29 thoughts on “David Niven Movies”

1. STEVE & JOHN 1 A good night of TV viewing for me yesterday which caused me to think of you both: (1) In an episode of Angela Lansbury’s Murder She Wrote the bride of Moses Yvonne DeCarlo had a bit part. I was saddened at witnessing her decline which was both professional and startlingly physical. There is no doubt W o C’s “Curse of 39” took few prisoners in Hollywood especially among women. Mrs Chuck was 63 in that 1985 episode. For good measure Psycho’s 56 year old Vera Miles was thrown in also in a supporting role

   2 Following that programme came a special tribute to Steve’s fellow countryman and recent video subject David Niven. He recounted many interesting amusing anecdotes and stories from Hollywood days:
   (1). Clark Gable was his closest friend and the King was one of the most down to earth guys you could meet. Clark valued the “wise” advice of Old Cantankerous.
   (2) Flynn was an exceptionally physically strong individual before the drink took him.
   (3) The famous Cary Grant/Mae West movie I’m No Angel was to be released as It Ain’t a Sin but the puritanical Hayes Office thought that title was too “dirty” and forced a name change on Paramount. A small fortune had been wasted training 1500 parrots which were to be situated in prominent public places all across LA to publicise the film by chirping “It Ain’t a Sin.”
   (4) Louella Parsons had a fanatic hatred of Orson Welles and Hedda Hopper was preoccupied with a detestation of Chaplin because of his perceived “left wing” views. In fact Hedda’s final column the night before her death contained a further tirade against Charlie. The vitriolic pair’s attacks on Mr Mumbles in their gossip columns failed to dent his 1950s popularity.
   (5) [Saving the best wine for the last!] David recounted that via other social connections he found himself occasionally in Churchill’s company during the war years and in their conversations Winston would regularly sing the praises of Deanna Durbin whom Churchill regarded as exceptionally talented. Oh to have been a fly on the wall back then John rather than that“happy daisy in the garden fair” that you and I discussed in relation to McCormack’s singing of the superior version of Danny Boy!

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   1. A fun read Bob, thanks.

      I read one of David Niven’s autobiographies a long time ago – Bring on the Empty Horses. I remember enjoying it quite a bit. Great stories! Niven was a skilled raconteur, ditto Ustinov.

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      1. Steve, John & Bob….good stories on Mr. David Niven. Glad you had a good night of television…..the power of Murder She Wrote. I have not ever watched an entire episode of that show. Thanks for some solid feedback Bob.

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2. BRUCE
   1.The update now gives an overall adjusted domestic gross of around $6.2 billion. Whilst that is impressive enough I can never make up my own mind if David should be placed at the bottom of Classic era A list stars or the top of the B list as every time someone like Grant, Peck or Doris Day appeared in one of his movies David would play second fiddle.

   2. However he was certainly an exciting and enjoyable performer in movies whatever his precise status and an equally interesting character off-screen His closest friends were apparently Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov and Noel Coward. Noel has always been revered among thespian Brits to a degree that this site reserves for Myrna Loy.** Aspects of his associations with great Hollywood stars like Errol Flynn and Brando are mentioned in my post dated 9 Nov 16 which discussed Steve Lensman’s colourful video on David’s movies.

   3 Apparently David’s Oscar for Separate Tables in which he appeared for just 23 mins gave him the record for shortest time on screen for an Oscar winning performance in a leading role until Sir Anthony Hopkins broke David’s record with just a 16 minute appearance in Silence of the Lambs. It shows how the mind plays tricks on one for I could have sworn that both David and Sir Anthony were on the screen for longer than the official times stated and if pressed I would probably have cited Brando’s Godpop outing as deserving what could be regarded as a rather dubious ‘accolade’.

   ** A current poll on IMDB regards Sir Maurice Micklewhite as the 3rd greatest British performer of all time.

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   1. Hey Bob.
      1. I would put Niven at the bottom of the A listers. Yes he was usually second fiddle…but he was still above the credits….in many ways he was like Loy.
      2. I did not realize Niven was on screen so little in Seperate Tables…seems his role was bigger than that….but it was a pretty big ensemble cast.
      3. His 6.2 billion box office is impressive ….but it has more to do with length of career than stellar box office star.
      4. Always glad to see Sir Michael getting some respect.
      🙂

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3. 1 And the British keep on a coming! Niven told some interesting stories about his relationship with other major stars during his Hollywood days; BRANDO: David said he was nervous about filming Bedtime Story with Marlon as he had heard he was difficult to work with, but they got on very well together and in fact David claimed that Brando helped him resolve some visa renewal problems for re-entry to the US in the mid 1960s. FLYNN: For a long time Niven shared a bungalow by the sea with Errol which got a reputation of being a Sodom and Gomorrah for alcohol-fuelled Hollywood hellraisers but reports said the partnership broke up when Errol started to form a romantic attachment to Niven!

   2 VIDEO COMMENTS
   (1) Niven played a large number of supporting roles to other major stars during his career and your selections and posters reflect that (2) good selections as no movie has been given lower that a respectable 6 (3) super posters for Lady L, Ask Any Girl, Charge of Light Brigade and of course Guns of Navarone (4) fantastic still from 55 Days at Peking – hi Chuck ! (5) Bruce and you agree about 4 of the Top 5 although he rightly in my view ranks Dodsworth No 3 and gives it an 84.5 for critic/audience whereas surprisingly you leave it out altogether? (5) ironic opening quote as Niven once reportedly chastised a fan for suggesting actors were over-paid. (6) 9/10 overall but petty error as Bedtime Story was 1964 and not 1962. Anyway great stuff! BOB

   1 And the British keep on a coming! Niven told some interesting stories about his relationship with other major stars during his Hollywood days; BRANDO: David said he was nervous about filming Bedtime Story with Marlon as he had heard he was difficult to work with, but they got on very well together and in fact David claimed that Brando helped him resolve some visa renewal problems for re-entry to the US in the mid1960s. FLYNN: For a long time Niven shared a bungalow by the sea with Errol which got a reputation of being a Sodom and Gomorrah for alcohol-fuelled Hollywood hellraisers but reports said the partnership broke up when Errol started to form a romantic attachment to Niven!

   2 VIDEO COMMENTS
   (1) Niven played a large number of supporting roles to other
   major stars during his career and your selections and posters reflect that (2) good selections as no movie has been given lower that a respectable 6 (3) super posters for Lady L, Ask Any Girl, Charge of Light Brigade and of course Guns of Navarone (4) fantastic still from 55 Days at Peking – hi Chuck ! (5) Bruce and you agree about 4 of the Top 5 although he rightly in my view ranks Doddsworth 3 and gives it an 84.5 for critic/audience whereas surprisingly you leave it out altogether? (5) ironic opening quote as Niven once reportedly chastised a fan for suggesting actors were over-paid. (6) 9/10 overall but petty correction required as Bedtime Story was 1964 and not 1962. Anyway great stuff! BOB

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   1. Apologies : my post duplicated itself on the same page as the original. Perhaps Bruce would remove the duplicate.

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   2. Thanks for the review and trivia Bob, always appreciated. David was the quintessential English actor, did he ever ‘not’ play an Englishman?

      I thought long and hard about Dodsworth, well for about 2 or 3 minutes, and decided it was not worthy of inclusion (cue screams, loud murmuring and a yawn in the back row) I thought his role was too small, it would be like adding Winchester 73 into Tony Curtis top 10 movies.

      Yep Bedtime Story was 1964, thats the date I have in my files, I must have been distracted by another films date while compiling the video. Sorry about that.

      Looking at Bruce’s chart we have near enough the same top 30 except in different order. Bruce includes every noteworthy film Niven appeared or walked past in, including Rose Marie where if you blink you’ll miss him. Problem is by showing us his bit parts (oo err missus!) some of Niven’s more famous roles like Raffles and My Man Godfrey fall further down the chart.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NGTCVt1kF0

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      1. Hey Steve and Bob.
         1. Thanks for sharing your video link – Steve.
         2. Good Niven stories – especially the behind the scenes stuff on a Bedtime Stories – Bob.
         3. Glad we agree on Doddsworth being so highly ranked on my Niven page – Bon.
         4. Basically I let IMDb decide if a movie gets included in a page….and the movies you (Steve) mentioned did not go down as either zags a bit part or uncredited so they made the page.
         5. The next time I am on on desk top I will fix your (Bob) duplicate error……I can not access it from my iPad.
         Appreciate all the movie talk…..interesting and informative.

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4. Hi

   David Niven for years sent a cheque to an old army buddy, to help him out every year. I suppose that says more about him than any film career can.
   I always liked Niven, he was a great personality. For the last 10 years of his life, he was probably known more for a best selling author and doing coffee commercials on T.V and a brilliant guest on chat shows. He hosted the AFI presentation for Fred Astaire and of course his famous quote about the streaker at the Oscars.
   I think Around The World in 80 Days really turned his career around and made him a bankable star which probably led to him get the role in Separate Tables. He was great in the role but I think it was more support rather than a lead. And of course The Guns of Navarone.
   Another favourite would be The Bishop’s Wife, one of the best Christmas movies ever.

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   1. Hey Chris….thanks for checking out my David Niven page. That is cool about Niven helping out his army buddy. I did read that he had written a few books….one of which used Cary Grant as source for one of his characters. Around the World in 80 Days is his most famous movie….but compared to many of his classic roles….it is a weak Niven role. I agree that his part in Separate Tables was a supporting role….but his part was easily the most memorable. This is the perfect time to watch The Bishop’s Wife. Thanks for your thoughts on David Niven.

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5. Hey, I really liked David Niven in The Guns of Navarone – that was a very good movie – such a great cast too. One of my favorite war movies. Enjoyed the facts – such a terrible thing to have his wife dying playing Hide and Seek. My two little granddaughters and one great granddaughter played hide and seek at my house last Friday – going up and down my two sets of stairs. Useful information once again. THANK YOU!

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   1. Hey BERN1960….glad your favorite….The Guns of Navarone finished in the top spot in the rankings. I can not believe I had never heard of that incident before…..but it is indeed very sad. Thankfully nothing bad happened to those little kids while they were playing hide and seek. Thanks for the visit and thanks for the comment.

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