David Niven

David Niven was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. Born James David Graham Niven on March 1, 1910 in Victoria, London, England, he was known as a handsome and debonair leading man in Classic Hollywood films. Born to an upper-middle-class family, Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory School and Stowe School before joining the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After developing an interest in acting, he relocated to New York and eventually made his way to Hollywood where he had several small parts in films. His first major roles were in Dodsworth (1936), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). Niven was also noted for playing Sir Charles Lytton, aka 'the Phantom', in 'The Pink Panther' (1963) and a aging debonair playboy in 'Casino Royale' (1967). His illustrious career won him an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Niven's life off-screen was as interesting as his on-screen characters; he was a seasoned soldier who served in the Second World War, and wrote a popular memoir 'The Moon's a Balloon'. He passed away on July 29, 1983 in Château-d'Œx, Switzerland.