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David Niven Jr.

David Niven Jr.
Born (1942-12-15) 15 December 1942 (age 81)
London, England, UK
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Producer, actor
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1993; div. 1998)​
Beatrice Anne Reed
​
​
(m. 2000; div. 2005)​
FatherDavid Niven

David Niven Jr. (born 15 December 1942)[1] is a British film producer, film actor[2] and script writer who was an executive at Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures.[3][4] He is the son of actor David Niven[5] and Primula Rollo.[6]

Career

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Niven was the head of the William Morris Agency in Europe,[3] which he left for Columbia Pictures in 1970.[7] His many clients included Robert Woods.[8] He was managing director of Paramount Pictures England until 1975 when he turned his focus to film production.[9]

In 1976, he produced The Eagle Has Landed, and in 1979, he produced Escape to Athena, which starred his father. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1985 as Executive Producer of The Night They Saved Christmas[10] which he co-wrote with James C. Maloney.[11]

Niven was a regular on the 1990 edition of To Tell the Truth, which was hosted by Gordon Elliott making 14 appearances.[12]

During the 1990s he was the chair emeritus of the Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes against Drunk Driving (R.A.D.D) group in Hollywood,[13][14] and founder of the bicycle safety group See a Child, Save a Child.[15] In 2002 he successfully campaigned for a Child Safety Day and Week which was accepted by the City of Los Angeles.[16]

At a book launch by Jackie Collins in 1987, Niven was asked if he would ever write a book about his life, to which he replied "But how can I when everything, everything, I have ever done, said or thought appears in Jackie's novels." 'There's nothing left,' he laments. 'I don't know why the headings on some of the chapters shouldn't be, 'I'd like to dedicate this to...' "[17]

Niven's acting credits include Rush Hour 3[18] and The Cool Surface.

Away from film, Niven invested in the restaurant Drones, in Pont Street, London in 1972,[19] which he recommended being named after Bertie Wooster's fictional club. At his request, a picture of his father was positioned on the wall. The restaurant was later run by Marco Pierre White's restaurant group White Star Group.[20] The location changed under new owners and closed in 2007.

Personal life

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Noël Coward was Niven's godfather, and gave him a silver cocktail shaker with the inscription "Because, my Godson dear, I rather / Think you'll turn out like your father."[21]

Niven was married to actress and producer Barbara Niven from 1993 to their divorce in 1998.[22] He had previously had a relationship with Natalie Wood during the 1960s.[23] He married his second wife Beatrice Anne Reed, daughter of Annette de la Renta in 2000, but divorced in 2005.[24] In 2009 he sold his house on Sunset Boulevard for $5 million.[3]

In 1994 Niven and his brother Jamie gave the Online Archive of California their father's archive.[25] In 2009 Michael Munn released a biography of his father, David Niven, by which Niven Jr. was horrified. Niven and his brother had been close to their father and they challenged many of the claims in the book.[26]

Filmography

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Producer/Executive Producer

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Acting

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Appearances

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References

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  1. ^ David Niven: The Man Behind the Balloon
  2. ^ "Party photos of the week: Face the World Foundation and Mad Hot Ballet". The Globe and Mail. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b c LAUREN BEALE (24 November 2009). "David Niven Jr. sells Sunset Strip home for $5 million". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  4. ^ Courvoisier's book of the best. 1986. p. 186. ISBN 0852235364.
  5. ^ "Fred Potts statue to include name of David Niven's father". BBC News. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  6. ^ Lord, Graham (14 December 2004). NIV: The Authorized Biography of David Niven. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-32863-4.
  7. ^ Bob Thomas (29 April 1970). "Once Lowly Agents Dominate Film Industry". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  8. ^ Carl Glass. "Robert Woods interview". thewildeye.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Pictures: David Niven Jr. Turns Par Indie". Variety. 23 April 1975. p. 3 – via Proquest.
  10. ^ "David Niven Jr. - Awards & Nominations". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Catalogue of Captioned Films/videos for the death". Modern Talking Picture Service. 1991. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  12. ^ "David Niven Jr. Self". imdb.com. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  13. ^ "The Los Angeles Times 29 March 1995 Page 61". newspapers.com. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Con Man on Payola in Hollywood Fund raising". ab news.go.com. 12 November 2004. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Celebrity Homes for Sale". World property journal.com. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Child Safety Day and Week". injury free.org. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Jackie Collins digs up the dirt". Los Angeles Times. 23 August 1987. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  18. ^ "David Niven Jr". bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  19. ^ Judith Weinraub (3 September 1972). "The English Hamburger in an Elegant Setting". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  20. ^ Toby Young (16 May 2005). "A Well Oiled Machine". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  21. ^ Todd Purdum (12 February 2009). "Children of Paradise". vanityfair.com. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  22. ^ Archerd, Army (11 May 1993). "Smith stays strong thru cancer surgery". Variety. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  23. ^ Richard Burton (23 October 2012). The Richard Burton Diaries. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300180107. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  24. ^ Aileen Mehele (7 September 2005). "Niven's latest nuptials ... Ambassador Lee Annenberg to be honored by the U.N. Association ... Gwenyth's in-flight scare". wwd.com. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  25. ^ "David Niven Papers". oac.cdlib.org. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  26. ^ Tim Adams (24 July 2010). "Michael Munn Biographer Interview". the guardian. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  27. ^ Canby. Vincent (26 March 1977). "'Eagle Has Landed' on Screens With Lively Splash of Adventure". The New York Times.
  28. ^ Donovan, Paul (1983). Roger Moore. p. 217.
  29. ^ "Monsignor (1982)". American Film Institute. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  30. ^ Lord, Graham (2003). Niv : the authorised biography of David Niven. p. 339.
  31. ^ Halliwell, L (2002). Halliwell's film and video guide 2002. p. 443. ISBN 9780060988845.
  32. ^ Carrick, Peter (1995). Liza Minnelli. ISBN 9780708932544.
  33. ^ "The Cool Surface". bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  34. ^ "Lisa (1989)". American Film Institute. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
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