Biography
The son of a British Army captain, he followed in his father's footsteps but found the routine of military life between the wars so dreadfully boring that he resigned his commission and crossed the pond in search of adventure. Once in Hollywood, he worked as an extra and came to the attention of Samuel Goldwyn who signed him to a contract with MGM, and he rapidly graduated from bit parts to supporting and lead roles which showcased his …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
1983 | Last film appearance in Edwards' "Curse of the Pink Panther"; cameo shot at same time as "Trail of the Pink Panther" (voice dubbed by Rich Little) | |
1982 | Acted in Bryan Forbes' "Better Late Than Never", produced by son David Niven Jr | |
1982 | Reprised his role as Sir Charles Litton for Edwards' "Trail of the Pink Panther" | |
1980 | Returned to the other side of the law as Chief Inspector Cyril Willis in "Rough Cut", starring Burt Reynolds as a world-class jewel thief | |
1979 | Cast as the Mastermind of a bank heist in "A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square" | |
1977 | Portrayed disguise-laden English butler in entertaining Disney comedy "Candleshoe" | |
1976 | Ventured out as a granddad for Disney in "No Deposit, No Return" | |
1976 | Narrated CBS documentary, "Balloon Safari" | |
1976 | Appeared as part of the all-star cast of "Murder By Death", a spoof of such characters as Charlie Chan, Miss Marple and Sam Spade written by Neil Simon | |
| Hosted and narrated "David Niven's World", a sydicated series of 21 documentary-style presentatons | ||
1968 | Third and last film with Thompson, "Before Winter Comes" | |
1967 | Reteamed with Thompson for "Eye of the Devil" | |
1967 | Played James Bond in John Huston's overdone spoof of the genre, "Casino Royale" | |
| Returned to series TV in "The Rogues" (NBC), playing British head of a family of con artists | ||
1964 | Starred as Sir Charles Litton alongside Peter Sellers in Edwards' "The Pink Panther" | |
1961 | First film with director J Lee Thompson, the explosive action film "The Guns of Navarone" | |
1960 | Left Hollywood; thereafter based in Europe | |
1960 | Acted opposite Doris Day in "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" | |
1959 | Host and performer of "The David Niven Theater", a short-lived NBC series of original dramatic presentations | |
1958 | Played playboy widowed father in Preminger's superb "Bonjour Tristesse", also starring Kerr | |
1958 | Won Best Actor Oscar for his turn as an elderly disgraced military officer in "Separate Tables"; also starred Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth and Burt Lancaster | |
| Was regular on NBC series, "Turn of Fate" | ||
1956 | Assets of Four Star bought by Official Films for $10 million | |
1956 | Gained stardom as Phileas Fogg in "Around the World in 80 Days" | |
1953 | Acted in Otto Preminger's "The Moon Is Blue" (adapted from the play) | |
| Was both a producer and regular (with Powell, Boyer and Lupino) in "Four Star Playhouse", a CBS anthology series; first worked with director Blake Edwards in 1954 episode ("The Bomb") | ||
1952 | Aligned with Dick Powell, Charles Boyer and Ida Lupino to form Four Star, a television production company, becoming one of TV's first and most prolific stars | |
1952 | Had three-month run in San Francisco stage production of "The Moon Is Blue" | |
1951 | Sole Broadway appearance opposite Gloria Swanson in "Nina" | |
1950 | Reteamed with Powell and Pressburger for "The Elusive Pimpernel" | |
1949 | MGM contract terminated; freelanced thereafter | |
1946 | Starred as WWII pilot who jumps out of his plane without a parachute and, after somehow surviving what should have been his death, must plead for his life before a heavenly court in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's "A Matter of Life and Death/Stairway to Heaven" | |
1939 | At outbreak of WWII, feeling obligated to return to military service, joined the Rifle Brigade, a Light Infantry Regiment in the British Army, working his way up to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Commandos; spent time in Normandy during the invasion; after D-Day, appointed Chief of Allied Forces Broadcasting Network | |
1939 | Unwillingly reteamed with Wyler (a director he deemed too dictatorial behind the camera) to play Edgar Litton, a part he felt was a bad one for any actor, in "Wuthering Heights"; initial refusal to appear in film nearly earned him a suspension from studio | |
1938 | First major success in Edmund Goulding's "The Dawn Patrol" as WWI pilot buddy of Errol Flynn | |
1936 | Loaned out to 20th Century-Fox for his first leading role in "Thank You, Jeeves" | |
1936 | Acted in William Wyler's "Dodsworth", a superb adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' novel | |
1935 | First speaking part in "Without Regrets" | |
1934 | Moved to Hollywood and worked as movie extra, eventually coming to the atention of Samuel Goldwyn who signed him to MGM | |
1933 | Grew bored with the dull routine of military life; after a leave in NYC, returned to service but soon went AWOL, resigning his commission and moving first to Canada, then to NYC where he worked as a whiskey salesman | |
1933 | Had a bit part as a man at race course in British film "Eyes of Fate" | |
| Stationed for two years in Malta | ||
1930 | Entered the Highland Light Infantry as a Second Lieutenant | |
Awards
1958 | Academy Award for Actor in Separate Tables |
1958 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in Separate Tables |
1958 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Separate Tables |
1957 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Continuing Performance By an Actor in Four Star Playhouse |
1957 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in My Man Godfrey |
1955 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor In a Single Performance in Four Star Playhouse |
1954 | BAFTA Award for British Actor in Carrington V.C. |
1953 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Moon Is Blue |