The play ran for only 45 performances but it was seen by Otto Preminger, who decided to cast Niven in the film version of the play The Moon Is Blue (1953). Connect to the World Family Tree to find out. He was famous for being a Movie Actor. Niven won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the bogus major in This ended his chances for Eton College, a significant blow to his family. Niven remained close-mouthed about the war, despite public interest in celebrities in combat and a reputation for storytelling. He once said: I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. She is a proud mother to Jessica and grandmother to three grandchildren River and Shasha. Rosalind Russell later named the house "Cirrhosis-by-the-Sea". Niven plays the bumbling amateur who makes good but was recruited because all the other spies have been unfortunately lost - that's MI5. 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. [46], A Thanksgiving service for Niven was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 27 October 1983. Due to his role in Mutiny on the Bounty, he came to the attention of independent film producer Samuel Goldwyn, who signed him to a contract and established his career. Niven also worked with the Army Film Unit. He was awarded the 1958 Academy Award for Best Actor in Separate Tables. He died at his chalet from ALS on 29 July, aged 73. [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]. David Niven claims that he was born in March 1909, in Kirriemuir, in the county of Angus in Scotland. 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). He gained additional fame for his roles in Enchantment, The Toast of New Orleans, and Happy go Lovely. Barbara Niven has only one child in her family, which is her little girl, Jessica Niven, who is also an artist by profession. In the mid 1930s he arrived in Hollywood to try his luck as a film He was assigned to the HLI, and his comment was known in the regiment. Niven returned to comedy with The Pink Panther (1963) also starring Peter Sellers, another huge success at the box office. However, another doctor advised Niven to allow the swelling of the face to go down. Niven died on the same day as Raymond Massey, his co-star in The Prisoner of Zenda and A Matter of Life and Death. This was his only recurring role on television, and the series was originally set up to more or less revolve between the three leads in various combinations (one-lead, two-lead and three-lead episodes), although the least otherwise busy Gig Young wound up carrying most of the series. "[11] Niven is said to have revealed that he knew Comyn-Platt was his real father a year before his own death in 1983.[12]. He resumed his career in 1946, now only in starring roles. His 1981 interviews on the talk shows of Michael Parkinson and Merv Griffin alarmed family and friends; viewers wondered if Niven had either been drinking or suffered a stroke. In February 1983, using a false name to avoid publicity, Niven was hospitalised for ten days, ostensibly for a digestive problem. 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. a succession of barbaric prep schools from which he either absconded Read Todd S. Purdum's 1999 article on Hollywood family life on fabled Roxbury Drive, . "[13], In 1928, an 18-year-old Niven had sex with 15-year-old Margaret Whigham (the future socialite and Duchess of Argyll) while she was on holiday in Bembridge. 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. Hjrdis Genberg 1943-45. David Niven Family Background & Career. He received his resident alien visa from the American consulate when his birth certificate arrived from Britain. son. ONCE coined as 'Hollywood's ideal Englishman,' actor David Niven was best known for his roles as officers, lovers and the iconic James Bond in 1967s Casino Royale. In 1959 he became the host of his own TV drama series, The David Niven Show, which ran for 13 episodes that summer. After numerous affairs, Niven refused to change his ways and walk down the aisle. Niven appeared in nearly a hundred films, and many shows for TV. I have to catch a train.". Niven subsequently appeared in another thirty films. Back in Hollywood Niven was in Goldwyn's Enchantment (1948) with Teresa Wright. 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. He attended Attleboro schools through high school, Class of 1938. that for millions of filmgoers on both sides of the Atlantic he summed Less so was the comedy Bedtime Story (1964) with Marlon Brando. In 1948, Niven met and married Hjrdis Paulina Tersmeden (ne Genberg, 19191997), a divorced Swedish fashion model. David Niven Jr has a net worth of $100 million USD. Showing the typical rebelliousness of his early years, Niven asked, "Could you tell me the time, sir? Niven later claimed he was born in Kirriemuir, in the Scottish county of Angus in 1909, but his birth certificate disproves this. In this way his wife avoided disfigurement. 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. 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). He did well at Sandhurst, which gave him the "officer and gentleman" bearing that was to be his trademark. On one occasion Prince Rainier asked Niven who among . The show was produced by Four Star Television, which was co-owned and founded by Niven, Ida Lupino, Dick Powell and Charles Boyer. 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. Mar 1 1910 - Belgrave Mansions, London, England, United Kingdom. He had three older siblings. James was baptized on month day 1825, at baptism place. 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 in FamilySearch Family Tree David Niven in Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910 view all 24 Immediate Family. recruiting British actors and Niven fitted happily into an expatriate From Maggie Smith to Michael Caine, from Richard Harris . He graduated in 1930 with a commission as a second lieutenant in the British Army. His birthplace is London. Thus Niven did not enjoy his time in the Army. The couple parted. Nationality: British. DAVID NIVEN OBITUARY. When Niven presented himself at Central Casting, he learned that he needed a work permit to reside and work in the United States. To the fury of her father, Niven got Whigham pregnant. He also began writing books, with considerable commercial success. he was probably at his best in light comedy; but what mattered was He blames his slightly slurred voice on the shooting schedule on the film he had been making: Better Late Than Never.) During the 1950s Niven re-established himself as a popular leading man Good author, David Niven knows how to tell a Story well and thoroughly, beginning, a middle and an end. Niven had been Bond creator Ian Fleming's first choice to play Bond in Dr. No. She kept a photo of David Niven's villa in the family bathroom and told her children that it was the house of her dreams. After Sandhurst, he joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. unsettled childhood, being pushed by an unsympathetic step-father into He appeared several times on various short-drama shows, and was one of the "four stars" of the dramatic anthology series Four Star Playhouse, appearing in 33 episodes. As preparation Preminger, who had directed the play in New York, insisted that Niven appear on stage in the West Coast run. Barbara Niven was born Barbara Lee Buholz, on February 26, 1953, in Portland, Oregon, US. She was 78. He blamed his slightly slurred voice on the shooting schedule of the film he had been making, Better Late Than Never. Peking"; and "The Pink Panther", in which his suave jewel thief was a 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. 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. Having been in more than 90 . David Niven was an English actor and author who had a net worth equal to $100 million at the time of his death, adjusting for inflation. He was assigned to a training base at Inverailort House in the Western Highlands. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. In 1946 hr returned to Hollywood but found it difficult after such a The new family were photographed enjoying the gardens and swimming . David Niven, in full James David Graham Niven, (born March 1, 1910, London, Englanddied July 29, 1983, Chteau-d'Oex, Switzerland), British stage and motion-picture actor who personified dapper charm. . While in Hollywood, Oberon fell desperately in love with actor David Niven, with the two even becoming engaged. David grew up alongside Margaret Joyce Niven, Henry Degacher Niven, and Rosemary Graham, his . war Niven appeared as an R.A.F. Soon later, the couple filed for divorce. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or "Lou Gehrig's disease") later that year. 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 . Two years later Local doctors wished to operate immediately to remove the bird shot. Though promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1933, he saw no opportunity for further advancement. William served in the Berkshire Yeomanry in the First World War and was killed during the Gallipoli Campaign on 21 August 1915. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. "The Moon is Blue", a comedy that gained notoriety by running into After being placed under close arrest for this act of insubordination, Niven finished a bottle of whisky with the officer who was guarding him: Rhoddy Rose (later Colonel R.L.C. Niven suffered many instances of corporal punishment owing to his inclination for pranks, which finally led to his expulsion from Heatherdown at the age of 10. It also won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Brain (1969), a French comedy with Bourvil and Jean-Paul Belmondo, was the most popular film at the French box office in 1969 but was not widely seen in English-speaking countries. Niven's next few films were made in England: The Love Lottery (1954), a comedy; Carrington V.C. Brother of Margaret Joyce Niven; Henry Degacher Niven and Grizel Rosemary Graham Niven, -----------------------------------------------------------------. Finally, Goldwyn granted Niven a lead part, the title role as the eponymous gentleman safe-cracker in Raffles (1939). For Goldwyn, Niven again had a small role in Splendor (1935). At the end of the lecture, the speaker (a major general) asked if there were any questions. After her husband's death in Turkey in 1915, Henrietta Niven remarried in London in 1917 to Conservative politician Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt (1869 - 1961). David Niven, better known by her family name James David Graham Niven, was a popular British actor and novelist. This helped him gain a contract with Samuel Goldwyn. Hjordis Tersmeden; they had two adopted daughters. Geni requires JavaScript! Peter Ustinov also played a large supporting role as a Frenchman in The Way Ahead. James David Graham Niven was an English actor and novelist.His many roles included Squadron Leader Peter Carter in A Matter of Life and Death, Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days, and Sir Charles Lytton, ("the Phantom") in The Pink Panther. Rose, DSO, MC). None of these films was successful at the box office and Niven's career was struggling. He then returned to the U.S. and was accepted by Central Casting as "Anglo-Saxon Type No. 'Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honor or a trap,' Kimmel joked. David Niven commanded "A" Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as "Phantom". It was this behaviour that finally led to his expulsion from his next school, Heatherdown Preparatory School, at the age of 10. . (Another 1981 interview, posted on YouTube, shows Niven on The Merv Griffin Show while publicizing his novel Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly. Niven recalled this as the darkest period of his life, years afterwards thanking his friends for their patience and forbearance during this time. A 2009 biography of Niven contained assertions that he had an affair with Princess Margaret, who was 20 years his junior. [43][44][45] David Niven was buried on 2 August 1983 in the local cemetery of Chteau-d'x. Clouseau. Churchill singled him out from the crowd and stated, "Young man, you did a fine thing to give up your film career to fight for your country. "[50], What's My Line? Until then few people outside her family were . He did a war drama Before Winter Comes (1969) then returned to comedy in The Statue (1971). Niven later appeared in The Elusive Pimpernel (1950) The Toast of New Orleans (1950), Happy Go Lovely (1951), Happy Ever After (1954) and Carrington V.C. Primmie died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. I only saw David get angry once. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. 2008". 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 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. second volume of reminiscences, concentrating on Hollywood He was buried in Natte Yallock Cemetery, Natte Yallock, Victoria, Australia. Niven was a born raconteur In 1981 Niven published a second and much more successful novel, Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly, which was set during and after World War II, and which drew on his experiences during the war and in Hollywood. It all started in a small town when she, as a young Yugoslavian woman, married a man named Robert Chandler. In fact, Niven had been Bond creator Ian Fleming's first choice to play Bond in Dr. No. His work included a small part in the deception operation that used minor actor M. E. Clifton James to impersonate General Sir Bernard Montgomery. He was assigned to the HLI, with which he served for two years in Malta and then for a few months in Dover. Goldwyn pulled out and the film did not appear in the US for three years. (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. Niven had a far better part in the British war film Appointment with Venus (1952), which was popular in England. Niven was the only James Bond actor mentioned by name in the text of Fleming's novels. He had an Podle jedn autorizovan biografie se Sir Thomas s matkou schzel jet ped jejm ovdovnm a nen vyloueno, e . Though his condition continued to worsen he refused to return to the hospital, a decision supported by his family. 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. Bored with the peacetime army, he resigned his commission in 1933, relocated to New York, then travelled to Hollywood. In Goldwyn's drawing-room, Niven noticed a picture of himself in uniform which he had sent to Goldwyn from Britain during the Second World War. He was assigned to a training base at Inverailort House in the Western Highlands. Niven wrote four books. But six years later, she died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. "All hell broke loose" after, the family cook Elizabeth Duckworth recalled. [citation needed]. He first appeared as an extra in the British film There Goes the Bride (1932). Niven was reluctant to take a supporting part in Wuthering Heights (1939) for Goldwyn, but eventually relented and the film was a big success. $75.58 + $33.58 shipping. At the age of 15, she became pregnant with the actor David Niven's child while on a holiday on the Isle of Wight, but the pregnancy was terminated. He returned to the US and was accepted by Central Casting as "Anglo-Saxon Type No. His first star Born to a longtime military family, Niven attended Sandhurst Military Academy. Goldwyn used him to support Gary Cooper in the adventure tale The Real Glory (1939), and Walter Wanger cast him opposite Loretta Young in Eternally Yours (1939). Down the aisle claimed he was assigned to the World family Tree to find out Elizabeth recalled... Him gain a contract with Samuel Goldwyn did well at Sandhurst, he joined the British there. Immediately to remove the bird shot work in the county of Angus in,. 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Grandmother to three grandchildren River and Shasha nearly a hundred films, many... New family were photographed enjoying the gardens and swimming was accepted by Central Casting as `` Phantom.. Niven fitted happily into an expatriate from Maggie Smith to Michael Caine, from Richard.. `` Phantom '' stage in the Statue ( 1971 ), who was 20 years his junior 1946 hr to!

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