[43][44][45] David Niven was buried on 2 August 1983 in the local cemetery of Chteau-d'x. 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). "[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 won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in Separate Tables (1958). It was this behaviour that finally led to his expulsion from his next school, Heatherdown Preparatory School, at the age of 10. He did well at Sandhurst, which gave him the "officer and gentleman" bearing that was to be his trademark. After detours to Bermuda and Cuba, he arrived in Hollywood in 1934. brought his career to a critical peak. "Bachelor Mother", with Ginger Rogers, and he was appropriately cast We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. 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. A reviewer of Lord's book stated that Lord's photographic evidence showing a strong physical resemblance between Niven and Comyn-Platt "would appear to confirm these theories, though photographs can often be misleading.". He said that older pupils would regularly assault younger boys, while the schoolmasters were not much better. Released in 1964, "The Pink Panther" proved to be one of Niven's last He then attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, and graduated in 1930 with a commission as a second lieutenant in the regular Army. (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. David Niven commanded "A" Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as "Phantom". 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". His birthplace is London. [7][8] Henriette's mother was Julia Caroline Smith, the daughter of Lieutenant General James Webber Smith CB. He hosted the 1981 American Film Institute tribute to Fred Astaire, which was his final appearance in Hollywood. She also divorced her second husband. . Surprisingly few of his 90-odd films stay in the memory, Even in the '90s, the Austin Powers franchise continued the trend to hilarious results. 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. David Niven Family Background & Career. Kristina Niven was born in 1960 in Switzerland to David Niven and Hjrdis Genberg, and has a sister Fiona Niven. In 1933, she wed US golfer and gambler Charles Sweeny in a glamorous, highly publicised wedding, which 3,000 Londoners tried to gatecrash. Long winter evenings in the north, 1919-29. Flynn in a re-make of "The Dawn Patrol" and in formidable competition Her father was Captain (brevet Major) William Degacher (18411879) of the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot, who was killed at the Battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. Niven later claimed he was born in Kirriemuir, in the Scottish county of Angus in 1909, but his birth certificate disproves this. 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. Niven appeared in 19 films in the next four years. Below the table, you can find all the information about his birthday. He is buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey, in the Special Memorial Section in Plot F. The show was produced by Four Star Television, which was co-owned by Niven, Robert Montgomery and Charles Boyer. His mother remarried Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt in 1917. (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. [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. Niven was last married to David Niven Jr a British film producer and actor from June 19, 1993, to 1998. With the Duke of Argyll at the family seat, Inveraray Castle, in 1960. Mark you, had you not done so it would have been despicable. The Lady Says No (1952) was a poorly received American comedy at the time. 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. John Le Mesurier . Sadly, by the summer of 1983, just weeks before Curse was released . He was buried in Natte Yallock Cemetery, Natte Yallock, Victoria, Australia. Niven was the only James Bond actor mentioned by name in the text of Fleming's novels. The entrepreneur couple succeeded in developing a chain of 10 stores. The couple had been married since 1940 and were visiting Tyrone Power's home when a game of 'hide and seek' was suggested by someone. http://ww2gravestone.com/people/niven-james-david-graham/. Goldwyn lent him to play Aaron Burr in Magnificent Doll (1946) opposite Ginger Rogers, then to Paramount for The Perfect Marriage (1947) with Loretta Young and Enterprise Productions for The Other Love (1947). 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. persona that became instantly recognizable and was repeated, more or Having developed an interest in acting, he left the Highland Light Infantry, travelled to Hollywood and had several minor roles in film. [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. As preparation Preminger, who had directed the play in New York, insisted that Niven appear on stage in the West Coast run. In the mid 1930s he arrived in Hollywood to try his luck as a film [46], A Thanksgiving service for Niven was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, on 27 October 1983. It was royal. became a close friend and drinking companion) ; Niven played a gallant Niven appeared in nearly a hundred films, and many shows for TV. Geni requires JavaScript! In 1950 he starred in The Elusive Pimpernel, which was made in Britain and which was to be distributed by Samuel Goldwyn. dress and behaviour but with mischief lurking not far from the an army officer who was killed in the First World War. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results David Niven (1852 - 1902) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days How do we create a person's profile? "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther. There I saw David lose his British phlegm, his politeness and class. 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. 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. Obituary. He supported Mario Lanza in a musical at MGM, The Toast of New Orleans (1950). 25, was killed in an accidental fall, leaving two small sons. a succession of barbaric prep schools from which he either absconded [3] He was named David after his birth on St David's Day. Margaret Niven. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous actor Ex-partner of Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll 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. 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. In an unsuccessful effort to bring harmony to the marriage, they adopted two girls, Kristina and Fiona. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Niven returned to Britain and rejoined the army, being recommissioned as a lieutenant. In 1978, Niven and Ustinov would star together in a film adaption of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile. Upon developing an interest in acting, he found a role as an extra in the British film There Goes the Bride (1932). 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. He is the son of actor David Niven and Primula Rollo. After Niven had won the Academy Award, Goldwyn called with an invitation to his home. He followed it with Oh, Men! [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. Niven wrote four books. Niven was not told of this; he learned it from a newspaper report. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. From there, he hired an agent and had several small parts in films from 1933 to 1935, including a non-speaking part in MGM's Mutiny on the Bounty. He also worked extensively with Major Glenn Miller, whose Army Air Force big band, formed in the US, was performing and broadcasting for troops in England. 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. In the early 1950s he formed, with Charles Boyer and Dick Powell, a With an Academy Award to his credit, Niven's career continued to thrive. The Rogues ran for only one season, but won a Golden Globe award. 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). supported Ronald Colman in "The Prisoner of Zenda", played opposite "[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. In The Moon's a Balloon, Niven described the bullying, isolation, and abuse he endured as a six-year-old. DAVID NIVEN OBITUARY. Hjrdis Genberg 1943-45. He had an He was also a co-host of the 30th, 31st, and 46th Academy Awards ceremonies. Connect to the World Family Tree to find out. After Niven had won the Academy Award, Goldwyn called with an invitation to his home. Niven stated, "Anyone who says a bullet sings past, hums past, flies, pings, or whines past, has never heard one they go crack!" Loosely based on Ian Fleming's book of the same name, Casino Royale follows a retired Sir James . Life at Leja, 1942-43. 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. 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. Niven appeared in many shows for television and nearly 100 films. Hepburn and her family suffered . 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. Niven had his own series on television and appeared In 1967 Niven appeared as one of seven incarnations of 007 in the James Bond spoof Casino Royale. Excellent read. Actor David Niven holding his Best Actor Oscar for the film 'Separate Tables', at the 31st Academy Awards, Los Angeles, April 6th 1959. She had walked through a door believing it to be a closet, but instead, it led to a stone staircase to the basement.[36][37]. . Niven was in demand throughout the last decade of his life: King, Queen, Knave (1972); Vampira (1974); Paper Tiger (1975); No Deposit, No Return (1976), a Disney comedy; Candleshoe (1977), one of several stars in a popular comedy; Murder By Death (1976), Death on the Nile (1978), one of many stars and another hit; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (1979); Escape to Athena (1979), produced by his son; Rough Cut (1980), supporting Burt Reynolds; and The Sea Wolves (1980), a wartime adventure movie. 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). In 1980 Niven began experiencing fatigue, muscle weakness and a warble in his voice. At that point, Niven had a brief but pleasant reunion. Discover David Niven's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Niven commanded "A" Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as "Phantom". Niven decided to try Broadway, appearing opposite Gloria Swanson in Nina (195152). But he wanted something more exciting, and transferred into the Commandos. Niven also worked in television. 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. rarely graduated into stars, Niven proved an exception. As he was looking at the picture, Goldwyn's wife Frances said, "Sam never took it down."[16]. Primmie died at the age of 28, only six weeks after the family moved to the US. He blames his slightly slurred voice on the shooting schedule on the film he had been making: Better Late Than Never.) The Rogues ran for only one season, but won a Golden Globe award and currently remains a cult favourite. David grew up alongside Margaret Joyce Niven, Henry Degacher Niven, and Rosemary Graham, his . In 1959 he became the host of his own TV drama series, The David Niven Show, which ran for 13 episodes that summer. By this time, Niven was having serious health problems. Jessica Niven's age and the niceties of Wikipedia are currently absent on the internet . David Niven was a true Renaissance Man. William Niven, David's father, was of Scottish descent; his paternal grandfather, David Graham Niven, (18111884) was from St. Martins, a village in Perthshire. of indifferent films, interspersed with more worthy vehicles: among 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. He was Hjrdis in the city, 1942-43. Niven later claimed credit for bringing future Major General Sir Robert E. Laycock to the Commandos. Following Niven senior's death at Turkey's infamous Suvla Bay, Niven's mother went on to marry his biological father, the Conservative politician Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt, but it was years before the true father/son relationship was acknowledged. Until then few people outside her family were . and better parts came his way. At the end of the lecture, the speaker (a major general) asked if there were any questions. None of these films was successful at the box office and Niven's career was struggling. In 1981 Niven published a second and much more successful novel, Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly, which was set during and after the Second World War, and which drew on his experiences during the war and in Hollywood. When Niven presented himself at Central Casting, he learned that he needed a work permit to reside and work in the United States. Niven returned to Hollywood and encountered tragedy when his first wife died after falling down a flight of stairs at a party. (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. 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. Hjrdis Genberg 1919-43. After Sandhurst, he joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Niven played Alexander 'Alec' Fleming, one of a family of retired con-artists who now fleece villains in the interests of justice. James passed away on August 19 1885, at age 60. I said, sir, you had discharged him, he left for Deauville to gamble at the casino. [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. son. Reed as a quasi propaganda piece for the British Army. Great Britain has brought the world a wide array of acting talents over the years. Life was never the same again, 1930-40. At a dinner in 1961. He came to films almost by accident, and with no previous acting James Niven in Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950. 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. After numerous affairs, Niven refused to change his ways and walk down the aisle. less, through film after film. Niven moved to New York City, where he began an unsuccessful career in whisky sales and horse rodeo promotion in Atlantic City. Biografie (1) James David Graham Niven se narodil v Londn. [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). Quick access. On his return to Hollywood after the war, he received the Legion of Merit, an American military decoration. 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