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David Niven

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Biography

James David Graham Niven was born in London, England, the son of William Edward Graham Niven and French/British Henrietta Julia de Gacher, who was…more

Born

3/1/1909, Belgrave Mansions, London

Died

7/29/1983

Birth Name

James David Niven

Gender

Male

Credits

Star (25)

Role
- The Rogues
  Alexander 'Alec' Fleming, the English cousin
  - S 1: Ep 30 A Daring Step Backward
    4/18/65
  - S 1: Ep 29 Mr. White's Christmas
    4/4/65
  - S 1: Ep 28 Grave Doubts
    3/28/65
  - S 1: Ep 27 Wherefore Art Thou, Harold?
    3/21/65
  - S 1: Ep 26 Our Men in Marawat
    3/14/65
  - + 24 More Credits
- The Rogues
  Star
  - S 1: Ep 16 Money Is for Burning
    1/3/65
- David Niven Show
  Host/Star
  - S 1: Ep 13 The Good Deed
    7/7/59
  - S 1: Ep 12 The Vengeance
    6/30/59
  - S 1: Ep 11 Sticks and Stones
    6/23/59
  - S 1: Ep 10 Portrait
    6/16/59
  - S 1: Ep 9 Maggie Malone
    6/9/59
  - + 8 More Credits
- The Academy Awards
  Himself - Host
  - S 31: Ep 1 The 31st Annual Academy Awards
    4/6/59
  - S 30: Ep 1 The 30th Annual Academy Awards
    3/26/58
  - S 46: Ep 1 The 46th Annual Academy Awards
    4/2/74
- Alcoa Theatre
  57-58
  - S 2: Ep 11 The Reward
    12/1/58
  - S 1: Ep 17 The Fatal Charm
    1/20/58
  - S 1: Ep 16 In the Dark
    1/13/58
  - S 1: Ep 2 Circumstantial
    10/7/57
- Alcoa Theatre
  Paul Martel
  - S 1: Ep 20 Night Caller
    2/10/58
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star
  - S 4: Ep 35 Second Chance
    6/14/56
  - S 4: Ep 28 Touch and Go
    4/26/56
  - S 4: Ep 17 Safe Keeping
    2/9/56
  - S 3: Ep 35 Broken Journey
    6/2/55
  - S 3: Ep 28 The Collar
    4/7/55
  - + 10 More Credits
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Jim Kenyon
  - S 4: Ep 25 The Rites of Spring
    4/5/56
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / David Wycliffe
  - S 4: Ep 21 Red Wine
    3/8/56
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Larkin
  - S 4: Ep 14 Tunnel of Fear
    1/19/56
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Philip
  - S 4: Ep 7 Here Comes the Suit
    11/17/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Maxwell
  - S 4: Ep 4 Full Circle
    10/27/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star/Captain Adams
  - S 4: Ep 1 The Firing Squad
    10/6/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Earl of Ickenham
  - S 3: Ep 32 Uncle Fred Flits By
    5/5/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / William Hallerton
  - S 3: Ep 29 Madeira! Madeira!
    4/14/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Robert Louis Stevenson
  - S 3: Ep 22 Tusitala
    2/24/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Charles Hilliard
  - S 3: Ep 17 Breakfast in Bed
    1/20/55
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Deacon
  - S 3: Ep 13 The Answer
    12/23/54
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Tony
  - S 3: Ep 7 Vote Of Confidence
    11/11/54
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / John
  - S 2: Ep 27 The Book
    4/1/54
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Andy Fields
  - S 2: Ep 25 Operation In Money
    3/11/54
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star / Andy
  - S 2: Ep 13 A Man Of The World
    12/17/53
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star/Ted Parker
  - S 2: Ep 10 For Art's Sake
    11/26/53
- Four Star Playhouse
  Dr. Gentry / Alternating Star
  - S 2: Ep 6 A Matter Of Advice
    10/29/53
- Four Star Playhouse
  Alternating Star/William Langford
  - S 1: Ep 9 Man on the Train
    1/15/53
Recurring Role (2)

Role
- Alcoa Theatre
  Recurring Role
- What's My Line?
  Guest Panelist
Guest Star (39)

Role
- Disneyland
  Priory/Mr. Gipping/Col. Dennis
  - S 30: Ep 18 Candleshoe
    6/22/86
- The Mike Douglas Show
  Himself
  - S 15: Ep 77 January 11, 1977
    1/11/77
  - S 15: Ep 60 November 26, 1976
    11/26/76
  - S 14: Ep 34 October 16, 1975
    10/16/75
  - S 10: Ep 108 January 26, 1972
    1/26/72
- Dinah!
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 15 October 3, 1975
    10/3/75
  - S 2: Ep 6 September 22, 1975
    9/22/75
- Parkinson (1971)
  Himself
  - S 5: Ep 4 David Niven
    9/20/75
  - S 2: Ep 16 David Niven
    10/14/72
- The David Frost Show
  Himself
  - S 4: Ep 168 May 11, 1972
    5/11/72
  - S 4: Ep 108 February 17, 1972
    2/17/72
- The Dick Cavett Show
  Himself
  - S 6: Ep 149 May 4, 1972
    5/4/72
  - S 6: Ep 96 February 15, 1972
    2/15/72
  - S 5: Ep 155 May 3, 1971
    5/3/71
- The Merv Griffin Show
  Himself
  - S 4: Ep 148 March 29, 1967
    3/29/67
- Burke's Law
  Harvey Cleeve, "The World's Greatest Juggler" [cameo]
  - S 1: Ep 8 Who Killed Billy Jo?
    11/8/63
- Dick Powell Show
  Host
  - S 2: Ep 23 Thunder In A Forgotten Town
    3/5/63
  - S 2: Ep 21 Apples Don't Fall Far
    2/19/63
- Dick Powell Show
  guest host
  - S 2: Ep 6 The Great Anatole
    10/30/62
- The June Allyson Show
  Marcus Dodds
  - S 1: Ep 16 The Trench Coat
    1/11/60
- What's My Line?
  Guest Panelist
  - S 11: Ep 18 EPISODE #496
    1/3/60
  - S 11: Ep 15 EPISODE #494
    12/13/59
  - S 10: Ep 21 EPISODE #449
    1/25/59
  - S 10: Ep 4 EPISODE #434
    9/28/58
  - S 10: Ep 3 EPISODE #433
    9/21/58
  - + 2 More Credits
- David Niven Show
  Inquisitor
  - S 1: Ep 8 The Last Room
    6/2/59
- The Jack Benny Program
  Himself
  - S 9: Ep 4 Stars' Wives Show
    11/2/58
- Zane Grey Theater
  Milo Brant
  - S 3: Ep 4 The Accuser
    10/30/58
- Alcoa Theatre
  Charles Enright
  - S 1: Ep 34 Decision By Terror
    5/26/58
- Alcoa Theatre
  Robert Medhill
  - S 1: Ep 29 My Wife's Next Husband
    4/21/58
- Alcoa Theatre
  Jeffrey Collins
  - S 1: Ep 26 Taps For Jeffrey
    3/31/58
- Alcoa Theatre
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 17 The Fatal Charm
    1/20/58
- Alcoa Theatre
  Paul Evans
  - S 1: Ep 16 In the Dark
    1/13/58
- Alcoa Theatre
  Jeff Carleton
  - S 1: Ep 13 The Tinhorn
    12/23/57
- Alcoa Theatre
  Alan Kevin
  - S 1: Ep 5 The Danger By Night
    10/28/57
- Alcoa Theatre
  Mark Garron
  - S 1: Ep 2 Circumstantial
    10/7/57
- Mr. Adams and Eve
  P. Fogg
  - S 2: Ep 1 Taming of the Shrew
    9/27/57
- Zane Grey Theater
  Allan Raikes
  - S 1: Ep 21 Village of Fear
    3/1/57
- Telephone Time
  Guest Star
- Henry Fonda Presents the Star and the Story
  Johnny
  - S 2: Ep 12 The Thin Line
    3/17/56
- The Bob Hope Show
  Himself
  - S 5: Ep 5 March 1, 1955
    3/1/55
  - S 5: Ep 1 October 12, 1954
    10/12/54
  - S 4: Ep 6 March 16, 1954
    3/16/54
- The Jack Benny Program
  Himself / Lord Derrek Milbank
  - S 4: Ep 12 David Niven Show
    5/2/54
- Four Star Revue
  Himself
  - S 3: Ep 10 November 8, 1952
    11/8/52
- Robert Montgomery Presents Your Lucky Strike Theatre
  Sheffield
  - S 4: Ep 9 The Sheffield Story
    10/27/52
- Celanese Theatre
  Duke Mantee
  - S 1: Ep 11 The Petrified Forest
    2/20/52
- What's My Line?
  Mystery Guest
  - S 3: Ep 24 EPISODE #89
    2/10/52
- Celebrity Time
  Himself
  - S 4: Ep 1 1/6/1952
    1/6/52
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 1 Not a Chance
    10/5/51
- Toast of the Town
  Himself
  - S 4: Ep 15 1950 Christmas Show: David Niven; Ted Mack; Lauritz Melchior
    12/24/50
- The Jack Carter Show
  Guest
  - S 2: Ep 5 October 7, 1950
    10/7/50
- Nash Airflyte Theatre
  Arthur Carstairs
  - S 1: Ep 3 Portrait of Lydia
    10/5/50
- Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 4 David Niven
    11/10/49
Director (1)

Role
- Zane Grey Theater
  Director
  - S 3: Ep 8 The Vaunted
    11/27/58
Producer (1)

Role
- Four Star Playhouse
  Producer
  - S 4: Ep 14 Tunnel of Fear
    1/19/56
  - S 4: Ep 1 The Firing Squad
    10/6/55
  - S 3: Ep 13 The Answer
    12/23/54
  - S 3: Ep 7 Vote Of Confidence
    11/11/54

David Niven News

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41

The Top 10 Oscars Hosts

By Ilana Diamond, Mar 06, 2010

As Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin prepare to host the Oscars this weekend, we take a look at the ten best hosts in the history of the broadcast. read more

Trivia and Quotes

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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- David formed the production company, Four Star in 1952, with fellow actors, Ida Lupino, Dick Powell and Charles Boyer.
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- David only ever appeared on Broadway once, in the 1951-1952 season in Nina, with Gloria Swanson.
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- David has written four books: Round the Rugged Rocks/Once Over Lightly (1951), The Moon's a Balloon (1971), Bring on the Empty Horses (1975) and Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly (1981).
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- (During an Academy Award presentation, responding to the unexpected entrance of a streaker) David Niven: Isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings.
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- David Niven: I have a face that is a cross between two pounds of halibut and an explosion in an old clothes closet.
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- (On the movie "Separate Tables" (1958)) David Niven: They gave me very good lines and then cut to Deborah Kerr while I was saying them.
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