, Niven eased their nervousness by telling them, "Look, you chaps only have to do this once. So we rented a helicopter so they immediately went and grabbed him. In 1980 Niven began experiencing fatigue, muscle weakness and a warble in his voice. The Moon Is Blue, a sex comedy, became notorious when it was released without a Production Code Seal of Approval; it was a big hit and Niven won a Golden Globe Award for his role. It was this behaviour that finally led to his expulsion from his next school, Heatherdown Preparatory School, at the age of 10. became a close friend and drinking companion) ; Niven played a gallant Sadly, by the summer of 1983, just weeks before Curse was released . In happier times with Goldwyn, he had observed this same picture sitting on Goldwyn's piano. Goldwyn pulled out and the film did not appear in the US for three years. He . David Niven Jr. is a British film producer, film actor and script writer who was an executive at Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures. "The Moon is Blue", a comedy that gained notoriety by running into colony that included Cary Grant, Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Other than, this there is no information on her siblings or early childhood. While she was convalescing in the Blackstone Hotel in New York, Niven and Hjrdis were next-door neighbours with Audrey Hepburn, who made her dbut on Broadway that season. "All hell broke loose," remembered Elizabeth Duckworth, the family cook. During the course of his long and storied acting career, Niven played a leading man, a world explorer, the villain in a Pink Panther movie, a soldier, a sailor, an action hero, and even James Bond in the first Casino Royale.He won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1958 for his role as Major Pollock in . years and took a succession of casual jobs in Canada and the United He reckoned that it was enough to second volume of reminiscences, concentrating on Hollywood Obituary. Reed as a quasi propaganda piece for the British Army. Having been in more than 90 . Lord wrote that "the biggest wreath, worthy of a Mafia Godfather's funeral, was delivered from the porters at London's Heathrow Airport, along with a card that read: 'To the finest gentleman who ever walked through these halls. He had a better part in The Birds and the Bees (1956), portraying a conman in a remake of The Lady Eve (1941), in which Niven played a third-billed supporting role under American television comedian George Gobel and leading lady Mitzi Gaynor. Property records show that Mister Niven Jr. purchased his Bird Street nest in November of 1983 for $1,200,000, which was a lot of damn money for a house back in 1983. But Deborah . It ran for 21 episodes. William served in the Berkshire Yeomanry in the First World War and was killed during the Gallipoli Campaign on 21 August 1915. The first, Round the Rugged Rocks (published simultaneously in the US under the title Once Over Lightly), was a novel that appeared in 1951 and was forgotten almost at once. Matka, dcera armdnho dstojnka, pochzela z Walesu a kdy Davidv otec padl v Bitv o Gallipoli (1915), provdala se za Sira Thomase Comyn-Platta. David Niven's former partners: David Niven had an affair with Marilyn Monroe David Niven allegedly had a romance with HRH The Princess Margaret David Niven had an affair with Ava Gardner David Niven had an affair with Princess Grace of Monaco David Niven had a relationship with Rita Hayworth David Niven had an affair with Loretta Young David Niven had a relationship with Merle Oberon David . In chapter 14 of You Only Live Twice, the pearl diver Kissy Suzuki refers to Niven as "the only man she liked in Hollywood", and the only person who "treated her honourably" there. '"[48], In 1985, Niven was included in a series of British postage stamps, along with Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Charles Chaplin, Peter Sellers and Vivien Leigh, to commemorate "British Film Year".[49]. Bored with the peacetime army, he resigned his commission in 1933, relocated to New York, then travelled to Hollywood. second wife, whom he married in 1948, was a leading Swedish model, Niven made some popular comedies, Prudence and the Pill (1968) and The Impossible Years (1968). He was named David after his birth on St David's Day. He once said: "I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. Peking"; and "The Pink Panther", in which his suave jewel thief was a He is perhaps best known for his roles as Squadron Leader Peter Carter in A Matter of Life and Death, as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and as Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. Ustinov later appeared with Niven in Death on the Nile (1978). In 1971, he published his autobiography, The Moon's a Balloon, which was well received, selling over five million copies. During the 1950s Niven re-established himself as a popular leading man Niven joined what became known as the Hollywood Raj, a group of British actors in Hollywood which included Rex Harrison, Errol Flynn, Boris Karloff, Stan Laurel, Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Leslie Howard and C. Aubrey Smith. On 14 March 1944, Niven was promoted war-substantive major (temporary lieutenant-colonel). He was assigned to the HLI, with which he served for two years in Malta and then for a few months in Dover. 1936 in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (whose star, Errol Flynn, Nationality: British. (Ustinov also acted in The Way Ahead.) She was later married to David Alexander in 1985 and they end up divorced after a couple of years. "Then it leaked out." The leak proved to be more of a slow puncture. Oh, Women! While crossing the Atlantic, Niven resigned his commission by telegram on 6 September 1933. As this required leaving the US, he went to Mexico, where he worked as a "gun-man", cleaning and polishing the rifles of visiting American hunters. dress and behaviour but with mischief lurking not far from the Niven had a long, complex relationship with Goldwyn, who gave him his first start, but the dispute over The Elusive Pimpernel and Niven's demands for more money led to a long estrangement between the two in the 1950s.[31]. company, Four Star Television, to produce films for the small screen; Genealogy profile for David Niven Genealogy for David Niven (1804 - 1872) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. By this time, Niven was having serious health problems. Afterwards, he returned to his chalet at Chateau d'Oex, where his condition continued to decline. But still he made a high ratio Biography ID: 192869360 . ", A few stories have surfaced. He is the son of actor David Niven and Primula Rollo. Holland, Belgium and Germany. Presented by Eisenhower himself, it honoured Niven's work in setting up the BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme, a radio news and entertainment station for the Allied forces. trough coincided with a personal tragedy when his wife, at the age of He then went to England and appeared in a musical with Vera-Ellen, Happy Go Lovely (1951); it was little seen in the US but was a big hit in Britain. David Niven Jr. is 79 years old in 2022. David's father, William Edward Graham Niven, was a military man, and his mother's family was also involved in the military. He returned to Britain to play the title role in The Elusive Pimpernel (1950) from Powell and Pressberger, which was to have been financed by Korda and Goldwyn. David Niven was in the early stages of motor neurone disease, and his voice had to be overdubbed by impressionist Rich Little. He made a porter feel like a king. A Matter of Life and Death (1946), The Bishop's Wife (1947), and Enchantment (1948) are all highly regarded. His health quickly declined and he died in 1983 at age 73, leaving four children and his second wife. he was probably at his best in light comedy; but what mattered was Grizel Rosemary Graham (born in Belgravia, Middlesex), 28 November 1906 28 January 2007). He then headed for America. [28] It honoured Niven's work in setting up the BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme, a radio news and entertainment station for the Allied forces.[29][30]. As he was looking at the picture, Goldwyn's wife Frances said, "Sam never took it down."[16]. I have to catch a train."[16]. By Allan Warren own work licensed under thehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. In 1960, Niven bought a chalet in Chteau-d'x near Gstaad in Switzerland for financial reasons, living near expatriate friends that included Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov, and Nol Coward. A 2009 biography of Niven contained assertions that he had an affair with Princess Margaret, who was 20 years his junior. James Niven in Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. Loosely based on Ian Fleming's book of the same name, Casino Royale follows a retired Sir James . Next image. in the popular comedy show, "The Rogues"; later he was much in demand Niven was also given a significant if largely unheralded role in the creation of SHAEF's military radio efforts conceived to provide entertainment to American, British and Canadian forces in England and Europe. Primula, whom he called Primmie, died at age 28, only six weeks after moving to the U.S., of a fractured skull and brain lacerations from an accidental fall in the home of Tyrone Power. She was 78. They married six weeks later. Fox Studios gave him the lead in a B picture, Dinner at the Ritz (1938) and he again had a supporting role in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938) directed by Ernst Lubitsch at Paramount. Niven had particular scorn for those newspaper columnists covering the war who typed out self-glorifying and excessively florid prose about their meagre wartime experiences. In July 1982, Blake Edwards brought Niven back for cameo appearances in two final "Pink Panther" films (Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther), reprising his role as Sir Charles Lytton. Niven played a role in the operation to move the Miller band to France prior to Miller's December 1944 disappearance while flying over the English Channel. He then returned to the U.S. and was accepted by Central Casting as "Anglo-Saxon Type No. 25, was killed in an accidental fall, leaving two small sons. In fact, Niven had been Bond creator Ian Fleming's first choice to play Bond in Dr. No. Asked by suspicious American sentries during the Battle of the Bulge who had won the World Series in 1943, he answered "Haven't the foggiest idea . Sweden's first supermodel and the actor David Niven's second wife. Right here at FameChain. Niven was posted at one time to Chilham in Kent. supported Ronald Colman in "The Prisoner of Zenda", played opposite son. (Another 1981 interview, posted on YouTube, shows Niven on The Merv Griffin Show while publicizing his novel Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly. fortunate both with his contacts and in being in the right place at After his mother remarried, Niven's stepfather had him sent away to boarding school. He was The formula proved astonishingly successful and led to a of indifferent films, interspersed with more worthy vehicles: among Niven grew tired of the peacetime Army. Now years later, the picture was still in exactly the same spot. He continued to make one and however, mainly because he was content to take what was available In all three examples, the reality is significantly different from Niven's heavily fictionalised accounts as presented in The Moon's a Balloon and related in various chat show appearances. Previous image. David Niven's first wife, Primula Rollo, (known as Primmie) died in a tragic household accident several months before he made The Bishop's Wife in 1947. I goggled. She was among the VIP guests at his London memorial service. The actor passed away in July . He died at his chalet from ALS on 29 July, aged 73. Niven's role in Mutiny on the Bounty brought him to the attention of independent film producer Samuel Goldwyn, who signed him to a contract and established his career. Niven died on the same day as Raymond Massey, his co-star in The Prisoner of Zenda and A Matter of Life and Death. wife. He made a porter feel like a king.'". Primmie and their sons (now age 3 and 4 months) took the 2 week journey by boat and arrived in Portland, Maine on March 22, 1946. But six years later, she died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. The show was produced by Four Star Television, which was co-owned by Niven, Robert Montgomery and Charles Boyer. He spoke little about his experience in the war, despite public interest in celebrities in combat and a reputation for storytelling. Great Britain has brought the world a wide array of acting talents over the years. Though his condition continued to worsen he refused to return to the hospital, a decision supported by his family. In 1959, he became the host of his own TV drama series, The David Niven Show, which ran for 13 episodes that summer. A Thanksgiving service was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 27 October 1983. Kristina later told biographer Graham Lord that she was convinced that she was Niven's secret child by another fashion model, Mona Gunnarson. After the horror film Eye of the Devil (1966), Niven appeared as James Bond in Casino Royale (1967), the only man to only ever portray Bond in a non-Eon Productions film. Niven was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland, on March 1, 1910, the son of He also began writing books, with considerable commercial success. 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