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. Early life and family. Roxburgh, who was unlike any of Niven's previous headmasters. While crossing the Atlantic, Niven resigned his commission by telegram on 6 September 1933. Niven also worked with the Army Film Unit. His first important part came in (1955) before scoring a big success as Phileas Fogg in Michael Todd's production of Around the World in 80 Days (1956). He . After a whirlwind romance, they married on 16 September 1940. During his work with the AFPU, Peter Ustinov, one of the script-writers, had to pose as Niven's batman. Niven remained close-mouthed about the war, despite public interest in celebrities in combat and a reputation for storytelling. In 1948, Niven met and married Hjrdis Paulina Tersmeden (ne Genberg, 19191997), a divorced Swedish fashion model. But I'll have to do it all over again in Hollywood with Errol Flynn!" In 1959, he became the host of his own TV drama series, The David Niven Show, which ran for 13 episodes that summer. 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 returned to Hollywood and encountered tragedy when his first wife died after falling down a flight of stairs at a party. 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. He was assigned to the HLI, and his comment was known in the regiment. Henrietta Julia gave birth to James David Graham Niven on March 1, 1910 at the Belgrave Mansion in Grosvenor Gardens, London. Niven wrote four books. Sadly, by the summer of 1983, just weeks before Curse was released . a period of undistinguished parts in mediocre films. He registered with Central Casting as "Anglo Saxon Type Number As preparation Preminger, who had directed the play in New York, insisted that Niven appear on stage in the West Coast run. 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, but I did co-star with Ginger Rogers in Bachelor Mother! When he interrupted David Niven at the 1974 Academy Awards ceremony, the Oscars streaker established what remains the all-time most outrageous moment in the history of the Oscars. In 1939 he co-starred with Ginger Rogers in the RKO comedy Bachelor Mother, and starred as the eponymous gentleman safe-cracker in Raffles. . dress and behaviour but with mischief lurking not far from the With an Academy Award to his credit, Niven's career continued to thrive. http://ww2gravestone.com/people/niven-james-david-graham/. Bored with the peacetime army, he resigned his commission in 1933, relocated to New York, then travelled to Hollywood. 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". colony that included Cary Grant, Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, David Niven was born in Belgravia, London, England in March 1910 and passed away in July 1983. Niven grew tired of the peacetime Army. Niven's countenance appears to have been used as inspiration for the character and puppet of Commander Norman in the Thunderbirds franchise, as well as for Sinestro, the DC Comics supervillain in Green Lantern comic books and film. Towards the end of his life, David Niven became such an accomplished chat show raconteur that his achievements in over 90 features were almost eclipsed by his tales of excess at 'Cirrhosis-by-the-Sea', the bachelor pad in Malibu that he shared with Errol Flynn.Yet his career is studded with landmarks, such as Otto Preminger's The Moon Is Blue (1953) defying the Production Code to include . The more memorable ones included The Guns of Navarone (1961), and The Pink Panther (1963), Murder by Death (1976), Death on the Nile (1978), and The Sea Wolves (1980). He was a popular star of the traditional type, establishing a screen Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Niven returned to Britain and rejoined the army, being recommissioned as a lieutenant. He secured a small role in A Feather in Her Hat (1935) at Columbia before returning to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for a bit role, billed as David Nivens, in Rose Marie (1936). recruiting British actors and Niven fitted happily into an expatriate His many . Instead, it led to a stone staircase to the basement. Appearing on-screen for only 23 minutes in the film, this is the briefest performance ever to win a Best Actor Oscar. On 14 March 1944, Niven was promoted war-substantive major (temporary lieutenant-colonel). [10], Literary editor and biographer, Graham Lord, wrote in Niv: The Authorised Biography of David Niven, that Comyn-Platt and Niven's mother may have been in an affair well before her husband's death in 1915 and that Comyn-Platt was actually Niven's biological father, a supposition that had some support among Niven's siblings. two films a year but he probably had mlre impact with a series of Niven was reluctant to take a supporting part in Wuthering Heights (1939) for Goldwyn, but eventually relented and the film was a big success. He had more than 100 acting credits to his name and starred as . In 1944 he worked extensively with the BBC and SHAEF to expand these broadcast efforts. For Goldwyn he supported Cary Grant and Young in The Bishop's Wife (1947). During this period Niven was largely barred from the Hollywood studios. Goldwyn pulled out and the film did not appear in the US for three years. He blames his slightly slurred voice on the shooting schedule on the film he had been making: Better Late Than Never.) Updated: August 6, 2022 . In 1993, she married David Niven Jr. He was born James David Graham Niven on March 1, 1910, in Kirriemuir, a market and linen-mill center in the Scottish Highlands. In happier times with Goldwyn, he had observed this same picture sitting on Goldwyn's piano. In 1974 Niven hosted David Niven's World for London Weekend Television, which profiled contemporary adventurers such as hang gliders, motorcyclists and mountain climbers. Niven also worked with the Army Film and Photographic Unit. However, Niven won a Golden Globe Award for his work in The Moon Is Blue (1953), produced and directed by Otto Preminger. He made a porter feel like a king. This role led to him being cast in further war and/or action movies: The Captive City (1962); The Best of Enemies (1962); Guns of Darkness (1962); 55 Days at Peking (1963) with Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner. Other than, this there is no information on her siblings or early childhood. Even more popular was the action film The Guns of Navarone (1961) with Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. He followed this with Bring On the Empty Horses in 1975, a collection of entertaining reminiscences from Hollywood's "Golden Age" in the 1940s. This brought him to wider attention within the film industry and he was spotted by Samuel Goldwyn. By this time the Second World War had started and Niven decided to He was also a co-host of the 30th, 31st, and 46th Academy Awards ceremonies. July 29 1983 - At his home in Chateau d'Oex, Vaud, Switzerland, William Edward Graham Niven, Henrietta Julia Niven (born Degacher), David Niven, Niven (Adopted), Niven, Niven (Adopted), Cause of death: Motor neuron disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - July 29 1983 - Chteau-d'x, William Edward Graham Niven, Henriette Julia Degacher, Henry Degacher Niven, Margaret Joyce Niven, Grizel Rosemary Graham Niven, Primula Susan Rollo, Hjrdis Paulina Tersmeden, David Niven, Jamie Niven, Fiona Niven, Kristina Niven, July 29 1983 - Chteau-d'Oex, Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District, Vaud, Switzerland, William Edward Graham Niven, Henrietta Julia Niven (geb. . Henrietta was of French and British ancestry. long absence, to pick up the threads of his career and there followed The entrepreneur couple succeeded in developing a chain of 10 stores. In 1965, he made two films for MGM: the Peter Ustinov-directed Lady L, supporting Paul Newman and Sophia Loren, and Where the Spies Are, as a doctor-turned-secret agent MGM hoped it would lead to a series, but this did not happen. Kristina Niven was born in 1960 in Switzerland to David Niven and Hjrdis Genberg, and has a sister Fiona Niven. 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. Following a suicide attempt involving a handgun that failed to go off, he eventually rallied and returned to filmmaking. Niven's professional fortunes were completely restored when cast as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days (1956), a huge hit at the box office. By Allan Warren own work licensed under thehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. On his return to Hollywood after the war, he received the Legion of Merit, an American military decoration. 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. David Niven was an esteemed English actor and novelist. When the raw footage was reviewed, his voice was inaudible, and his lines had to be dubbed by Rich Little. pilot in Powell and Pressburger's He reckoned that it was enough to David Niven Jr. Family Background & Career. Showing the typical rebelliousness of his early years, Niven asked, "Could you tell me the time, sir? He refused to return to the hospital, and his family supported his decision. Holland, Belgium and Germany. Introducing the family Hjrdis and David Niven with Kristina and Fiona. 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. Mother Jessie Robertson. (In fact the book was mostly invented by co-author William Stevenson (no relation), Sir William then being very old.) experience, but through a combination of luck, knowing the right I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. He won the 1958 Academy Award for Best Actor for Separate Tables; he was also a co-host of the 30th, 31st and 46th Academy Awards ceremonies. he is one of famous actor with the age 78 years old group. told the story of the Spitfire, and "The Way Ahead", made by Carol "[50], What's My Line? English actor David Niven as the butler, Godfrey Smith, in 'My Man Godfrey', directed by Henry Koster, 1957. During his work with the Film Unit, Peter Ustinov, though one of the script-writers, had to pose as Niven's batman. Niven was posted at one time to Chilham in Kent. 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 . They married six weeks later. Born William Hitchcock, he and his brother Henry had followed the lead of their father, Walter Henry Hitchcock, in assuming their mother's maiden name of Degacher in 1874. I have to catch a train.". five decades. In that same year he was again loaned out, to 20th Century Fox to play Bertie Wooster in Thank You, Jeeves! I had difficulty swallowing and had champagne in my knees.[16]. 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. 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