David NivenDavid Niven, born James David Graham Niven (March 1, 1910 - July 29, 1983), was an English actor who achieved the unusual distinction of success in both the British and the Hollywood film industry. He was born in London, England, the son of William Edward Graham Niven and Henrietta Julia de Gacher. His father died during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 and his mother remarried Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt. After attending Stowe as a boy Niven trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which gave him the "officer and gentleman" bearing that was to be his trademark. Niven often claimed that he was born in Kirriemuir in Scotland which he believed sounded more romantic than London. Arriving in Hollywood during the 1930s, he first worked as an extra in westerns, then had a walk-on part in the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty and progressed to leading man in MGM comedies such as Bachelor Mother (1939). During World War II he served in the British army, rising to the rank of colonel in the British Commandos and landing at Normandy. He resumed his career afterwards with roles such as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days and James Bond in the unofficial series spoof Casino Royale. He won an Academy Award for his performance in Separate Tables (1958). Late in life, he gained critical acclaim for his memoirs of his acting career, The Moon's A Balloon (1971) and Bring On the Empty Horses (1975). He died in Switzerland in 1983 of Motor Neurone Disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Quotations
Selected filmography
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He died in Switzerland in 1983 of Motor Neurone Disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. See also: Other Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood. Late in life, he gained critical acclaim for his memoirs of his acting career, The Moon's A Balloon (1971) and Bring On the Empty Horses (1975). Pidgeon has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6414 Hollywood Blvd. He won an Academy Award for his performance in Separate Tables (1958). In accordance with his wishes, his body was donated to the UCLA, Medical School for medical research. He resumed his career afterwards with roles such as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days and James Bond in the unofficial series spoof Casino Royale. Walter Pidgeon died in 1984. During World War II he served in the British army, rising to the rank of colonel in the British Commandos and landing at Normandy. He retired fully in 1971, and died in Santa Monica, California. Arriving in Hollywood during the 1930s, he first worked as an extra in westerns, then had a walk-on part in the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty and progressed to leading man in MGM comedies such as Bachelor Mother (1939). He was nominated again in 1944 for Madame Curie, but he left Hollywood in the mid-1950s for the stage. Niven often claimed that he was born in Kirriemuir in Scotland which he believed sounded more romantic than London. Miniver (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor). After attending Stowe as a boy Niven trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which gave him the "officer and gentleman" bearing that was to be his trademark. He starred opposite Greer Garson in Blossom in the Dust and in Mrs. His father died during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 and his mother remarried Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt. It wasn't until he starred in How Green Was My Valley that he became well-known. He was born in London, England, the son of William Edward Graham Niven and Henrietta Julia de Gacher. He made several silent movies in the 1920s, then made some early talkie musicals, then played second fiddle to the main male star in such films as Saratoga and The Girl of the Golden West. David Niven, born James David Graham Niven (March 1, 1910 - July 29, 1983), was an English actor who achieved the unusual distinction of success in both the British and the Hollywood film industry. Born near Saint John, New Brunswick, he began his career by studying at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Tres Amores - 1934. Walter Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 - September 25, 1984) was a Canadian actor. Without Regret - 1935. Splendor - 1935. A Feather in Her Hat - 1935. Barbary Coast - 1935. Mutiny on the Bounty (uncredited bit part) - 1935. Thank You, Jeeves - 1936. Dodsworth - 1936. Beloved Enemy - 1936. Rose-Marie - 1936. Palm Springs - 1936. The Charge of the Light Brigade - 1936. We Have Our Moments - 1937. The Prisoner of Zenda - 1937. Dinner at the Ritz - 1937. Three Blind Mice - 1938. Four Men and a Prayer - 1938. Bluebeard's Eighth Wife - 1938. The Dawn Patrol - 1938. Wuthering Heights - 1939. The Real Glory - 1939. Eternally Yours - 1939. Bachelor Mother - 1939. Raffles - 1940. The First of the Few) - 1942. Spitfire (a.k.a. The Immortal Battalion - 1944. The Way Ahead - 1944. The Perfect Marriage - 1946. A Matter of Life and Death (a.k.a. Stairway to Heaven) - 1946. Magnificent Doll - 1946. The Other Love - 1947. The Bishop's Wife - 1947. Enchantment - 1948. Bonnie Prince Charlie - 1948. Kiss in the Dark - 1949. A Kiss for Corliss - 1949. The Elusive Pimpernel - 1950. The Toast of New Orleans - 1950. Soldiers Three - 1951. The Lady Says No - 1951. Happy Go Lovely - 1951. Appointment with Venus - 1951. The Love Lottery - 1953. The Moon is Blue - 1953. Happy Ever After - 1954. The King's Thief - 1955. Carrington, V.C. - 1955. The Birds and the Bees - 1956. Around the World in Eighty Days - 1956. The Silken Affair - 1957. My Man Godfrey - 1957. The Little Hut - 1957. Oh, Men! Oh, Women! - 1957. Separate Tables - 1958. Bonjour Tristesse - 1958. Happy Anniversary - 1959. Ask Any Girl - 1959. Please Don't Eat the Daisies - 1960. The Best of Enemies - 1961. The Guns of Navarone - 1961. Il Giorno Pił Corto - 1962. La Cittą Prigioniera - 1962. The Road to Hong Kong - 1962. Guns of Darkness - 1962. 55 Days at Peking - 1963. The Pink Panther - 1963. Bedtime Story - 1964. Where the Spies Are - 1965. Lady L - 1965. Eye of the Devil - 1967. Casino Royale - 1967. Prudence and the Pill - 1968. The Impossible Years - 1968. The Extraordinary Seaman - 1969. Le Cerveau - 1969. Before Winter Comes - 1969. The Statue - 1971. King, Queen, Knave - 1976. Old Dracula - 1974. Paper Tiger - 1975. No Deposit, No Return - 1976. Murder by Death - 1976. Candleshoe - 1977. Death on the Nile - 1978. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square - 1979. Escape to Athena - 1979. The Sea Wolves: The Last Charge of the Calcutta Light Horse - 1980. Rough Cut - 1980. Better Late Than Never - 1982. Trail of the Pink Panther - 1982. Curse of the Pink Panther - 1983. and showing his shortcomings." David Niven, spontaneously commenting on the streaker who crossed the stage while he was hosting the Academy Awards in 1974. "The only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping.. "I don't think his acting ever quite achieved the brilliance or the polish of his dinner-party conversations." -- John Mortimer. Can you imagine being wonderfully overpaid for dressing up and playing games? It's like being Peter Pan" -- David Niven. "It really is amazing. |