David Niven

David Niven
Allan Warren · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	David Niven
Caption	Niven in 1950
Birth name	James David Graham Niven
Birth date	1 March 1910
Birth place	London, England
Death date	29 July 1983
Death place	Château-d'Œx, Switzerland
Occupation	Actor, author, memoirist
Spouse	Primula Rollo (m. 1940; died 1946), Hjördis Paulina Tersmeden (m. 1948)
Children	4, including David Niven Jr.
Years active	1932–1983
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Serviceyears	1939–1945
Rank	Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit	Rifle Brigade, Phantom Signals Regiment, Special Operations Executive
Battles	World War II
Awards	Legion of Merit (United States)

David Niven. James David Graham Niven was a celebrated British actor, memoirist, and decorated officer, renowned for his quintessential charm and wit both on and off the screen. His career spanned five decades, encompassing roles in classic films such as Around the World in 80 Days and The Pink Panther, and he won an Academy Award for his performance in Separate Tables. Beyond his cinematic achievements, his service in World War II with the British Army and his best-selling autobiographies cemented his status as a beloved international figure.

Early life and military career

Born in London, he was the son of William Niven, who died at the Battle of the Somme, and was educated at Stowe School before gaining a place at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry, he served in Malta but grew disillusioned with peacetime army life. He resigned his commission in 1933 and embarked on a series of itinerant jobs, including lumberjacking in Canada and whiskey promoting in Cuba, before eventually sailing to Hollywood to pursue acting.

Acting career

After securing an uncredited role in the Irving Thalberg production Mutiny on the Bounty, his polished demeanor led to a contract with Samuel Goldwyn. He soon became a popular leading man in films like The Charge of the Light Brigade and The Dawn Patrol. His career was interrupted by the war, but he returned to star in major post-war successes such as The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant and Enchantment. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the Delbert Mann drama Separate Tables and later found great comedic success in ensemble casts for Around the World in 80 Days and the Blake Edwards farce The Pink Panther.

Personal life

He married Primula "Primmie" Rollo in 1940, with whom he had two sons, David Niven Jr. and James Niven. Tragedy struck in 1946 when Primula died in a fall at the Beverly Hills home of the actor Tyrone Power. In 1948, he married Swedish model Hjördis Paulina Tersmeden, with whom he adopted two daughters. The couple maintained homes in the South of France and Switzerland, and he was a noted member of the Hollywood social scene, counted among friends like Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart.

World War II service

At the outbreak of World War II, he rejoined the British Army, initially with the Rifle Brigade. He was later recruited into the covert Phantom Signals Regiment and also worked with the Special Operations Executive, participating in the planning for Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. He ended the war with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and was awarded the American Legion of Merit for his liaison work with the United States Army.

Later career and death

In his later years, he focused increasingly on writing, publishing two highly successful volumes of autobiography, The Moon's a Balloon and Bring on the Empty Horses, which became international bestsellers. His final film roles included the Walt Disney Pictures production The Candleshoe and the Peter Sellers comedy The Pink Panther Strikes Again. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and died at his home in Château-d'Œx, Switzerland in 1983.

Legacy and honours

He is remembered as one of the last great stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, epitomizing a certain brand of British elegance and understated humor. His literary works remain widely read chronicles of a bygone era in Tinseltown. For his contributions to the arts, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The annual David Niven Award is presented at the Colorado Film Festival in his memory.

Category:British male film actors Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners Category:British Army personnel of World War II Category:English memoirists