BORN: March 1, 1910
DIED: July 29, 1983
AGED: 83 Yrs. from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
MARRIED: twice-1st wife died at friend's home. They were playing a game and the lights were off and she fell down a flight of stairs. she was only 28-poor thing and Mr. Niven was devastated.
AFFAIRS: Merle Oberon, Rita Hayworth, Ann Todd, Evelyn Keyes(who wasn't with her)
FAMOUS ROOMMATE: Errol Flynn
Witty and entertaining. Very likeable fellow, great story teller. He was the first british ex-pat star to enlist in WW 2 and was distinguished in the service. He wrote 2 great entertaining "autobiographies"-The Moon's a Balloon", and "Bring On The Empty Horses". The disease that eventually took his life robbed him from his ability to speak. Rich Little was used to dub him in his last movie.
OSCAR: Separate Tables
FILMS: Raffles, Wuthering Heights, Enchantment, Around The World in 80 Days, Guns of Navarone, The Pink Panther, Murder by Death
How sad about his first wife. Only 28! That wouldn't happen today--we would use the flashlight on our smartphones to navigate the stairs in the dark.
ReplyDeleteYup I am not sure why no flashlight but that is what happened and it was sad to read it in his book.
DeleteHe was such a character. I never knew that about his first wife. So sad.
ReplyDeleteHe was and so well liked. They were not married long either so quite sad
DeleteOh no, what a terrible story about his first wife! The poor guy.
ReplyDeleteYes it was and there was guilt too and no one's fault just a horrible accident
DeleteHis second wife was decidedly unpleasant! Poor chap.
ReplyDeletexxx Asha
I did not know his 2nd wife was not so nice . He talked about her fondly in his books from what I can recall. A really nice man
DeleteI read his autobiographies years ago - must give them another look.
ReplyDeleteThey are fun to read even if he talks about other people and not giving a ton about himself. Love the one title "Bring on the Empty Horses" which is what the director Michael Curtiz yelled when shooting a scene
DeleteHas it been that long since he died? I think I lost a decade...or two...somewhere. What a tragedy about his first wife.
ReplyDeleteRiver Fairchild – A to Z April Challenge
Untethered Realms
It has been a long time and I still remember when he died and the outpouring of condolences from everyone.
DeleteI'd forgotten his films until you mentioned them, Birgit, yet they are unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteI never knew that about his first wife. I'm not surprised he was devastated.
This is a wonderfully nostalgic A-Z.
Thank you and yes he made so many great films but not many are often shown except maybe Around The World in 80 Days
DeleteWow, Rich Little dubbing him! You've got me curious to see his last movie. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe View from the Top of the Ladder
Yup I saw that Pink Panther movie-It wasn't the best film but I was happy to see David Niven in it with Capucine. I had no idea he was dubbed until after he passed away
DeleteI totally forgot he was in Wuthering Heights.
ReplyDeleteYes he was the poor guy Cathy married. he never gets a break:)
DeleteI think I have seen one of his movies, great actor! : )
ReplyDeleteHe is great in so many films and brings some levity. Loved him in The Pink Panther and The Guns of Navarone
DeleteThat is so sad about his wife! I'm trying to think if I ever saw him in a movie.
ReplyDeletebetty
He was in The Pink Panther, Wuthering heights-I believe if you saw him and heard him talk you would know him and probably saw him in one of the films mentioned
DeleteThat is tragic about his wife. I think it would almost be impossible to get over feeling that anyone could just die at any moment.
ReplyDeleteIt is strange isn't it that's why we need to cherish each day actually and always tell the person you are with that you love them even when you go out for groceries
DeleteNot only a very good actor - his later ones seemed dated at the time, but I saw one of his earlier ones the other day - but I remember being thoroughly entertained by The Moon's a Balloon. Richer for the memories, thanks :)
ReplyDeleteJemima
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Blogging from Alpha to Zulu in April
I love his biographies and I am not a fan of Around the World in 80 Days but I love him in The Guns of Navarone and The Pink Panther
DeleteWas never much of a David Niven fan. Guess it was all that cocktail party humor that bugged me. But boy wasn't The Pink Panther hilarious? I'd forgotten he was in that. Your A-Z has been SO interesting, Birgit. Really enjoying it!!
ReplyDeleteShells–Tales–Sails
He had that look and style about him which I like:)Yes he was great in The Pink Panther and it looks like everyone had a fun time making that movie-I could be wrong but still fun!
DeleteHe was quite an entertainer! Good choice for N :) What a sad thing about his first wife.
ReplyDeleteNeed to catch up on some other posts I have missed in this series.
Beauty Interprets, Expresses, Manifests the Eternal