David Niven attended Stowe School and . This meant that Niven had to leave the U.S., so he went to Mexico, where he worked as a "gun-man", cleaning and polishing the rifles of visiting American hunters. Sadly, by the summer of 1983, just weeks before Curse was released . At that point, Niven had a brief but pleasant reunion. He was lent to MGM for a minor part in Rose Marie (1936), then a larger one in Palm Springs (1936) at Paramount. Born in London, Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory School and Stowe before gaining a place at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. persona that became instantly recognizable and was repeated, more or However, another doctor advised Niven to allow the swelling of the face to go down. His many . I found it where they told me I would, but it was among 27,000 others, and I told myself that here, Niven, were 27,000 reasons why you should keep your mouth shut after the war." After Niven had won the Academy Award, Goldwyn called with an invitation to his home. 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. second volume of reminiscences, concentrating on Hollywood So we rented a helicopter so they immediately went and grabbed him. Geni requires JavaScript! Sophisticated actor who starred in the Pink Panther detective comedy films and appeared in The Bishop's Wife. 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. extra. long absence, to pick up the threads of his career and there followed DAVID NIVEN's former partner 'was a b**** to him', according to James Bond actor Roger Moore. television commercials for instant coffee. At the end of the lecture, the speaker (a major general) asked if there were any questions. Long winter evenings in the north, 1919-29. Kristina Niven was born in 1960 in Switzerland to David Niven and Hjrdis Genberg, and has a sister Fiona Niven. The Distinguished Alumni will be recognized at the Distinguished Alumni Awards . After his mother remarried, Niven's stepfather had him sent away to boarding school. He spoke little about his experience in the war, despite public interest in celebrities in combat and a reputation for storytelling. fortunate both with his contacts and in being in the right place at Mother Jessie Robertson. At a dinner in 1961. From there, he hired an agent and had several small parts in films from 1933, 1934 and 1935, including a non-speaking part in MGM's Mutiny on the Bounty. Infantry, mainly on Malta, but resigned his commission after three He wanted something more exciting, however, and transferred to the Commandos. The year is 1974: 33-year-old Robert Opel, looking for all the world like a fit David Crosby, streaks naked past David Niven, who was about to introduce Elizabeth Taylor. personalities and called "Bring On the Empty Horses". In 1979 he appeared in Escape to Athena, which was produced by his son David Jr. He first appeared as an extra in the British film There Goes the Bride (1932). Mar 1 1910 - Belgrave Mansions, London, England, United Kingdom. Even more popular was the action film The Guns of Navarone (1961) with Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. PA Photos. Niven first met Churchill at a dinner party in February 1940. In that same year he was again loaned out, to 20th Century Fox to play Bertie Wooster in Thank You, Jeeves! From fifteen and forty-five, she suffered from bulimia The entrepreneur couple succeeded in developing a chain of 10 stores. 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]. This professional He remained with Fox to play the part of a fake love interest in Three Blind Mice (1938). Many Hollywood stars of the wartime generation ended their careers in cameo roles or cult movies, even schlock horror or, worst of all, television soaps. After detours to Bermuda and Cuba, he arrived in Hollywood in 1934. Son of William Edward Graham Niven and Henriette Julia Comyn-Platt In October 1951, while pheasant shooting with friends in New England, Hjrdis was shot in the face, neck and chest by a member of the hunting party. James David Graham Niven was born on 01 March 1910 at Belgrave Mansions, Grosvenor Gardens, London, to William Edward Graham Niven (1878-1915) and his wife, Henrietta Julia (ne Degacher) Niven (1878-1932). His birthplace is London. His final appearance in Hollywood was hosting the 1981 American Film Institute tribute to Fred Astaire. Parts, initially small, in major motion pictures followed, including Dodsworth (1936), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). From Maggie Smith to Michael Caine, from Richard Harris . [15], He did well at Sandhurst, which gave him the "officer and gentleman" bearing that was his trademark. Whigham adored Niven until the day he died. Niven stated, "Anyone who says a bullet sings past, hums past, flies, pings, or whines past, has never heard one they go crack!" In 1942, he co-starred in the morale-building film about the development of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter, The First of the Few (American title Spitfire), which was enthusiastically endorsed by Winston Churchill. Now years later, the picture was still in exactly the same spot. He attended Dartmouth College and was graduated. He was working on a third novel when his health failed in 1983. David Niven in FamilySearch Family Tree David Niven in Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910 view all 24 Immediate Family. In 1982 Niven fell ill during filming and was diagnosed with a virulent form of Motor Neurone Disease. It says much Primmie died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. A limited edition of British postage stamps was produced using one of Lucas's images taken during this portrait sitting. RKO borrowed him to play Ginger Rogers' leading man in the romantic comedy Bachelor Mother (1939), which was another big hit. Hollywood but to survive in a tough and ruthless world. She was among the VIP guests at his London memorial service. [7][8] Henriette's mother was Julia Caroline Smith, the daughter of Lieutenant General James Webber Smith CB. 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. During this period Niven was largely barred from the Hollywood studios. 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. He was gazetted a Lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Though his condition continued to worsen he refused to return to the hospital, a decision supported by his family. 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. He was buried in Natte Yallock Cemetery, Natte Yallock, Victoria, Australia. [citation needed], While on leave in 1940, Niven met Primula "Primmie" Susan Rollo (18 February 1918 21 May 1946), the daughter of London lawyer William H.C. Rollo. Obituary. Casino Royale co-producer Charles K. Feldman said later that Fleming had written the book with Niven in mind, and therefore had sent a copy to Niven. In Malta, he became friends with the maverick Mike Trubshawe, and served under Roy Urquhart, future commander of the British 1st Airborne Division. This was his only recurring role on television. William Niven, David's father, was of Scottish descent; his paternal grandfather, David Graham Niven, (18111884) was from St. Martins, a village in Perthshire. November 15, 1951 - September 26, 2022 David James Robert passed away Monday, September 26th with family by his side. Born on 15 December 1942 in Unknown, David Niven Jr. started his career as actor . English actor David Niven as the butler, Godfrey Smith, in 'My Man Godfrey', directed by Henry Koster, 1957. 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. She was brought up by her parents David Niven and Primula Rollo. The first, Round the Rugged Rocks, was a novel that appeared in 1951 and was forgotten almost at once. Born: James David Graham Niven in Kirriemuir, Scotland (some sources say London, England), 1 March 1910. In 1998, they got divorced. and better parts came his way. company, Four Star Television, to produce films for the small screen; Hjrdis recovered from her alcoholism after Niven's death in 1983, but returned to it before her own death of a stroke in 1997. Born on 29 July 1983 in United Kingdom, David Niven started his career as actor and novelist . After Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, Niven returned home and rejoined the Army. Showing the typical rebelliousness of his early years, Niven asked, "Could you tell me the time, sir? Upon developing an interest in acting, he found a role as an extra in the British film There Goes the Bride (1932). After selling their chain of stores, the . He then returned to the U.S. and was accepted by Central Casting as "Anglo-Saxon Type No. He appeared in A Matter of Life and Death (1946), The Bishop's Wife (1947, with Cary Grant and Loretta Young), and Enchantment (1948, with Teresa Wright), all of which received critical acclaim. James Niven was born on month day 1825, to John Niven and Agnes Moodie. 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. (1954), a drama that earned Niven a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor; Happy Ever After (1954), a comedy with Yvonne de Carlo, which was hugely popular in Britain. He served in "Phantom", a secret reconnaissance and signals unit which located and reported enemy positions,[26] and kept rear commanders informed on changing battle lines. He was chosen by Otto Preminger for Hjordis Tersmeden; they had two adopted daughters. Niven's other roles included Squadron Leader Peter Carter in A Matter of Life and Death (1946), Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Sir Charles Lytton ("the Phantom") in The Pink Panther (1963), James Bond in Casino Royale (1967), and Colonel Race in Death on the Nile (1978). David's mother Henrietta then married Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt in London in 1917. successful war film, "The Guns of Navarone": a blockbuster "55 Days at Career. About to lead his men into action, Niven eased their nervousness by telling them, "Look, you chaps only have to do this once. It really happened the way it does when written by the worst lady novelistsI goggled. He claimed to have been so grief-stricken that he thought for a while that he had gone mad. Having developed an interest in acting, he left the Highland Light Infantry, travelled to Hollywood and had several minor roles in film. perfect foil to Peter Sellers as the accident prone Inspector Family, Romance, And Relationships Who is Barbara Niven dating? Unfortunately, Niven's second marriage was as tumultuous as his first marriage was content. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. He was alone among British stars in Hollywood in doing so; the British Embassy advised most British actors to stay, and indeed many were over the age for military service anyway and did not have Niven's existing military education and experience. (1936), before finally landing a sizable role as a soldier in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) at Warners, an Imperial adventure film starring his housemate at the time, Errol Flynn. Following the success of James Bond, spy spoofs became commonplace in cinema.In the '60s, films like Our Man Flint, starring James Coburn, and the Matt Helm franchise starring Dean Martin permeated movie screens. After failing to pass the naval entrance exam due to his difficulty with maths, Niven attended Stowe School, a newly created public school led by headmaster J.F. He returned to England when Goldwyn lent him to Alexander Korda to play the title role in Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), a notorious box office flop. [20] In New York City, Niven began a brief and unsuccessful career in whisky sales, followed by a stint in horse rodeo promotion in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Most Popular. He received his Resident Alien Visa from the American Consulate when his birth certificate arrived from England. The plot was plainly autobiographical (although not recognised as such at the time of publication), involving a young soldier, John Hamilton, who leaves the British army, becomes a liquor salesman in New York, is involved in indoor horse racing, goes to Hollywood, becomes a deckhand on a fishing boat, and finally ends up as a highly successful film star. The show was produced by Four Star Television, which was co-owned and founded by Niven, Ida Lupino, Dick Powell and Charles Boyer. She is a proud mother to Jessica and grandmother to three grandchildren River and Shasha. He requested assignment to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders or the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), then jokingly wrote on the form, as his third choice, "anything but the Highland Light Infantry" (because that regiment wore tartan trews rather than the kilt). Finally, Goldwyn granted Niven a lead part, the title role as the eponymous gentleman safe-cracker in Raffles (1939). 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