David Niven
A dashing British actor who charmed Hollywood with wit and grace, then penned memoirs that revealed the man behind the polished image.
1910–1983 (age 73)·English actor, memoirist and novelist·Birthday: March 1·The Greatest Generation
Biography
David Niven won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1959 for 'Separate Tables,' but his life was already a story stranger than fiction. Born into a military family in 1910, he attended Sandhurst before abandoning the army for Hollywood in the 1930s. His comic timing and handsome features propelled him through films like 'The Pink Panther' and 'Around the World in 80 Days.' During World War II, he served as a commando, adding steel to his suave persona. Later, Niven authored two bestselling autobiographies that stripped old Hollywood of its glitter with honesty and humor. He died in 1983, leaving behind a body of work that spanned acting and writing with equal skill.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
David was born in 1910, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1910
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1910Born
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1915Started school
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Became a teenager
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1926Could drive
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1928Could vote
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Turned 21
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1940Turned 30
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 40
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 50
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 60
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 70
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Died at 73
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 'Separate Tables' (1958).
- Authored 'The Moon's a Balloon' and 'Bring On the Empty Horses,' two massively successful and candid Hollywood memoirs.
- Starred as the titular gentleman thief in the original 'The Pink Panther' (1963).
- Served as an officer in the British Commandos and the Phantom Reconnaissance Regiment during World War II.
Did You Know?
He was one of the few major Hollywood stars to serve in active combat throughout World War II.
His first acting role was an uncredited part as a mannequin in a 1932 film.
He was the first host of the long-running BBC film review program 'Clapperboard.'
He turned down the role of James Bond that later went to Sean Connery.
“I've been lucky enough to win an Oscar, write a bestseller, and my other dream would be to have a painting in the Louvre. The only one that's come true is the bestseller, so I'm batting .333, which is a good average.”
