His mother remarried Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt in 1917. He also began writing books, with considerable commercial success. Obituary. In the mid 1930s he arrived in Hollywood to try his luck as a film Hjrdis in the city, 1942-43. A Thanksgiving service was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 27 October 1983. In 1955 renowned British photographer Cornel Lucas photographed Niven while filming at the Rank Film Studio in Denham, Buckinghamshire. He claimed to have been so grief-stricken that he thought for a while that he had gone mad. Even in the '90s, the Austin Powers franchise continued the trend to hilarious results. Less widely seen was The Extraordinary Seaman (1969). He was buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey in the Special Memorial Section in Plot F. 10. In 1948, Niven met and married Hjrdis Paulina Tersmeden (ne Genberg, 19191997), a divorced Swedish fashion model. Henrietta was of French and British ancestry. Unfortunately, Niven's second marriage was as tumultuous as his first marriage was content. He recounted their meeting: I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life tall, slim, auburn hair, up-tilted nose, lovely mouth and the most enormous grey eyes I had ever seen. extended illness, at the age of 73. five decades. Then we find ourselves on Earth in 1945, where RAF pilot Peter Carter, played by David Niven, is flying back to Britain after a bombing raid, losing height, badly hit. Quick access. [13], Years later, after joining the British Army, a vengeful Niven decided to return to the boarding school to pay a call on Mr Croome but he found the place abandoned and empty. [22], Niven was recommissioned as a lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) on 25 February 1940,[23] and was assigned to a motor training battalion. Niven wrote of one sadistic teacher: Mr Croome, when he tired of pulling ears halfway out of our heads (I still have one that sticks out almost at right-angles thanks to this son of a bitch) and delivering, for the smallest mistake in Latin declension, backhanded slaps that knocked one off ones bench, delighted in saying, Show me the hand that wrote this then bringing down the sharp edge of a heavy ruler across the offending wrist. He remained with Fox to play the part of a fake love interest in Three Blind Mice (1938). Niven was posted at one time to Chilham in Kent. Born to a longtime military family, Niven attended Sandhurst Military Academy. DAVID NIVEN OBITUARY. The congregation of 1,200 included Prince Michael of Kent, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, Sir John Mills, Sir Richard Attenborough, Trevor Howard, David Frost, Joanna Lumley, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Lord Olivier. fortunate both with his contacts and in being in the right place at Read Todd S. Purdum's 1999 article on Hollywood family life on fabled Roxbury Drive, . supported Ronald Colman in "The Prisoner of Zenda", played opposite In 1948 Niven met Hjrdis Paulina Tersmeden (ne Genberg, 19191997), a divorced Swedish fashion model. Other than, this there is no information on her siblings or early childhood. 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]. But I did co-star with Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother!". Sadly, by the summer of 1983, just weeks before Curse was released . His ultimate decision to resign came after a lengthy lecture on machine guns, which was interfering with his plans for dinner with a particularly attractive young lady. After abortive screen tests for other producers, Niven was put under 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. This was his last film appearance. 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. As preparation Preminger, who had directed the play in New York, insisted that Niven appear on stage in the West Coast run. He . . But his birth certificate says something completely different. Born May 19, 1920 in Rochester, NY, he moved to Attleboro, MA, at age 3 with his parents, Henry and Gladys Niven. These were The First of the Few (1942), directed by Leslie Howard, and The Way Ahead (1944), directed by Carol Reed. Clouseau. Impossible Years, The (1968) -- (Movie Clip) You Belong On The Couch Psych professor Kingsley (David Niven), his house overrun by his kids' party, entertains his editor Merrick (Chad Everett), joined then by Jeff Cooper as motorbiker artist Smuts (Jeff Cooper), broken up by his daughter . He had three older siblings. Bitter, estranged and plagued by depression, Hjrdis showed up drunk at the funeral, having been persuaded to attend by family friend Prince Rainier III of Monaco. Finally, Goldwyn granted Niven a lead part, the title role as the eponymous gentleman safe-cracker in Raffles (1939). He was working on a third novel at the time of his death. Most Popular. Niven first met Churchill at a dinner party in February 1940. 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. long novel with a Hollywood setting, "Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly". He then attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, and graduated in 1930 with a commission as a second lieutenant in the regular Army. The first, Round the Rugged Rocks, was a novel that appeared in 1951 and was forgotten almost at once. He was named David after his birth on St David's Day.Niven later claimed he was born in Kirriemuir, in the Scottish county of Angus in 1909, but his birth . Peter Ustinov also played a large supporting role as a Frenchman in The Way Ahead. 20/31. In 1974, while Niven was co-hosting the 46th Annual Oscars ceremony, a naked man (Robert Opel) appeared behind him, "streaking" across the stage. Niven's Bonjour Tristesse co-star, Mylne Demongeot, declared about him, in a 2015 filmed interview: "He was like a Lord, he was part of those great actors who were extraordinary like Dirk Bogarde, individuals with lots of class, elegance and humour. "The Moon is Blue", a comedy that gained notoriety by running into Two weeks later, they were in Hollywood. But six years later, she died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. With an Academy Award to his credit, Niven's career continued to thrive. [46], A Thanksgiving service for Niven was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 27 October 1983. He was promoted to war-substantive captain on 18 August 1941.[24]. 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. his life in the forces and in films and literally sprinkled with Father David Pearson Niven. He graduated in 1930 with a commission as a second lieutenant in the British Army. His first star long absence, to pick up the threads of his career and there followed Niven had been Bond creator Ian Fleming's first choice to play Bond in Dr. No. Matka, dcera armdnho dstojnka, pochzela z Walesu a kdy Davidv otec padl v Bitv o Gallipoli (1915), provdala se za Sira Thomase Comyn-Platta. Niven was posted at one time to Chilham in Kent. Niven stated, "Anyone who says a bullet sings past, hums past, flies, pings, or whines past, has never heard one--they go crack! an army officer who was killed in the First World War. After Niven had won the Academy Award, Goldwyn called with an invitation to his home. [41] He also became close friends with William F. Buckley and his wife Pat; Buckley wrote a memorial tribute to him in Miles Gone By (2004). From Maggie Smith to Michael Caine, from Richard Harris . Less so was the comedy Bedtime Story (1964) with Marlon Brando. A limited edition of British postage stamps was produced using one of Lucas's images taken during this portrait sitting. Streaker Robert Opel, a gay rights activist, had a history of nude protests, and his antics weren't as rare as you might think -- streaking was actually a nationwide trend in 1974. (Another 1981 interview, posted on YouTube, shows Niven on The Merv Griffin Show while publicizing his novel Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly. David Niven Jr. is a British film producer, film actor and script writer who was an executive at Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures. After failing to pass the naval entrance exam because of his difficulty with maths, Niven attended Stowe School, a newly created public school led by headmaster J. F. Roxburgh, who was unlike any of Niven's previous headmasters. David Niven was in the early stages of motor neurone disease, and his voice had to be overdubbed by impressionist Rich Little. In 1964, he and Boyer appeared in the Four Star series The Rogues. Reed as a quasi propaganda piece for the British Army. He spoke little about his experience in the war, despite public interest in celebrities in combat and a reputation for storytelling. ", He gave a few details of his war experience in his autobiography, The Moon's a Balloon: his private conversations with Winston Churchill, the bombing of London, and what it was like entering Germany with the occupation forces. Instead, it led to a stone staircase to the basement. Kristina's average age compared to other Niven family members is unknown because she is alive. (1958) Starring: Dick Powell, David Niven Genre: TV Western, Television Studio: Timeless Media Release Date: 12/2/2014 Features: Boxed Set The third season of the anthology series brings more of Zane Grey's Old West stories to the small screen with no shortage of drama or top guest stars. Following a suicide attempt involving a handgun that failed to go off, he eventually rallied and returned to filmmaking. a succession of barbaric prep schools from which he either absconded Find-a-Grave Memorial #3552-----James David Graham Niven (1 March 1910 - 29 July 1983), known professionally as David Niven, was an English actor and novelist, popular both in Europe and the US.. After selling their chain of stores, the . years and took a succession of casual jobs in Canada and the United I have to catch a train.". Hjrdis Genberg, model student, 1941-42. - 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. He received his Resident Alien Visa from the American Consulate when his birth certificate arrived from England. 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. Goldwyn pulled out and the film did not appear in the US for three years. In that same year he was again loaned out, to 20th Century Fox to play Bertie Wooster in Thank You, Jeeves! Barbara Niven has only one child in her family, which is her little girl, Jessica Niven, who is also an artist by profession. 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. He was also a co-host of the 30th, 31st, and 46th Academy Awards ceremonies. He was working on a third novel when his health failed in 1983. second volume of reminiscences, concentrating on Hollywood David Niven was born on the 1st of March, 1910. The couple had two sons, David Jr. and Jamie. 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. Niven wrote four books. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Separate Tables (1958).. Born in London, Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory . 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. When Niven presented himself at Central Casting, he learned that he needed a work permit to reside and work in the U.S. elaborate allegorical fantasy, "A Matter of Life and Death". So we rented a helicopter so they immediately went and grabbed him. 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. The Distinguished Alumni will be recognized at the Distinguished Alumni Awards . Niven moved to New York City, where he began an unsuccessful career in whisky sales and horse rodeo promotion in Atlantic City. books sold more than ten million copies. Thu 18 Oct 2007 19.06 EDT. He was born James David Graham Niven on March 1, 1910, in Kirriemuir, a market and linen-mill center in the Scottish Highlands. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous actor Primmie died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. In an unsuccessful effort to bring harmony to the marriage, they adopted two girls, Kristina and Fiona. 47 sold. Whigham adored Niven until the day he died. Birth 28 October 1914 - St Andrews and St Leonards, Fife, , Scotland. She was brought up by her parents David Niven and Primula Rollo. Ex-partner of Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll Updated: August 6, 2022 . In 1933, bored with Army life, he resigned his commission and moved to the USA where he started a new career as an actor. At the end of the lecture, the speaker (a major general) asked if there were any questions. She focused on her academics and was an exceptional student. and the book was essentially a succession of funny stories, drawn from Bored with the peacetime army, he resigned his commission in 1933, relocated to New York, then travelled to Hollywood. 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. His range as an actor was limited and But he wanted something more exciting, and transferred into the Commandos. In 1971, with the In 1980 Niven began experiencing fatigue, muscle weakness and a warble in his voice. new reputation as a best-selling author. States, from selling liquor to promoting pony racing. He returned to the US and was accepted by Central Casting as "Anglo-Saxon Type No. David Niven Jr.'s godfather was Nol Coward, who gave him a silver cocktail shaker with the . or was expelled. Niven also worked with the Army Film Unit. 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. Mar 1 1910 - Belgrave Mansions, London, England, United Kingdom. Niven was born in Kirriemuir, Scotland, on March 1, 1910, the son of 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. The couple parted. 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