David Niven (1909-1983)
What to say about David Niven? Born at Belgrave Mansions in London, Niven spent an impoverished childhood in places like Cadogan Place, Sloane Street and Cheyne Walk. This upbringing likely caused his regular bad behaviour at various schools. He eventually settled at Stowe.
While there, he invited his prostitute girlfriend, Nessie, to the school speech day - and passed her off as his sister.
The effect of public school on Niven may be gauged by his early career choices: he left the army to become a whisky salesman, shortly before co-founding the Pony Express Racing Association in Atlantic City. Finally, Los Angeles cemented Niven’s desire to be an actor, and the rest is history.
David Niven brought great pleasure to millions of people, had many friends and two beautiful wives. His Times obituary sums him up neatly: 'the archetypal English gentleman, witty, debonair, immaculate in dress and behaviour, but with mischief lurking never far from the surface.'
Niven's autobiography, The Moon's a Balloon, is one of the funniest memoirs ever written by an actor.
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