David Niven

Is portrayed by Nigel Havers in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004).

Grandson Ryan (born 1998), by daughter Fiona. Grandson Michael (born 1990), by daughter Kristina. Grand-daughters Fernanda and Eugenie, by son Jamie.

Contrary to a popular myth, he was not a cousin of actor Patrick Macnee. According to Macnee, in Sheridan Morley's 1985 biography "The Other Side of the Moon,", his elder brother Max and Patrick's mother were friends and Max was described as an "uncle," as opposed to a cousin. However, there was no blood link.

He was attached to the role of Captain Phillip Blumburtt in Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom (1984), but died before filming began. The role was meant to be a tribute to his work in The Guns Of Navarone (1961), which was one of the inspirations for the film.

He died on 29 July 1983 at age 73, two years after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neurone disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease -- a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles. Some also use the term motor neuron disease for a group of conditions of which ALS is the most common.

Was too ill to attend Grace Kelly's funeral in September 1982.

He appeared in one film produced by his son David Niven Jr.: Escape to Athena (1979).

In the James Bond novel "You Only Live Twice," by Ian Fleming, he is referred to, and a pet bird in the story was named after him. Three years after the book was released, he played Bond in Casino Royale (1967).

He was Michael Anderson's choice to play Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery in a Columbia Pictures epic, "16th of December: The Battle of the Bulge," which had the blessing of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Defense Department, but the project was abandoned after Warner Brothers used the title Battle of the Bulge (1965) for a film starring Henry Fonda.

Ian Fleming recommended him for the role of James Bond for Dr. No (1962), but producer Albert R. Broccoli thought that Niven was too old.

He was the visual inspiration for the original illustrations of super-villain and archenemy of the Green Lantern Corps, Sinestro (created in 1961). Niven was 51 years at the point.

Knew his first wife, Primula Rollo, 17 days before he married her. He knew his second wife, Hjördis Genberg, 10 days before marrying her. Father, with Primula Rollo, of David Niven Jr. and Jamie Niven; and the father, with Hjordis, of two adopted daughters, Kristina (adopted 1960) and Fiona (adopted 1962).

He and his A Matter of Life and Death (1946), The Rogues (1964) and Prudence and the Pill (1968) co-star Robert Coote both played Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim in different adaptations of the 1894 novel "The Prisoner of Zenda" by Anthony Hope: Niven in The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) and Coote in The Prisoner of Zenda (1952).

Tried to leave the army in September 1944 in order to return to Hollywood.

James David Graham Niven was born on the feast day of St David. Following Niven senior's death at Turkey's infamous Suvla Bay, Niven's mother went on to marry his biological father, the Conservative politician Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt, but it was years before the true father/son relationship was acknowledged. David Niven attended Stowe School and Sandhurst Military Academy and served for two years in Malta with the Highland Light Infantry. At the outbreak of World War II, although a top-line star, he re-joined the army (Rifle Brigade). He did agreed to appear in two films during the war, both of strong propaganda value (Spitfire (1942) and The Way Ahead (1944)).

After the UK declared war in 1939, he was one of the first expatriate British actors to go back and join the army. Although Niven had a reputation for telling good stories over and over again, he was totally silent about his war experience. He said once: "I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. I found it where they told me I would, but it was among 27,000 others, and I told myself that here, Niven, were 27,000 reasons why you should keep your mouth shut after the war".

He was originally wanted for the role of Will Scarlet in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) but was on holiday in England, so the part went to Patric Knowles.

Died at Château-d'Oex, Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District, Vaud, Switzerland, on the same day as his The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) and A Matter of Life and Death (1946) co-star Raymond Massey. He was interred there.

The title of his autobiography, "Bring on the Empty Horses", is taken from a command given by director Michael Curtiz during the filming of The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) in which Niven had a featured part. Curtiz, a Hungarian notorious for his poor command of English, wanted a lot of riderless horses in the background of the climactic charge, but couldn't make himself understood to his assistant directors. Finally he exploded, "Bring on the empty horses!".

Appeared in eight Best Picture nominees: Cleopatra (1934) (uncredited), Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) (uncredited), Dodsworth (1936), Wuthering Heights (1939), The Bishop's Wife (1947), Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Separate Tables (1958), and The Guns Of Navarone (1961). Two of these -- Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Around the World in 80 Days (1956) -- won the award.

Became friends with Clark Gable during the 1930s. While Gable was serving in England during World War II, he used to stay over at the Nivens' cottage and spend time with Niven's wife and children. A few years later Niven's wife died in a tragic accident, and Gable did his best to comfort him. Niven said, "Clark was drawing on his own awful experience [his wife Carole Lombard 's tragic death] to steer me through mine".

Niven's father, Lt. William Edward Graham Niven, was killed during World War I at the battle of Gallipoli on 21 August 1915, aged 38, while serving with the Berkshire Yeomanry. He was reported missing until 1917. A landowner, William Niven left a widow, Henriette Julia (née Degacher), of French and Welsh descent, and four children (Max, David, Joyce, and Grizel).