Trivia of David Niven

Trivia of David Niven

*After Great Britain declared war in 1939, he was one of the first actors to go back and join the army. Although Niven had a reputation for telling good old 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."

*His first wife, Primmie, died tragically while attending a dinner at fellow actor Tyrone Power 's house. After dinner while playing hide and seek, Primmie opened what she thought was a closet door but instead tumbled down the basement stairs and onto the concrete floor. She died shortly after.

*Became friends with Clark Gable during the 1930s. While Gable was serving in England during World War II, Gable used to stay over at the Niven's cottage and spend quality time with Niven's wife and children. When, a few years later, Niven's wife died tragically, Gable did his best to comfort Niven. Niven said "Clark was drawing on his own awful experience (his wife Carole Lombard 's tragic death) to steer me through mine.He was also close friends with Robert Wagner and was able to comfort him when Natalie Wood died, just as he had been comforted by Clark Gable when his wife Primmie died. All 3 lost wives they adored in tragic incidents.

*His favourite film was Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) as it gave him the opportunity of meeting up with old friends.

*The film Pink Panther was intended to have David Niven's character Sir Charles Lytton as the main character. However, Peter Sellers' portrayal of Inspector Clouseau was so loved by the crew (and later by the audience) it became his character this film and the sequels focused on.When presenting at a subsequent Oscar Awards ceremony, David Niven requested his walk-on music be changed from the "Pink Panther" theme, as "that was not really my film."

*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).

*At his funeral, the largest wreath was from the porters at Heathrow Airport. There was a card which read, "To the finest Gentlemen who ever walked these halls. He made a porter feel like a King".