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David Niven
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The son a well-to-do British Army captain who died in the battle of Gallipoli in 1915, David Niven was shipped off to a succession of boarding schools by his stepfather, who didn't care much for the boy. Young Niven hated the experience and was a poor student, but his late father's reputation helped him get admitted to the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, and he was later commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Rakishly handsome and naturally charming, Lt. Niven met a number of high society members while stationed in Malta, and, through their auspices, made several important contacts while attending parties. Although he later claimed to have been nothing more than a wastrel-like "professional guest" at this stage of his life, Niven was actually excellent company, a superb raconteur, and a loyal friend, and he paid back his social obligations by giving lavish parties of his own once he become famous. Niven ... insisted that he fell into acting without any prior interest, although he had done amateur theatricals in college. Following his military discharge, Niven wandered the world working odd jobs ranging from a lumberjack to a gunnery instructor for Cuban revolutionaries to (by his own account) a petty thief.
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David Niven had been Ian Fleming's preference for the part of James Bond.[7] EON Productions... chose Sean Connery. But in 1967, he starred with Deborah Kerr and Barbara Bouchet in the James Bond satire, Casino Royale. Niven is mentioned by name in the text of one of Fleming's James Bond novels. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond visits a posh ski resort and is told that David Niven is a frequent visitor. "David" is the name of a pet cormorant in You Only Live Twice, after Fleming's friendship with Niven.
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Born in Scotland in 1910, David Niven followed in the footsteps of his father by serving in the British Army until 1932. He arrived in Hollywood in 1935 and after a chance meeting became a 'film extra'. Six years later he accepted his first starring role. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was the first British actor to volunteer to go back to England and was commissioned in the Rifle Brigade, serving with distinction throughout the conflict. After returning to America, he continued his distinguished film career, both as actor and producer. David Niven died tragically in 1983 of Motor Neurone Disease in Château-d’Œx, France.
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David Niven's film career continued with the success of Around the World in 80 Days in 1956. He played an officer in several films, such as The Guns of Navarone in 1961. Then came the success of The Pink Panther in 1963, and the James Bond parody Casino Royale in 1967. He ... held the leading role in The Brain in 1969 and worked with Peter Ustinov in Death on the Nile in 1978.
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David Niven was born March 1, 1910 in Belgrave Mansions, London, England, UK (some say he was born in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland). He was the son of a well-to-do British Army lieutenant who died at Gallipoli in 1915. Because of his father's reputation he entered the Royal Military College where he earned the rank of second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Niven insisted that he fell into acting without any prior interest but he had done some amateur theatricals in college. In 1935 he became a Hollywood extra and ultimately came to the attention of producer Samuel Goldwyn. After several secondary roles for Goldwyn he was loaned out for a lead role in the 20th Century Fox second feature Thank you, Jeeves, 1936.
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David Niven was born in London in 1910. After losing his father during the First World War his childhood was quite unsettled until he attended Stowe School. After passing out from the Royal Military College at Sandhurst he gained a commission with the Highland Light Infantry serving for a time in Malta. Resigning his commission at the age of twenty-three he took off for Canada and the United States where for three years he tried his hand at a variety of jobs (including a spell as a whisky salesman) before heading west to Hollywood. Of his pre-war films the best known is probably The Prisoner of Zenda (1937).
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David Niven