David Niven

British actor

Also known as: James David Graham Niven

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Quick Facts

In full:: James David Graham Niven

Born:: March 1, 1910, London, England

Died:: July 29, 1983, Château-d’Oex, Switzerland (aged 73)

Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1959); Academy Award (1959): Actor in a Leading Role; Golden Globe Award (1959): Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama; Golden Globe Award (1954): Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Married To:: Primula Rollo (1940–1946 [her death]); Hjördis Genberg (married 1948)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Soldiers Three" (1951); "Betty Crocker Star Matinee" (1952); "La città prigioniera" (1962); "The Silken Affair" (1956); "Thank You, Jeeves!" (1936); "The Little Hut" (1957); "A Feather in Her Hat" (1935); "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937); "The Birds and the Bees" (1956); "Candleshoe" (1977); "Mr. Adams and Eve" (1957); "Before Winter Comes" (1968); "The Bishop's Wife" (1947); "The Extraordinary Seaman" (1969); "The Impossible Years" (1968); "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" (1979); "Death on the Nile" (1978); "The Lady Says No" (1951); "Magnificent Doll" (1946); "The Perfect Marriage" (1946); "Old Dracula" (1974); "Happy Go Lovely" (1951); "No Deposit, No Return" (1976); "A Kiss in the Dark" (1949); "The Statue" (1971); "Better Late Than Never" (1983); "Trail of the Pink Panther" (1982); "Prudence and the Pill" (1968); "The Other Love" (1947); "Bonnie Prince Charlie" (1948); "Guns of Darkness" (1962); "Ask Any Girl" (1959); "The Rogues" (1964–1965); "Four Men and a Prayer" (1938); "Rough Cut" (1980); "My Man Godfrey" (1957); "Dodsworth" (1936); "A Man Called Intrepid" (1979); "Curse of the Pink Panther" (1983); "The Dawn Patrol" (1938); "The Moon Is Blue" (1953); "The Toast of New Orleans" (1950); "The Guns of Navarone" (1961); "Splendor" (1935); "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936); "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956); "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" (1960); "Bachelor Mother" (1939); "Burke's Law" (1963); "The Elusive Pimpernel" (1949); "Four Star Playhouse" (1952–1956); "The Love Lottery" (1954); "Casino Royale" (1967); "Dinner at the Ritz" (1937); "Le cerveau" (1969); "Happy Anniversary" (1959); "Murder by Death" (1976); "Spitfire" (1942); "Nash Airflyte Theatre" (1950); "Chesterfield Presents" (1952); "The Pink Panther" (1963); "Oh, Men! Oh, Women!" (1957); "Palm Springs" (1936); "Escape to Athena" (1979); "Zane Grey Theater" (1957–1959); "Bonjour Tristesse" (1958); "Without Regret" (1935); "The Real Glory" (1939); "Eye of the Devil" (1967); "Three Blind Mice" (1938); "The Sea Wolves" (1980); "Raffles" (1939); "Where the Spies Are" (1966); "A Matter of Life and Death" (1946); "The DuPont Show with June Allyson" (1960); "Enchantment" (1948); "Appointment with Venus" (1951); "Court Martial" (1954); "A Kiss for Corliss" (1949); "We Have Our Moments" (1937); "Beloved Enemy" (1936); "Hollywood Opening Night" (1952–1953); "55 Days at Peking" (1963); "King, Queen, Knave" (1972); "Tonight's the Night" (1954); "Rose-Marie" (1936); "Bedtime Story" (1964); "The Best of Enemies" (1961); "The King's Thief" (1955); "Paper Tiger" (1975); "The Star and the Story" (1956); "Robert Montgomery Presents" (1952); "Alcoa Theatre" (1957–1958); "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife" (1938); "Goodyear Theatre" (1957–1958); "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1951); "Eternally Yours" (1939); "Celanese Theatre" (1952); "Separate Tables" (1958); "Lady L" (1965); "The Way Ahead" (1944); "Wuthering Heights" (1939)

David Niven (born March 1, 1910, London, England—died July 29, 1983, Château-d’Oex, Switzerland) was a British stage and motion-picture actor who personified dapper charm.

Born to a longtime military family, Niven attended Sandhurst Military Academy. He made his way to Hollywood in the mid-1930s and began performing as an extra. His first major roles were in Dawn Patrol (1938) and Wuthering Heights (1939). He rapidly became known as a steady, reliable actor who usually specialized in light comedy.

Niven served as an officer in the British army’s commando unit during World War II, and following the war he returned to films. Though known for his sure touch with light comedy, he also proved to be a substantial dramatic actor, winning an Academy Award for his role in Separate Tables (1958). Among his best-known films are The Moon Is Blue (1953), Around the World in 80 Days (1956), The Guns of Navarone (1961), The Pink Panther (1963), and Death on the Nile (1978).

Empty movie theater and blank screen (theatre, motion pictures, cinema).

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He also appeared on stage and on two television series. He published a novel, Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly (1981), and two autobiographical volumes, The Moon’s a Balloon (1971) and Bring on the Empty Horses (1975).

Niven performed in movies until the year of his death, even though he suffered in his later life from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease). His last film was The Curse of the Pink Panther (1983).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.