David Niven

James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in ''Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles included Squadron Leader Peter Carter in '' A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946), Phileas Fogg in ''Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956), Sir Charles Lytton ("the Phantom") in ''The Pink Panther'' (1963), and James Bond in '' Casino Royale'' (1967).

Born in London, Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory School and Stowe School before gaining a place at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After Sandhurst, he joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Upon developing an interest in acting, he found a role as an extra in the British film ''There Goes the Bride'' (1932). Bored with the peacetime army, he resigned his commission in 1933, relocated to New York, then travelled to Hollywood. There, he hired an agent and had several small parts in films through 1935, including a non-speaking role in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935). This helped him gain a contract with Samuel Goldwyn.

Parts in major motion pictures followed, including '' Dodsworth'' (1936), ''The Charge of the Light Brigade'' (1936), and ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937). By 1938, he was starring as the leading man in other 'A' films, including ''Wuthering Heights'' (1939). Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Niven returned to Britain and rejoined the army, being recommissioned as a lieutenant. In 1942, he co-starred in the morale-building film about the development of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter, ''The First of the Few'' (American title ''Spitfire''), which was enthusiastically endorsed by Winston Churchill.

Niven resumed his acting career after his demobilisation, and was voted the second-most popular British actor in the 1945 Popularity Poll of British film stars. He appeared in '' A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946), ''The Bishop's Wife'' (1947) with Cary Grant, and '' Enchantment'' (1948), all of which received critical acclaim. 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.'' (1955) before scoring a big success as Phileas Fogg in Michael Todd's production of ''Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956). Niven appeared in many shows for television and nearly 100 films. He also began writing books, with considerable commercial success. In 1982, he appeared in Blake Edwards' final ''Pink Panther'' films ''Trail of the Pink Panther'' and ''Curse of the Pink Panther'', reprising his role as Sir Charles Lytton.

Early life and family

James David Graham Niven was born on 1 March 1910 at Belgrave Mansions, Grosvenor Gardens, London, to William Edward Graham Niven (1878–1915) and his wife, Henrietta Julia (née Degacher) Niven (1878–1932). He was named David after his birth on St David's Day. Niven later claimed he was born in Kirriemuir, in the Scottish county of Angus in 1909, but his birth certificate disproves this. He had two older sisters and a brother: Margaret Joyce Niven (19001981), Henry Degacher Niven (19021953), and the sculptor Grizel Rosemary Graham (1906–2007), who created the bronze sculpture ''Bessie'' that is presented to the annual winners of the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Niven's father, William Niven, was of Scottish descent; he was killed in the First World War serving with the Berkshire Yeomanry during the Gallipoli campaign on 21 August 1915. He is buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey, in the Special Memorial Section in Plot F. 10. Niven's paternal grandfather and namesake, David Graham Niven, (1811–1884) was from St Martin's, a village in Perthshire.

Niven's mother, Henriette, was born in Brecon, Breconshire, Wales. Her father was Captain (brevet Major) William Degacher (1841–1879) of the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot, who was killed at the Battle of Isandlwana during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. Although born William Hitchcock, in 1874, he and his older brother Lieutenant Colonel Henry Degacher (1835-1902), both followed their father, Walter Henry Hitchcock, in taking their mother's maiden name of Degacher. Henriette's mother was Julia Caroline Smith, the daughter of Lieutenant General James Webber Smith CB.

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). The family moved to Rose Cottage in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight after selling their London home. In his 1971 biography, '' The Moon's a Balloon'', Niven wrote fondly of his childhood home:

It became necessary for the house in London to be sold and our permanent address was now as advertised — a cottage which had a reputation for unreliability. When the East wind blew, the front door got stuck and when the West wind blew, the back door could not be opened – only the combined weight of the family seemed to keep it anchored to the ground. I adored it and was happier there than I had ever been, especially because, with a rare flash of genius, my mother decided that during the holidays she would be alone with her children. Uncle Tommy was barred – I don’t know where he went – to the Carlton Club I suppose.

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. In a review of Lord's book, Hugh Massingberd from ''The Spectator'' stated photographic evidence did show a strong physical resemblance between Niven and Comyn-Platt that "would appear to confirm these theories, though photographs can often be misleading." Niven is said to have revealed that he knew Comyn-Platt was his real father a year before his own death in 1983.

After his mother remarried, Niven's stepfather had him sent away to boarding school. In ''The Moon's a Balloon'', Niven described the bullying, isolation, and abuse he endured as a six-year-old. He said that older pupils would regularly assault younger boys, while the schoolmasters were not much better. Niven wrote of one sadistic teacher:

Mr Croome, when he tired of pulling ears halfway out of our heads (I still have one that sticks out almost at right-angles thanks to this son of a bitch) and delivering, for the smallest mistake in Latin declension, backhanded slaps that knocked one off one’s bench, delighted in saying, ‘Show me the hand that wrote this’ — then bringing down the sharp edge of a heavy ruler across the offending wrist.

Years later, after joining the British Army, a vengeful Niven decided to return to the boarding school to pay a call on Mr Croome but he found the place abandoned and empty.

While attending schoolas was customary for the timeNiven received many instances of corporal punishment owing to his inclination for pranks. It was this behaviour that finally led to his expulsion from his next school, Heatherdown Preparatory School, at the age of 10½. This ended his chances for Eton College, a significant blow to his family. After failing to pass the naval entrance exam because of his difficulty with maths, Niven attended Stowe School, a newly created public school led by headmaster J. F. Roxburgh, who was unlike any of Niven's previous headmasters. Thoughtful and kind, he addressed the boys by their first names, allowed them bicycles, and encouraged and nurtured their personal interests. 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."

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. To the fury of her father, Niven got Whigham pregnant. She was rushed into a London nursing home for a secret termination. "All hell broke loose," remembered Elizabeth Duckworth, the family cook. Whigham adored Niven until the day he died. She was among the VIP guests at his London memorial service.

Military service

In 1928, Niven attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He graduated in 1930 with a commission as a second lieutenant in the British Army.

He did well at Sandhurst, which gave him the "officer and gentleman" bearing that was his trademark. 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 was assigned to the HLI, with which he served for two years in Malta and then for a few months in Dover. In Malta, he became friends with Roy Urquhart, future commander of the British 1st Airborne Division. On 21 October 1956, in an episode of the game show ''What's My Line?'', Niven, as a member of the celebrity panel, was reacquainted with one of his former enlisted men. Alexander McGeachin was a guest and when his turn in the questioning came up, Niven asked, "Were you in a famous British regiment on Malta?" After McGeachin affirmed that he was, Niven quipped, "Did you have the misfortune to have me as your officer?". At that point, Niven had a brief but pleasant reunion.

Niven grew tired of the peacetime army. Though promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1933, he saw no opportunity for further advancement. 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. At the end of the lecture, the speaker (a major general) asked if there were any questions. Showing the typical rebelliousness of his early years, Niven asked, "Could you tell me the time, sir? I have to catch a train."

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. Rose, DSO, MC). With Rose's assistance, Niven was allowed to escape from a first-floor window. He then headed for America. While crossing the Atlantic, Niven resigned his commission by telegram on 6 September 1933. 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. After detours to Bermuda and Cuba, he arrived in Hollywood in 1934.

Early film career

As an extra

When Niven presented himself at Central Casting, he learned that he needed a work permit to reside and work in the United States. As this required leaving the US, he went to Mexico, where he worked as a "gun-man", cleaning and polishing the rifles of visiting American hunters. He received his resident alien visa from the American consulate when his birth certificate arrived from Britain. He returned to the US and was accepted by Central Casting as "Anglo-Saxon Type No. 2,008."

Among the initial films in which he can be seen are '' Barbary Coast'' (1935) and ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935). 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).

Sam Goldwyn

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.

For Goldwyn, Niven again had a small role in '' Splendor'' (1935). He was lent to MGM for a minor part in ''Rose Marie'' (1936), then a larger one in ''Palm Springs'' (1936) at Paramount.

His first sizeable role for Goldwyn came in '' Dodsworth'' (1936), playing a man who flirts with Ruth Chatterton. In that same year he was again loaned out, to 20th Century Fox to play Bertie Wooster in ''Thank You, Jeeves!'' (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.

Niven was fourth billed in ''Beloved Enemy'' (1936) for Goldwyn, supporting Merle Oberon with whom he became romantically involved. Universal used him in ''We Have Our Moments'' (1937) and he had another good supporting role in David O. Selznick's ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937).

Fox Studios gave him the lead in a B picture, ''Dinner at the Ritz'' (1938) and he again had a supporting role in ''Bluebeard's Eighth Wife'' (1938) directed by Ernst Lubitsch at Paramount. Niven was one of the four heroes in John Ford's ''Four Men and a Prayer'' (1938), also with Fox. He remained with Fox to play the part of a fake love interest in ''Three Blind Mice'' (1938).

Niven joined what became known as the Hollywood Raj, a group of British actors in Hollywood which included Rex Harrison, Boris Karloff, Stan Laurel, Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Leslie Howard, and C. Aubrey Smith. According to his autobiography, Errol Flynn and he were firm friends and rented Rosalind Russell's house at 601 North Linden Drive as a bachelor pad.

Leading man

Niven graduated to star parts in "A" films with '' The Dawn Patrol'' (1938) remake at Warners; although he was billed below Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone, it was a leading role and the film did excellent business. Niven was reluctant to take a supporting part in ''Wuthering Heights'' (1939) for Goldwyn, but eventually relented and the film was a big success.

RKO borrowed him to play Ginger Rogers' leading man in the romantic comedy ''Bachelor Mother'' (1939), which was another big hit. 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). Finally, Goldwyn granted Niven a lead part, the title role as the eponymous gentleman safe-cracker in '' Raffles'' (1939).

Second World War

The day after Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, Niven returned home and rejoined the British Army. He was alone among British stars in Hollywood in doing so; the British Embassy advised most actors to stay.

Niven was recommissioned as a lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) on 25 February 1940, and was assigned to a motor training battalion. He wanted something more exciting, however, and transferred to the Commandos. He was assigned to a training base at Inverailort House in the Western Highlands. Niven later claimed credit for bringing future Major General Sir Robert E. Laycock to the Commandos. Niven commanded "A" Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as "Phantom". He was promoted to war-substantive captain on 18 August 1941.

Film work

Niven also worked with the Army Film and Photographic Unit. His work included a small part in the deception operation that used minor actor M. E. Clifton James to impersonate General Sir Bernard Montgomery. During his work with the AFPU, Peter Ustinov, one of the script-writers, had to pose as Niven's batman. 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". In 1978, Niven and Ustinov would star together in a film adaption of Agatha Christie's ''Death on the Nile''.

He acted in two wartime films not formally associated with the AFPU, but both made with a firm view to winning support for the British war effort, especially in the United States. These were ''The First of the Few'' (1942), directed by Leslie Howard, and ''The Way Ahead'' (1944), directed by Carol Reed. Peter Ustinov also played a large supporting role as a Frenchman in ''The Way Ahead''.

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. In 1944 he worked extensively with the BBC
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