David Niven was my father's Commanding Officer during part of WW2. My father also appeared driving a Bren gun carrier in Niven's film 'The Way Ahead'. So whenever I see that film, my late father, who passed away in 1974 is a young man and alive for those few fleeting moments!
I love that film. A genuine wartime movie. All the young men were already fighting for King and country so they starred actors well over the age for military service at the time such as Stanley Holloway and John Laurie. Niven came back from America to fight when he could have stayed out of it. David was everything John Wayne wasn't and he could act. That final scene where they walk into the smoke of battle is very emotional bearing in mind the war was still ongoing and the outcome was far from certain. Nice to know you see your dad in the film too.
I have that film,I know the scene where your father must appear.Its a wonderful old war film made in the midst of the war.A great memory for you I imagine.
LordRogerPovey: If you don't already have a copy of the film, it may be available free on the catalogue of free British Films here on You Tube. There are different genres available to watch. Just type in free films on the search facility and scroll through.
He was a very quick-witted man. In the early 70s streaking was a popular prank. While he was presenting on stage at the Oscars award ceremony a young man dashed across the stage behind Mr. Niven. Without missing a beat he commented, "there's someone unafraid to reveal his shortcomings." I can never think of Niven without thinking about this sublime utterance.
As a child of the 60s and 70s, I got used to hearing the name ‘David Niven’ spoken about with reverence and respect for doing the decent thing and coming back from Hollywood on the outbreak of the War. A true gent.
He got the same treatment in my parents' house in America. My father sent me Niven's obituary when Niven died in 1983. He is burned into my memory as Peter Carter.
+edhodapp6465. Niven’s best “military” role was, IMHO, the no-nonsense Major Burnside in the 1969 drama “Before Winter Comes”. He should have had a second Oscar for that film, which BTW was directed by J. Lee Thompson, who also helmed “The Guns of Navarone”, one of Niven’s most popular films.
@@covertcounsellor6797 AAMOF I have read “The Moon’s a Balloon” and it’s a great read. Niven was always a great storyteller - although some of his stories may be taken with a pinch of salt.
You should read his 2 books , the moons a balloon , and bring on the empty horses . They give the true story of his life from a young kid on up to his life in Hollywood.
For me, David Niven was and will always be, the archetypical British gentleman. There is a beautiful anecdote that certifies what I said; at his funeral, everybody noticed a magnificent wreath sent by the porters from 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". Growing up in Argentina, I was incredibly lucky to have as a father an alter ego of David Niven; it was from him that I learned to appreciate the values that make a gentleman. Like Niven, my father was polite and courteous to everyone but also inflexible in matters of honour and therefore he was highly respected, no wonder I saw my father in David Niven and I admired him. Incidentally, I would like to recommend to everyone the excellent film "Separate Tables"; David Niven´s magnificent acting there earned him the Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor". Thank you Chris for this beautiful tribute to a real gentleman. Greetings from Buenos Aires.
Loved David Niven,a genuine british gentleman. I read the" moon's a balloon and bring on the empty horses" in my youth. Paper tiger and 55 days in peking were masterpieces.
I was luckily enough to spend a weekend with David Niven while a guest Of Alan Searle in Monaco during a Royal Navy visit in the early 70's. He was so down to earth and a very nice person. Thanks for sharing this Chris
My mates dad was piloting a landing craft in Normandy and piloted David Niven ashore . He had beeb given a 5franc note incase his craft was sunk and he ended up ashore . David Niven autographed it for him and my mate still has it to this day 👍
I've always had a strange draw to David Niven and he always struck me as a stand up sort of person. This sort of patriotism is something seen so rarely now. What a legend.
@@TheHistoryChap love all your content, Victorian and British military history has always been a big interest of mine. Be very interested to see your take on the French and a Indian Wars/Seven Years War.
Niven was a first class Scottish gentleman, resourcefully, brave, charming and great fun. What a first chap, who is fondly remembered, well done Niven.
Excellent! My step father was a contemporary of Niven at Stowe, and also served in the war. He gave me a copy of The Moon’s A Balloon when I was at school in the early 80’s. As I was a schoolboy, my lasting memory was of him peeing in a champagne bottle during a regimental dinner! Having endured a few such dinners myself, I always remembered that and didn’t drink too much!
@slick_slicers Probably a sensible precaution under the circumstances. I can imagine the Colonel remarking that the champagne tended to lose its fizz after a bit but you could drink as much as you liked without getting sozzled. I can only hope, for the sake of my nephew who served most of his military career in it, that the regiment in question wasn't the Royal Irish😂😂.
Urquhart was the highest ranked officer to kill another man in WWII. The scene in A Bridge Too Far when Sean Connery shoots the guy through the window really happened.
Yes, one the few things the film got right from the book. When they're helping Col. Urquhart's second in command, who was badly shot, receive medical attention in a civilian's kitchen. A lone German soldier who was just passing by, peered into the kitchen window. Urquhart, without missing a beat, pulled his Automatic from it's holster and shot the man dead.
IMO, David Niven was the best James Bond in Casino Royale! Even though it was a spoof and satire on everything Bond, it is still my favorite Bond Movie. If David Niven had made a serious Bond Movie it would have totally outdone Sean Connery I believe!
@@andrewjost6714 - I believe Niven was someone Fleming wanted to play the role. I think it’s Casino Royale where the book describes Bond as looking like Hoagy Carmichael. At first Fleming didn’t approve of Sean Connery, who had been a rating in the Royal Navy and had tattoos of “Scotland Forever”. Later Fleming relented and wrote in a Scottish back story. Connery was a genuinely tough man and when the gangster Johnny Stompanato threatened him with a gun Connery disarmed him and gave him a beating. Stompanato suspected Connery of having an affair with his girlfriend Lana Turner.
good Churchill imitation,Chris . Niven was one of my favorite actors in many of my favorite movies... a great man too ...he chose to serve and risk his life . Cheers
SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN COVERING THE HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, WHY DON'T YOU RESEARCH ANOTHER HOLLYWOOD ICON, ALTHOUGH NOT BRITISH, DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS JR. 'S WARTIME SERVICE, AND HIS WORK WITH LORD MOUNTBATTEN, THAT COMBINED IT'S OPERATIONS BETWEEN SOE AND THE OSS, SPECIFICALLY THEIR PET PROJECT, " THE BEACH JUMPERS " WITH COMBINED OPERATIONS ON ALL FRONTS, FAIRBANKS WAS A PIVOTAL FORCE WITH MOUNTBATTEN IN CREATING THE " JUMPERS" THEIR TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES, USED THEN, FROM INDOCHINA TO AFRICA AND OPERATION OVERLORD, HIS STORY ISN'T MUCH UNLIKE DAVID NIVEN'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT TODAY'S WOKE GENERATIONS IS TOO FAR FETCHED TO DIGEST, IMAGINE A HOLLYWOOD ACTOR WHO WORKED WITH SOE AND OSS, BEFORE ANY SUCH UNIT EXISTED, ONE BASED ON THE DECEPTION OF PROPERLY COORDINATED SMOKE AND MIRRORS, IT'S ALWAYS BEYOND ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL TO READ YOUR STORIES, VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO HISTORICAL EVENTS, THANK YOU,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The story most told at Sandhurst about Niven is the one about how he filled the Kurnol Mortar with thunderflash gunpowder charges and golf balls as an end of term prank. Apparently he intended that the balls would fall into the boating lake opposite Old College. Unfortunately he overestimated the gunpowder charge required and instead bombarded the town of Camberley, just outside the gates…
Although from reading his autobiographies it isn't 100% clear whether he really was his batman, rather he was referred as being a batman to cover why a corporal was working in a mystery intelligence group alongside officers based out of the Ritz hotel in London.
Interesting. Stumbled on Peter Ustinov at KEW archives in files associated with some senior British IS types and their dealings with a lady who had betrayed her resistance group. Seems Peter got to meet her.
I remember him in a 70s documentary series about Europe in the 20th century (The Mighty Continent) where the story of Europe was interspersed with his personal memories. He talked about the making of The Way Ahead, with the team of 'Lt-Col David Niven, Major Eric Ambler, Captain Carol Reed, and Private Peter Ustinov.'
Thanks Chris. Old enough to remember him on Parkinson’s chat show. Always personified a British gentleman.! One of my best loved ‘old films’ is his ‘A Matter of life and death’ made in 1947. Well worth the watch.!!
Thanks Chris, another brilliant telling. David Niven was a film favourite as we grew up in England in the 60's. One of my favourite films was Paper Tiger from 1975. Obviously, a man proud of his country who put a career on standby to serve King & Country, Cheers.
FYI: the film “Paper Tiger” is available on TH-cam (free to watch). I watched it for second time a few weeks ago. Niven played a sympathetic character, a gentleman, who rose to the occasion and need for courage, despite his earlier life.
As a long-time fan of big band swing, I was fascinated to learn that Niven worked in a liaison capacity between Captain Glenn Miller and British authorities when Miller brought over his orchestra which became the American Band of the AEF
Niven told someone that he was privy to the real story of how Glenn Miller was killed, but was sworn to secrecy. Apparently, General Eisenhower forbade any public exposure of the story, due to the need to maintain morale during the war. There has been a confirmed story that Miller's plane was accidently hit by a group of Allied bombers returning from their mission without having dropped their bombs, and when they discharged the bombs over water one of them hit the Norseman in which Miller was a passenger.
We met while visiting the small town of Eze in southern Ftance. The most Gracias person I ever met Stopped and talked for 15-20 minutes. A true Gentlemen!
thanks for this. like many people I am a fan of David Niven and read "The Moons a Balloon". I also knew he had served with distinction during WWII (along with Peter Ustinov) , so it was good to get the details of his service in WWII.
He suddenly did have a busy war and popped up all over the place. What’s interesting is that in his autobiography he almost seems like a bit player in the drama rather than the main character.
David Niven has always stood for me as the genuine gentleman. His role in the cannons of the Naveron as a clear example. Another excellent lecture Chris👍👍👍
My father was badly injured in Egypt early in WW2 and ended up in London doing fire watch duty with David Niven. But my father, who no interest whatsoever in movies, had no idea who he was! All he told my mother, who he had just met, was that he had been on duty with this nice chap. She was horrified when she realised it was heart throb David Niven!
Yet another interesting and informative prodution which I enjoyed. Now I know that I've made several flippant comments in the past, but I have a couple of observations concerning David Niven's acting career.... He starred in the films 'The Spitfire story', alongside Leslie Howard, who was killed in an air crash in North Africa, when the Germans thought that the aircraft was carrying Winston Churchill. I believe this was in 1943 ? Further..David Niven starred in another wartime film called, 'The way ahead' I watched them both on TH-cam a few nights ago. David Niven, as far as memory recalls, succumbed to Moto Neuron disease. What a way to go. Respects to you Chris , and to the late, Great, David Niven. A true English Gentleman.
@@haalstaag - Apparently he was in the Cafe de Paris mulling on his failure to be accepted by the RAF when a young officer asked him if he would consider joining the Rifle Brigade. Niven apparently said “You couldn’t get me into the Girl Guides!” The man became his new commanding officer!
Growing up in the 1960’s I appreciated David Niven. For his look, mannerisms, and speaking. Both David Niven and Dino Martin were the coolest men on screen. In my experience
In Michael Munn's book The Man behind the Balloon, David Niven admits to being at Dieppe (against orders). Niven was considered too high a risk to be allowed to go and so was ordered not to go. He discussed this with Lord Lovat who said "Well, If you really want to go". Niven's reply "I don't want to go, but I am a soldier and its my duty". Niven wanted to go because men from A Squadron of Phanrom were part of the assault force.
They were assigned to obtain secret information about German armaments on the flanks of the main attack at Dieppe. This mission was a success, unlike the main landings.
@@DwightStJohn-t7y Niven was originally trained in 1940 as a secret underground commando assigned to pose as an Anglican priest in the event that the Germans were successful in invading Britain. So he had to learn German well for this assignment. Later he served in British HQ intelligence where his knowledge of German was helpful.
Great stuff as usual 👍 David Niven was one of my parents favourite stars and I have always enjoyed his films myself. I didn’t realise he had seen active service and knowing that has increased my respect for him. Maybe youcould also cover some of the other Hollywood stars who served their countries such as Clarke Gable and James Stewart. I also wasn’t aware of his connection to the Zulu Wars. Thanks
There's another connection between Niven & Stewart. When James Stewart was serving with the USAF in England, he mentioned that he would be invited to the Nivens for meals, and he would ask to be allowed to mow their lawn, just to remember what normal life was like again. They remained good friends.
A good account thank you, respect to you & Niven. By the way you made me sit up right by mentioning Niven's lunch in Bruges. The following is typical of the many stories my Father told me of his wartime experiences. Something similar happened to my Father, again, in Belgium. In brief, on entering a village with his sergeant, in their Jeep, as ordered and having been told it was liberated, he and his sergeant were mobbed by delirious Belgians. He said, at tables across 'The Place Central' were Germans drinking coffee. My Father claimed to have set the world record for time taken turning around a Jeep.
Another great story, one of my favourites to be honest as I always liked David Niven acting. How about a story about the Polish war bear? I'm sure lots of people would be amazed to hear his incredible story. Thanks for all the encouragement and knowledge
I often find myself wishing that there were more individuals in the world who shared the same qualities and charm as David Niven. His presence had a unique way of brightening the atmosphere, and it is clear to me that the world would be a significantly better place if it were filled with more people like him. Niven's charisma, kindness, and genuine nature had a remarkable impact on those around him and I can't help but feel that society would greatly benefit from the influence of individuals who embody such admirable traits. In a world that can sometimes feel heavy and burdensome, the lightheartedness and grace that someone like David Niven brought into our lives serve as a reminder of the positive change that can occur when we embrace those qualities. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could cultivate a community filled with more people who, like Niven, inspire joy, laughter and a sense of camaraderie?
another great video History Chap...David Niven was a true gentleman. A suggestion for a future video is the last sortie made by the Canadian Blackwatch during the First War. They "liberated" Mons Belgium on the night of November 10th and morning of the 11th - the last day of the war.
In his book “The Moons a Balloon” Niven recounts that he resigned his commission on the way to the U.S. after having been placed under arrest for insubordination and “escaping”, with the assistance of the orderly officer with whom he’d just shared a bottle of whisky, from the guardroom in Malta.
Very informative. Niven is a wonderful story teller (as evident in any interview he gives or his 2 books). However, like many vets, he becomes very tight-lipped about his war service. I've tried to gather snippets over the years and piece together the overall picture. This video does so nicely. When discussing his war service, one must mention his wartime film, The Immortal Battalion (Way Ahead). This often creates confusion among some who assume he was merely making films supporting the war effort while serving (like Ronald Reagan) or not actually serving like John Wayne and Errol Flynn. He was the real deal who just happened to make a morale film with his batman, Peter Ustinov. My favourite scene in the film is his shaming of his platoon after they deliberately throw a tactical exercise so they can go back to barracks. He doesn't rant or yell, but, leaves them feeling ashamed for their actions. So classy. OMG, 1936's Charge of the Light Brigade is such awful history! Uggh! I love Dawn Patrol. I laugh during the great scene in Guns of Navarone when Gregory Peck loses his temper at Niven, threatening him with a suppressed pistol (the same suppressed Mauser that keeps appearing in the film in various hands - Allied and German. That's a story for another day). "You put me in a mood to use this. If you don't start showing results, by God I'll use it on you!". It's funny because Niven was a real deal WW2 vet - commando. Peck did not serve in the war due to his 'bad back'. He was also a renowned anti-war pacifist. I can respect someone's pacifist principles and many Hollywood tough guys had medical conditions (like Flynn who desperately wanted to serve and tried joining all services. Only to be rejected because of his poor health). I just think it's funny to see Peck, who often played tough guy roles, squaring off with a real vet. Of course Anthony Quayle from that film was also a real deal vet. He ended the war as a Maj and had served in some special ops capacity like SOE or commandos.
The Way Ahead is just a wonderful film isn't it? I love that scene too. And also the one where he advises the soldier who's wife is being bullied about the furniture repayments. It's like a blueprint of exactly what you'd want an officer to be. I wonder if he had any input? I know it's acting, but I'd really like to think there was more than a little but if him in that. And yes Anthony Quayle was in SOE. Richard Todd was the real article too - a Para Reg captain who was likely one of, if not the first allied soldier to jump into Normandy (barring Pathfinders). It was his Bn that was tasked with relieving John Howard at Pegasus and Horsa bridge.
@@noell5095 Todd was in 7 Para. The first organized group (company) of allies to land in occupied France was Maj Murray MacLeod's C Company of the First Canadian Para Bn a full half hour BEFORE Howard's glider assault. Tasked to secure the DZ for Brig Hill's bde in a very short time, MacLeod had somehow managed an earlier takeoff from England. His company jumped from Albermarle bombers. You won't find this in mainstreem histories as , at some point, the a consensus was reached among historians to bestow the honour of being 'first in' on Maj Howard. Specifics of MacLeod's company can be found in Dan Hartigan's personal history, A Rising of Courage. Hartigan was a Cpl in MacLeod's company at Normandy.
I have oft voiced, over many years, the question of whether some of those leading men, like Peck, ever felt a little intimidated by their supporting cast, like Niven, considering the disparity in service. Niven not only served, but was a genuine Commando. Michael Caine (Korea) is another who must have given the willies to a few fellow actors. Christopher Lee (SOE) was ask on one set to stop scaring the younger actors after he tried to help them get into their death scenes. Christopher simply started describing how people react when they really die.
Awesome video!!!!!! A little known fact: Ian Fleming wanted David Niven for the role of James Bond in "Dr. No", but Sean Connery was cast instead... Niven went on to portray Bond in the very first 'Casino Royale' movie.
Not only were they co-stars on two occasions (as mentioned) but Flynn and Niven shared a home in California - nicknamed Cirrhosis By The Sea…due to the amount of alcohol consumed. Flynn (as an Australian) was also a member of the British Raj in Hollywood. Niven was also known to encourage his men by claiming that they’d only have to charge the enemy the once but he’d have to do it all again with Flynn back in Hollywood. It was in his early 30s service that Niv made friends with another officer named Trubshawe…after his return to Hollywood that name would reappear in many of his movies as an in-joke. Always thought they missed a trick by not having Niv play his own grandfather in Zulu Dawn.
Weren't they both founder members of the famous Hollywood Cricket Club,along with a smattering of other British and colonial actors in California at the time?
@@bazzatheblue The Hollywood Cricket Club was already in existence (1932) by the time Niven arrived in 1934. It's founder (and very much "commanding officer") was (Sir) Charles Aubrey Smith who made a specialty of playing the crusty old military type but in his youth had been a legitimately top class cricketer representing University of Cambridge and Sussex and actually captained England against South Africa in 1889. Both Flynn and Niven were members but Niven was the more "active". Other members were Cary Grant, Leslie Howard, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, Douglas Fairbanks Jr (an American), Merle Oberon & Ray Milland.
Michael Trubshawe actually became an actor himself post WW2, primarily in supporting roles, albeit mostly in British films although he did join Niven on The Guns of Navarone. An interesting counter to the Trubshawe "in -joke" in Niven moves was that they named Trubshawe's character Niven in one of his most famous movies (Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines). Sadly in later years, the relationship between the two friends became distanced after Trubshawe married a rich and devout Christian Scientist.
Yes, I know that feeling of a smartass remark to a serious question. One time I was asked if anyone had any questions, I raised my hand with a smirk and repeated the lines from the movie Aliens. I ended up doing a lot of push-ups because of my smart alec mouth but it was worth it. I just love your videos and learning all about history I did not know anything about. We'll done, amigo! 😊
I heard that after the Battle of the Bulge, Niven was asked by friends in America if he would go and find the grave of their son who had die in the battle. Niven after seeing the thousands of graves of Americans swore that he would never talk about his service in the war.
@@TheHistoryChap The quote is “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." It may come from one of his books but I am sure I have seen it in an interview. Doesn’t seem to be Parkinson or Dick Cavett. Frustrating 😊
@@Oligodendrocyte139 I have absoluttely seen that interview and remember having the utmost respect for Niven for his comment...I thought it was Parky bu tlike you can't find it now
During the war Niven made the film The Way Ahead in he starred. Working on the film was one Sergeant Peter Ustinov. When there was no other officers about their relationship was very relaxed despite their difference in rank, they were fellow actors after all. But Niven was pulled up on this and was told that they had to observe military protocols. I understand that in todays modern British Army it is not unusual for the men to refer to any officer up to the rank of captain by their first name, Seem like Niven and Ustinov were ahead of their time.
My Grandfather was lord Astor's batman during the war and was leant to Niven while they where at Phantom, still have one of his Saville row suit boxes at home keep the Xmas decorations in it
Decades ago he had me bellowing and wheezing with " / HeiI everybody" in Guns of Navarone, easily the best actor in that movie (and yes, I know Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, etc, were all in it). Learned years later some of the things you spoke of here, what stood out for me wasn't that he just came back, but literally went full Commando.
My father was at Prior Park College, near Bath, as a small boy and met David Niven when they filmed part of The Scarlet Pimpernel at the school. What a remarkable career he had. I am certain that life just doesn't work that way any more and people are just made very differently it seems.
David Niven rarely spoke about what he did during the war, describing himself as a "very frightened officer" -whatever he did he was,along with many,a very brave Man RIP "Niv"💎😊
There is another connection. The 2/24th were stationed at the Citadel at Dover's Western Heights from 1875-77 immediately before departing for Natal. When Niven was posted to Dover with the HLI after Malta, they were also garrisoned at The Citadel. This means that Niven shared the same Officers' Mess and other facilities that Degacher, Bromhead and others did 55 years earlier.
I appreciate David Niven and many other actors of The Greatest Generation who served in WW2. The Guns Of Navarone is my favorite movie with him as a suave and sarcastic Corporal Miller the bomb-maker. A slow hand salute to you Sir David. R.I.P.
I absolutely love david niven. I knew he served in ww2 but not the specifics. What a man. What a life. How far have we fallen. Can you imagine any, any, movie star following his example? RIP sir
John Wayne never served as his acting career was picking up. However, he played the hero in many war films, about which he knew nothing. Massive hypocrite, literally. Unlike Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson and Gene Roddenberry, who came up with Star Trek because he felt there had to be a better way of doing things.
I read "Bring on the Empty Horses" and "The Moon's a Balloon" when I was a teenager. I believe he was a perfect British gentleman. He can do no wrong in my mind.
As part of the greatest generation, my Grand Father served in the Navy and like David Niven, never spoke of it too me. I have investigated and most of what I have found has left me with more questions, but I am in awe of the patriotism and courage of all of that era, which is scarce today.
It was the only subject. I was any good at at school. I seem to soak up the information and spot the links. Thanks for your support and for your kind comment.
If we look back at the caliber of people that made great British culture we are sadly lacking in those around us now in power my dad rifle brigade in the war at 16years of age in 43 lied about his age died age 95 they were made of different stuff say what you mean and mean what you say and be true to your word they are truly a British icon David Niven is up there with the best 👌
A wonderful video, as ever. The story of peoples lives is always interesting, 30 plus years in law enforcement has taught me that everyone has an interesting tale to tell to how they end up where they are in life... and David's is proof of that.
people might try and get a copy of The World's a Balloon - his auto biography which is extremely amusing and self-aware. a self-deprecating man ( not the usual big-headed celebrity self-congratulation we see today ) it tells of his early life in the army , prior to going to Hollywood and his life from there till 1971 when book published.
I read somewhere that David’s wartime stories used get more elaborate at each after dinner rendition, lubricated by a vintage port.I read The Moons a Balloon years ago. Niven didn’t disappoint on the lace on his autobiography. I don’t believe some of his accounts.
Like most good raconteurs, David Niven "jazzed up" the facts of his stories, sometimes in the details, sometimes in the manner of their telling, and wasn't afraid to "borrow" events that actually happened to someone other than himself. Still, they were expertly told and wonderfully entertaining, and I'd rather have heard them from him than someone who didn't have his story telling skill. I admired him both as an actor and as a young man who understood his duty, and I still remember the sense of loss I felt when I heard he had passed.
“The Way Ahead” and the “First of the Few” were both wartime films but I chose to focus on his military activity. I also didn’t mention that he was married and had children.
My Dad came home aboard RMS Queen Mary. Until it was destroyed in a house fire, we had a souvenir photo with the dates of his passage. Now, I wonder if it might have been the same trip that Niven made.
David Niven was the type of English gentleman we don’t seem to have too many of nowadays. A brilliant raconteur, brave, self deprecating and a wonderful actor. I can recall crying with laughter at the Moons a Balloon and Bring on the Empty Horses. Still very sadly missed by those of us of a certain age.
A fabulous story and hugely ‘entertaining’. We are fortunate now that so many historians are relating the stories of famous actors’ wartime experiences, primarily before they became’famous’. David Niven was already famous but I always remember as a kid seeing ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ when the ping-pong ball stopped in mid-air. Considering it was made in 1946 this was sensational to a young Derick L
Not many people know where the commandos name originated from. During the Boer war the British came up against the Boer Commandos. Churchill who had been captured was so impressed with the way they fought, he decided to form the British Commandos based on them.
Niven's time in Malta wasn't always dull. I have heard from a reliable source that he described it as "Parades, Polo and Poking". Apparently he was rather friendly with the wife of a Royal Navy officer. When this officer's ship sailed out of the Grand Harbour he was giving her a good seeing to in her married quarters overlooking the harbour. Their congress was interrupted by the steam whistles of a pair of tug boats towing HMS Blank Blank back to her berth after an engine breakdown. Fair play to Niven, he did finish the job to the lady's satisfaction before making himself very scarce, especially in Naval company.
I read David Niven's book 'The Moon is a balloon'. I have not read a book that had me laughing out loud so much. He was a decent man, he lost his first wife when they were playing hide and seek with their guests when his wife accidentally fell down the stairs. A tragic loss.
I met him in Zurich airport in April 1980. Not long before he was diagnosed with ALS the following year, but that day he was as we all remember him, a very charming British gentlemen.
My Dad served alongside David Niven in GHQ Liaison in 1944/45. Niven ofc was a British Army officer before he went to the US and became an actor and resumed his commission in WW2. Dad was just a ranker. He always claimed that Niven was a nice bloke but he really was more of a "propaganda/morale" appointment as opposed to a day-to-day officer involved in the cut and thrust of the last months of WW2.
Thank you for taking the time to both watch and share your dad’s thoughts about Niven, being more of a propaganda appointment than a real fighting soldier
@@StevenKeery I would say that GHQ Liaison wasn't a straightforward admin type liaison group - they operated at/near the front line with their associated Army Group, recce'd the situation and reported back directly to Monty's HQ rather than going through the more traditional routes of Div/Corps HQs etc. Idea was that info got thru quicker (and maybe also avoided some of the "misinterpretations" that occur going through several groups). They operated in addition to, rather than instead of, the more traditional recce groups. They were otherwise known as "Phantom".
@@StevenKeery Phantom was closer in operation to modern SAS reconnaissance. It was primarily a strategic signals unit whose task was to probe and inform the Army Commdr, though it may have had other tasks allotted. This would require nerve and initiative, especially if going behind the initial German line of defence even if it was crumbling.
Very interesting as are all your programs! Thank you! One small pedantic niggle though - in June 1940 there was no Parachute Regiment. Though they were standing up it's predecessor , the para trained No.2 Commando that would become 11 SAS Bn (not David Stirling's later SAS) and eventually the 1st Bn when the Parachute Regiment was created in 1942. Please keep up the good work. Love your channel.
I didn’t say he joined the parachute regiment. David Niven, in his autobiography, thought that the British might be setting up an airborne division based on the success of the Germans.
I was staying in a cottage at Stourhead a few years ago and in the pub there I noticed his name scratched into a window. Apparently he did it with a diamond on a ring when he was there in the war.
David Niven was my father's Commanding Officer during part of WW2. My father also appeared driving a Bren gun carrier in Niven's film 'The Way Ahead'. So whenever I see that film, my late father, who passed away in 1974 is a young man and alive for those few fleeting moments!
I love that film. A genuine wartime movie. All the young men were already fighting for King and country so they starred actors well over the age for military service at the time such as Stanley Holloway and John Laurie. Niven came back from America to fight when he could have stayed out of it.
David was everything John Wayne wasn't and he could act. That final scene where they walk into the smoke of battle is very emotional bearing in mind the war was still ongoing and the outcome was far from certain. Nice to know you see your dad in the film too.
I have that film,I know the scene where your father must appear.Its a wonderful old war film made in the midst of the war.A great memory for you I imagine.
SALUTE ! Now I gotta go rewatch that one again..
LordRogerPovey: If you don't already have a copy of the film, it may be available free on the catalogue of free British Films here on You Tube.
There are different genres available to watch. Just type in free films on the search facility and scroll through.
Thank you so much for sharing your family story
David Niven was one of those film actors you couldn’t help but notice in a film. The perfect British gentleman. Great story thanks Chris
Glad you enjoyed the story. A bit different to some of the events we discussed on your showearlier this week -:)
He impregnated Ethel Margaret Campbell, later Duchess of Argyll when she was 15 years old (the child was aborted), so gentleman he certainly was not.
He was a very quick-witted man. In the early 70s streaking was a popular prank. While he was presenting on stage at the Oscars award ceremony a young man dashed across the stage behind Mr. Niven. Without missing a beat he commented, "there's someone unafraid to reveal his shortcomings." I can never think of Niven without thinking about this sublime utterance.
I remember that fondly...quick and biting wit
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I agree. I have seen it a few times on YT. He was very talented man 👍
@@philgiglio7922
A quick wit is a sign of intelligence.
As a child of the 60s and 70s, I got used to hearing the name ‘David Niven’ spoken about with reverence and respect for doing the decent thing and coming back from Hollywood on the outbreak of the War. A true gent.
Many thanks for sharing that memory
He got the same treatment in my parents' house in America. My father sent me Niven's obituary when Niven died in 1983. He is burned into my memory as Peter Carter.
@@TheHistoryChap very interesting story about Niven meeting Churchill during the early days of the war
David Niven always struck me as a solid fellow, and not some Hollywood ego-maniac. This just added to that perception.
Glad you found it interesting. Thanks for your support as well.
+edhodapp6465. Niven’s best “military” role was, IMHO, the no-nonsense Major Burnside in the 1969 drama “Before Winter Comes”. He should have had a second Oscar for that film, which BTW was directed by J. Lee Thompson, who also helmed “The Guns of Navarone”, one of Niven’s most popular films.
Can I suggest you read his autobiography? He was a brilliant and super engaging writer. The Moon’s a Balloon was a fave read as a younger man.
@@covertcounsellor6797 AAMOF I have read “The Moon’s a Balloon” and it’s a great read. Niven was always a great storyteller - although some of his stories may be taken with a pinch of salt.
You should read his 2 books , the moons a balloon , and bring on the empty horses . They give the true story of his life from a young kid on up to his life in Hollywood.
For me, David Niven was and will always be, the archetypical British gentleman. There is a beautiful anecdote that certifies what I said; at his funeral, everybody noticed a magnificent wreath sent by the porters from 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".
Growing up in Argentina, I was incredibly lucky to have as a father an alter ego of David Niven; it was from him that I learned to appreciate the values that make a gentleman. Like Niven, my father was polite and courteous to everyone but also inflexible in matters of honour and therefore he was highly respected, no wonder I saw my father in David Niven and I admired him.
Incidentally, I would like to recommend to everyone the excellent film "Separate Tables"; David Niven´s magnificent acting there earned him the Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor". Thank you Chris for this beautiful tribute to a real gentleman. Greetings from Buenos Aires.
Thank you for watching my video and for taking the time to share your interesting story. Much appreciated.
Loved David Niven,a genuine british gentleman. I read the" moon's a balloon and bring on the empty horses" in my youth. Paper tiger and 55 days in peking were masterpieces.
Those books are unbelievably funny and on a par with Spike Milligans autobiographies.
I will be covering 55 days in peeking very soon
Brilliant books! Well worth the read.
I also read both of those books and loved them
I was luckily enough to spend a weekend with David Niven while a guest Of Alan Searle in Monaco during a Royal Navy visit in the early 70's. He was so down to earth and a very nice person. Thanks for sharing this Chris
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story
My mates dad was piloting a landing craft in Normandy and piloted David Niven ashore . He had beeb given a 5franc note incase his craft was sunk and he ended up ashore . David Niven autographed it for him and my mate still has it to this day 👍
Great story, thanks for sharing
I've always had a strange draw to David Niven and he always struck me as a stand up sort of person. This sort of patriotism is something seen so rarely now. What a legend.
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@@TheHistoryChap love all your content, Victorian and British military history has always been a big interest of mine. Be very interested to see your take on the French and a Indian Wars/Seven Years War.
Bull, one of my boys did a tour in Afghanistan and Iraq in the US Army...
I always loved David Niven as an actor.
He just seemed always to be the right stuff and your story confirms it!
Thanks for posting.
My pleasure. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Niven was a first class Scottish gentleman, resourcefully, brave, charming and great fun. What a first chap, who is fondly remembered, well done Niven.
A great actor and his autobiographies are an absolute hoot 🤣
He was born in London = English.
@@mickc7388 from a Scottish family - an Anglo Scot to be precise.
I love the ironical tone he often takes in the biographies. Masterful understatement.@@TheHistoryChap
Who would claim to be that, who was not?.@@Rendell001
Excellent! My step father was a contemporary of Niven at Stowe, and also served in the war. He gave me a copy of The Moon’s A Balloon when I was at school in the early 80’s. As I was a schoolboy, my lasting memory was of him peeing in a champagne bottle during a regimental dinner! Having endured a few such dinners myself, I always remembered that and didn’t drink too much!
I read the book as part of my research it was fantastic
@slick_slicers Probably a sensible precaution under the circumstances. I can imagine the Colonel remarking that the champagne tended to lose its fizz after a bit but you could drink as much as you liked without getting sozzled. I can only hope, for the sake of my nephew who served most of his military career in it, that the regiment in question wasn't the Royal Irish😂😂.
Urquhart was the highest ranked officer to kill another man in WWII. The scene in A Bridge Too Far when Sean Connery shoots the guy through the window really happened.
Fascinating. Thanks for taking the time to share.
Yes, one the few things the film got right from the book. When they're helping Col. Urquhart's second in command, who was badly shot, receive medical attention in a civilian's kitchen. A lone German soldier who was just passing by, peered into the kitchen window. Urquhart, without missing a beat, pulled his Automatic from it's holster and shot the man dead.
IMO, David Niven was the best James Bond in Casino Royale! Even though it was a spoof and satire on everything Bond, it is still my favorite Bond Movie. If David Niven had made a serious Bond Movie it would have totally outdone Sean Connery I believe!
@@andrewjost6714 They must've smoked a load of drugs before greenlighting the screenplay.
@@andrewjost6714 - I believe Niven was someone Fleming wanted to play the role. I think it’s Casino Royale where the book describes Bond as looking like Hoagy Carmichael.
At first Fleming didn’t approve of Sean Connery, who had been a rating in the Royal Navy and had tattoos of “Scotland Forever”. Later Fleming relented and wrote in a Scottish back story. Connery was a genuinely tough man and when the gangster Johnny Stompanato threatened him with a gun Connery disarmed him and gave him a beating. Stompanato suspected Connery of having an affair with his girlfriend Lana Turner.
good Churchill imitation,Chris .
Niven was one of my favorite actors in many of my favorite movies...
a great man too ...he chose to serve and risk his life . Cheers
I'm bound to get some flak for the imitation but I defy anyone to read a Churchill speech without trying to impersonate him! -:)
SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN COVERING THE HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, WHY DON'T YOU RESEARCH ANOTHER HOLLYWOOD ICON, ALTHOUGH NOT BRITISH, DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS JR. 'S WARTIME SERVICE, AND HIS WORK WITH LORD MOUNTBATTEN, THAT COMBINED IT'S OPERATIONS BETWEEN SOE AND THE OSS, SPECIFICALLY THEIR PET PROJECT, " THE BEACH JUMPERS " WITH COMBINED OPERATIONS ON ALL FRONTS, FAIRBANKS WAS A PIVOTAL FORCE WITH MOUNTBATTEN IN CREATING THE " JUMPERS" THEIR TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES, USED THEN, FROM INDOCHINA TO AFRICA AND OPERATION OVERLORD, HIS STORY ISN'T MUCH UNLIKE DAVID NIVEN'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT TODAY'S WOKE GENERATIONS IS TOO FAR FETCHED TO DIGEST, IMAGINE A HOLLYWOOD ACTOR WHO WORKED WITH SOE AND OSS, BEFORE ANY SUCH UNIT EXISTED, ONE BASED ON THE DECEPTION OF PROPERLY COORDINATED SMOKE AND MIRRORS, IT'S ALWAYS BEYOND ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL TO READ YOUR STORIES, VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO HISTORICAL EVENTS, THANK YOU,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Indeed, the imitation is proof the video wasn't narrated by a bot.
The story most told at Sandhurst about Niven is the one about how he filled the Kurnol Mortar with thunderflash gunpowder charges and golf balls as an end of term prank.
Apparently he intended that the balls would fall into the boating lake opposite Old College.
Unfortunately he overestimated the gunpowder charge required and instead bombarded the town of Camberley, just outside the gates…
Ouch! That’s might of been painful. Thanks for sharing.
I hope that he had the presence of mind to shout out "four!!"
His autobiogs ‘The Moon’s a Balloon’ and ‘Bring on the Empty Horses’ are fascinating and hilarious, highly recommend. Wonderful chap.
Thanks for watching my video
Another excellent eisode, Chris. Worth also mentioning as an aside, that Niven's batman was one Corporal Peter Ustinov!
Yes, there’s an interesting story about how Ustinov came his batman.
Although from reading his autobiographies it isn't 100% clear whether he really was his batman, rather he was referred as being a batman to cover why a corporal was working in a mystery intelligence group alongside officers based out of the Ritz hotel in London.
Interesting. Stumbled on Peter Ustinov at KEW archives in files associated with some senior British IS types and their dealings with a lady who had betrayed her resistance group. Seems Peter got to meet her.
I remember him in a 70s documentary series about Europe in the 20th century (The Mighty Continent) where the story of Europe was interspersed with his personal memories. He talked about the making of The Way Ahead, with the team of 'Lt-Col David Niven, Major Eric Ambler, Captain Carol Reed, and Private Peter Ustinov.'
Thanks Chris.
Old enough to remember him on Parkinson’s chat show. Always personified a British gentleman.!
One of my best loved ‘old films’ is his ‘A Matter of life and death’ made in 1947.
Well worth the watch.!!
Thanks for taking the time to watch, and also to share your memories about him appearing on Parkinson
A matter of Life and death.
It's a great film shot in B&W and Colour.
It's one of my favourite films.
Thanks Chris, another brilliant telling. David Niven was a film favourite as we grew up in England in the 60's. One of my favourite films was Paper Tiger from 1975. Obviously, a man proud of his country who put a career on standby to serve King & Country, Cheers.
Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.
FYI: the film “Paper Tiger” is available on TH-cam (free to watch). I watched it for second time a few weeks ago. Niven played a sympathetic character, a gentleman, who rose to the occasion and need for courage, despite his earlier life.
As a long-time fan of big band swing, I was fascinated to learn that Niven worked in a liaison capacity between Captain Glenn Miller and British authorities when Miller brought over his orchestra which became the American Band of the AEF
Niven told someone that he was privy to the real story of how Glenn Miller was killed, but was sworn to secrecy. Apparently, General Eisenhower forbade any public exposure of the story, due to the need to maintain morale during the war. There has been a confirmed story that Miller's plane was accidently hit by a group of Allied bombers returning from their mission without having dropped their bombs, and when they discharged the bombs over water one of them hit the Norseman in which Miller was a passenger.
Thanks for watching my video & for your interesting story
We met while visiting the small town of Eze in southern Ftance. The most Gracias person I ever met Stopped and talked for 15-20 minutes. A true Gentlemen!
Thanks for watching my video.
thanks for this. like many people I am a fan of David Niven and read "The Moons a Balloon". I also knew he had served with distinction during WWII (along with Peter Ustinov) , so it was good to get the details of his service in WWII.
Glad you enjoined the video.
Thanks Chris. I read "The Moon's a Balloon" years ago but I had forgotten the details of Niven's WW2 service. He seems to have had quite a busy war.
He suddenly did have a busy war and popped up all over the place. What’s interesting is that in his autobiography he almost seems like a bit player in the drama rather than the main character.
David Niven has always stood for me as the genuine gentleman. His role in the cannons of the Naveron as a clear example. Another excellent lecture Chris👍👍👍
Guns of Navarone.
You are right then; but on the fly I couldn't quite remember the English title. Many times sorry.
@@janlindtner305 No need to apologise at all!
I was trying to work out, which is my favourite David Niven film. Maybe pink panther or murder on the orient express
@@TheHistoryChap"The Brain" - David Niven with Eli Wallach and Jean-Paul Belmondo ! A superb comedy 😊
My father was badly injured in Egypt early in WW2 and ended up in London doing fire watch duty with David Niven. But my father, who no interest whatsoever in movies, had no idea who he was! All he told my mother, who he had just met, was that he had been on duty with this nice chap. She was horrified when she realised it was heart throb David Niven!
Thanks for watching my video & for sharing your family story.
Yet another interesting and informative prodution which I enjoyed.
Now I know that I've made several flippant comments in the past, but I have a couple of observations concerning David Niven's acting career....
He starred in the films 'The Spitfire story', alongside Leslie Howard, who was killed in an air crash in North Africa, when the Germans thought that the aircraft was carrying Winston Churchill. I believe this was in 1943 ?
Further..David Niven starred in another wartime film called, 'The way ahead' I watched them both on TH-cam a few nights ago.
David Niven, as far as memory recalls, succumbed to Moto Neuron disease. What a way to go.
Respects to you Chris , and to the late, Great, David Niven. A true English Gentleman.
I can’t remember his exact causes of death, but that is a very sad way to go. Also thank you for sharing your story about Leslie Howard
Parkinsons, I thought?> @@TheHistoryChap
I believe David Niven died from Myasthenia Gravis a similar neurone disease.
And seen in “Death on the Nile” wearing a Royal Green Jacket tie. The regimental connection to the Rifle Brigade
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
@@haalstaag - Apparently he was in the Cafe de Paris mulling on his failure to be accepted by the RAF when a young officer asked him if he would consider joining the Rifle Brigade. Niven apparently said “You couldn’t get me into the Girl Guides!” The man became his new commanding officer!
Growing up in the 1960’s I appreciated David Niven. For his look, mannerisms, and speaking. Both David Niven and Dino Martin were the coolest men on screen. In my experience
Thanks for watching my video
In Michael Munn's book The Man behind the Balloon, David Niven admits to being at Dieppe (against orders). Niven was considered too high a risk to be allowed to go and so was ordered not to go. He discussed this with Lord Lovat who said "Well, If you really want to go". Niven's reply "I don't want to go, but I am a soldier and its my duty". Niven wanted to go because men from A Squadron of Phanrom were part of the assault force.
They were assigned to obtain secret information about German armaments on the flanks of the main attack at Dieppe. This mission was a success, unlike the main landings.
Thanks for watching my video & for your interesting comment.
@@musicmasterplayer4532 Wasn't he fluent in German?? I heard a story of him talking to German forces in perfect German, so this must be the incident.
@@DwightStJohn-t7y Niven was originally trained in 1940 as a secret underground commando assigned to pose as an Anglican priest in the event that the Germans were successful in invading Britain. So he had to learn German well for this assignment. Later he served in British HQ intelligence where his knowledge of German was helpful.
Fascinating story, thank you for sharing it with us. Especially liked the interactions with Churchill and the GIs.
My pleasure, thanks for watching
Great stuff as usual 👍
David Niven was one of my parents favourite stars and I have always enjoyed his films myself.
I didn’t realise he had seen active service and knowing that has increased my respect for him.
Maybe youcould also cover some of the other Hollywood stars who served their countries such as Clarke Gable and James Stewart.
I also wasn’t aware of his connection to the Zulu Wars.
Thanks
Thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated.
There's another connection between Niven & Stewart. When James Stewart was serving with the USAF in England, he mentioned that he would be invited to the Nivens for meals, and he would ask to be allowed to mow their lawn, just to remember what normal life was like again. They remained good friends.
A good account thank you, respect to you & Niven. By the way you made me sit up right by mentioning Niven's lunch in Bruges. The following is typical of the many stories my Father told me of his wartime experiences. Something similar happened to my Father, again, in Belgium. In brief, on entering a village with his sergeant, in their Jeep, as ordered and having been told it was liberated, he and his sergeant were mobbed by delirious Belgians. He said, at tables across 'The Place Central' were Germans drinking coffee. My Father claimed to have set the world record for time taken turning around a Jeep.
Another great story, one of my favourites to be honest as I always liked David Niven acting. How about a story about the Polish war bear? I'm sure lots of people would be amazed to hear his incredible story. Thanks for all the encouragement and knowledge
Oh, that is such a brilliant suggestion. Definitely adding to my list. Many thanks
Respect, not talking about his acting carrier, but his decision to drop his carrier to fight . total respect
s
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What can you say What an excellent video with an honest opinion rare to find today
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching my video
I often find myself wishing that there were more individuals in the world who shared the same qualities and charm as David Niven. His presence had a unique way of brightening the atmosphere, and it is clear to me that the world would be a significantly better place if it were filled with more people like him. Niven's charisma, kindness, and genuine nature had a remarkable impact on those around him and I can't help but feel that society would greatly benefit from the influence of individuals who embody such admirable traits.
In a world that can sometimes feel heavy and burdensome, the lightheartedness and grace that someone like David Niven brought into our lives serve as a reminder of the positive change that can occur when we embrace those qualities. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could cultivate a community filled with more people who, like Niven, inspire joy, laughter and a sense of camaraderie?
Thanks for your interesting feedback.
Fantastic story. You definitely keep me glued to every word, and what a story about a great British actor 👏
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks so much for watching
another great video History Chap...David Niven was a true gentleman.
A suggestion for a future video is the last sortie made by the Canadian Blackwatch during the First War. They "liberated" Mons Belgium on the night of November 10th and morning of the 11th - the last day of the war.
Thanks for watching and also for your suggestion, which I will add to my ever-growing list
I did know about nivens war service,but not about the zulu war connections....thanks again for your work mdear😊
It’s my pleasure. Thanks for watching my video.
In his book “The Moons a Balloon” Niven recounts that he resigned his commission on the way to the U.S. after having been placed under arrest for insubordination and “escaping”, with the assistance of the orderly officer with whom he’d just shared a bottle of whisky, from the guardroom in Malta.
He did indeed, although I understand the event took place in England, not Malta
I believe he said in the book his telegram read: “Dear Colonel, request permission, resign commission. Love Niven”
Niven's first autobiography explains much of his military career. Great reading. The second book is mostly about Hollywood.
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Thanks!
Thanks for your support
His film "a matter of life and death" is well worth a watch. Another good episode, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed my video
Always loved Niven. A Matter of Life and Death being my favourite. A lot of respect for a number of Hollywood stars who chose to serve during WWII
Thanks for watching and for sharing your personal favourite, David Niven film
Very informative. Niven is a wonderful story teller (as evident in any interview he gives or his 2 books). However, like many vets, he becomes very tight-lipped about his war service. I've tried to gather snippets over the years and piece together the overall picture. This video does so nicely. When discussing his war service, one must mention his wartime film, The Immortal Battalion (Way Ahead). This often creates confusion among some who assume he was merely making films supporting the war effort while serving (like Ronald Reagan) or not actually serving like John Wayne and Errol Flynn. He was the real deal who just happened to make a morale film with his batman, Peter Ustinov. My favourite scene in the film is his shaming of his platoon after they deliberately throw a tactical exercise so they can go back to barracks. He doesn't rant or yell, but, leaves them feeling ashamed for their actions. So classy.
OMG, 1936's Charge of the Light Brigade is such awful history! Uggh! I love Dawn Patrol. I laugh during the great scene in Guns of Navarone when Gregory Peck loses his temper at Niven, threatening him with a suppressed pistol (the same suppressed Mauser that keeps appearing in the film in various hands - Allied and German. That's a story for another day). "You put me in a mood to use this. If you don't start showing results, by God I'll use it on you!". It's funny because Niven was a real deal WW2 vet - commando. Peck did not serve in the war due to his 'bad back'. He was also a renowned anti-war pacifist. I can respect someone's pacifist principles and many Hollywood tough guys had medical conditions (like Flynn who desperately wanted to serve and tried joining all services. Only to be rejected because of his poor health). I just think it's funny to see Peck, who often played tough guy roles, squaring off with a real vet. Of course Anthony Quayle from that film was also a real deal vet. He ended the war as a Maj and had served in some special ops capacity like SOE or commandos.
Thank you so much for taking the time to pen your in-depth comment. You opened up, so many thoughts and possible stories in my mind.
The Way Ahead is just a wonderful film isn't it? I love that scene too. And also the one where he advises the soldier who's wife is being bullied about the furniture repayments. It's like a blueprint of exactly what you'd want an officer to be. I wonder if he had any input? I know it's acting, but I'd really like to think there was more than a little but if him in that. And yes Anthony Quayle was in SOE. Richard Todd was the real article too - a Para Reg captain who was likely one of, if not the first allied soldier to jump into Normandy (barring Pathfinders). It was his Bn that was tasked with relieving John Howard at Pegasus and Horsa bridge.
@@noell5095 Todd was in 7 Para. The first organized group (company) of allies to land in occupied France was Maj Murray MacLeod's C Company of the First Canadian Para Bn a full half hour BEFORE Howard's glider assault. Tasked to secure the DZ for Brig Hill's bde in a very short time, MacLeod had somehow managed an earlier takeoff from England. His company jumped from Albermarle bombers. You won't find this in mainstreem histories as , at some point, the a consensus was reached among historians to bestow the honour of being 'first in' on Maj Howard. Specifics of MacLeod's company can be found in Dan Hartigan's personal history, A Rising of Courage. Hartigan was a Cpl in MacLeod's company at Normandy.
I have oft voiced, over many years, the question of whether some of those leading men, like Peck, ever felt a little intimidated by their supporting cast, like Niven, considering the disparity in service. Niven not only served, but was a genuine Commando.
Michael Caine (Korea) is another who must have given the willies to a few fellow actors. Christopher Lee (SOE) was ask on one set to stop scaring the younger actors after he tried to help them get into their death scenes. Christopher simply started describing how people react when they really die.
Awesome video!!!!!!
A little known fact: Ian Fleming wanted David Niven for the role of James Bond in "Dr. No", but Sean Connery was cast instead...
Niven went on to portray Bond in the very first 'Casino Royale' movie.
A great snippet, thank you for sharing
Not only were they co-stars on two occasions (as mentioned) but Flynn and Niven shared a home in California - nicknamed Cirrhosis By The Sea…due to the amount of alcohol consumed. Flynn (as an Australian) was also a member of the British Raj in Hollywood.
Niven was also known to encourage his men by claiming that they’d only have to charge the enemy the once but he’d have to do it all again with Flynn back in Hollywood.
It was in his early 30s service that Niv made friends with another officer named Trubshawe…after his return to Hollywood that name would reappear in many of his movies as an in-joke.
Always thought they missed a trick by not having Niv play his own grandfather in Zulu Dawn.
Weren't they both founder members of the famous Hollywood Cricket Club,along with a smattering of other British and colonial actors in California at the time?
It would’ve been a great role if Niven had appeared in Zulu Dawn
@@bazzatheblue The Hollywood Cricket Club was already in existence (1932) by the time Niven arrived in 1934. It's founder (and very much "commanding officer") was (Sir) Charles Aubrey Smith who made a specialty of playing the crusty old military type but in his youth had been a legitimately top class cricketer representing University of Cambridge and Sussex and actually captained England against South Africa in 1889. Both Flynn and Niven were members but Niven was the more "active". Other members were Cary Grant, Leslie Howard, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, Douglas Fairbanks Jr (an American), Merle Oberon & Ray Milland.
Michael Trubshawe actually became an actor himself post WW2, primarily in supporting roles, albeit mostly in British films although he did join Niven on The Guns of Navarone. An interesting counter to the Trubshawe "in -joke" in Niven moves was that they named Trubshawe's character Niven in one of his most famous movies (Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines). Sadly in later years, the relationship between the two friends became distanced after Trubshawe married a rich and devout Christian Scientist.
Yes, I know that feeling of a smartass remark to a serious question. One time I was asked if anyone had any questions, I raised my hand with a smirk and repeated the lines from the movie Aliens. I ended up doing a lot of push-ups because of my smart alec mouth but it was worth it. I just love your videos and learning all about history I did not know anything about. We'll done, amigo! 😊
Harry, I hope you can join me for my live show at 1 pm (UK) today I will share a similar story about my big mouth 🤣
A "The Moon's a Balloon". Thanks and Cheers from Northern Ontario.
Thanks for watching my video, glad you enjoyed it.
I’ve just finished reading ‘the moons a balloon’, a book I’ve long wanted to read, so many of your anecdotes have resonated, a really good vlog!
Thanks for watching my video & taking the time to comment
I heard that after the Battle of the Bulge, Niven was asked by friends in America if he would go and find the grave of their son who had die in the battle. Niven after seeing the thousands of graves of Americans swore that he would never talk about his service in the war.
I had heard that story, but I couldn’t reference it. Can you point me in the right direction?
I recall a TV interview where David Niven told that story. I always wondered who the family was.
@@TheHistoryChap The quote is “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." It may come from one of his books but I am sure I have seen it in an interview. Doesn’t seem to be Parkinson or Dick Cavett. Frustrating 😊
@@Oligodendrocyte139 I have absoluttely seen that interview and remember having the utmost respect for Niven for his comment...I thought it was Parky bu tlike you can't find it now
@@wkinsley99 He did open up a bit on the Cavett interviews but there’s so many clips. I have tried contacting one of the channels but no joy.
Once again, a magnificent tribute to a wonderful man. Well done, cobber.
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GREAT VIDEO SIR,I HEARD THAT ACTOR PETER USTINOV WAS DAVID NIVEN BATMAN IN THE ARMY.BOTH WERE IN THE INMORTAL BATTION MOVIE.
Glad you enjoyed the video and yes, Peter Ustinov was his Batman for a short while
During the war Niven made the film The Way Ahead in he starred. Working on the film was one Sergeant Peter Ustinov. When there was no other officers about their relationship was very relaxed despite their difference in rank, they were fellow actors after all. But Niven was pulled up on this and was told that they had to observe military protocols. I understand that in todays modern British Army it is not unusual for the men to refer to any officer up to the rank of captain by their first name, Seem like Niven and Ustinov were ahead of their time.
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My Grandfather was lord Astor's batman during the war and was leant to Niven while they where at Phantom, still have one of his Saville row suit boxes at home keep the Xmas decorations in it
What a great story, thanks for sharing
I clearly remember David Niven's acting career, but had no idea of his history. well worth listening to....
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Decades ago he had me bellowing and wheezing with " / HeiI everybody" in Guns of Navarone, easily the best actor in that movie (and yes, I know Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, etc, were all in it).
Learned years later some of the things you spoke of here, what stood out for me wasn't that he just came back, but literally went full Commando.
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My father was at Prior Park College, near Bath, as a small boy and met David Niven when they filmed part of The Scarlet Pimpernel at the school.
What a remarkable career he had. I am certain that life just doesn't work that way any more and people are just made very differently it seems.
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David Niven rarely spoke about what he did during the war, describing himself as a "very frightened officer" -whatever he did he was,along with many,a very brave Man RIP "Niv"💎😊
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There is another connection. The 2/24th were stationed at the Citadel at Dover's Western Heights from 1875-77 immediately before departing for Natal. When Niven was posted to Dover with the HLI after Malta, they were also garrisoned at The Citadel. This means that Niven shared the same Officers' Mess and other facilities that Degacher, Bromhead and others did 55 years earlier.
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I appreciate David Niven and many other actors of The Greatest Generation who served in WW2. The Guns Of Navarone is my favorite movie with him as a suave and sarcastic Corporal Miller the bomb-maker. A slow hand salute to you Sir David. R.I.P.
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the movie I remember most of is The Cannons of Navarone
with Gregory Peck, David Niven och Anthony Quinn
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I particularly enjoyed reading David Niven's autobiographies and recommend them!
Thanks for that endorsement of his books
I absolutely love david niven. I knew he served in ww2 but not the specifics. What a man. What a life. How far have we fallen. Can you imagine any, any, movie star following his example? RIP sir
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John Wayne never served as his acting career was picking up. However, he played the hero in many war films, about which he knew nothing. Massive hypocrite, literally. Unlike Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson and Gene Roddenberry, who came up with Star Trek because he felt there had to be a better way of doing things.
I read "Bring on the Empty Horses" and "The Moon's a Balloon" when I was a teenager.
I believe he was a perfect British gentleman. He can do no wrong in my mind.
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As part of the greatest generation, my Grand Father served in the Navy and like David Niven, never spoke of it too me. I have investigated and most of what I have found has left me with more questions, but I am in awe of the patriotism and courage of all of that era, which is scarce today.
Thank you for taking the time to post a very thoughtful comment
I'm amazed at your depth and breadth of knowledge and you tell the stories in an informative and entertaining way. You must do a lot of research.
It was the only subject. I was any good at at school. I seem to soak up the information and spot the links. Thanks for your support and for your kind comment.
If we look back at the caliber of people that made great British culture we are sadly lacking in those around us now in power my dad rifle brigade in the war at 16years of age in 43 lied about his age died age 95 they were made of different stuff say what you mean and mean what you say and be true to your word they are truly a British icon David Niven is up there with the best 👌
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The man was a legendary actor and a true patriot! What more could you ask for? The list of famous people he knew!!!
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Love the Churchill impression!!
You have hidden talents,sir.
Oh, you can’t read a Churchill comment without his voice in your head 🤣
A wonderful video, as ever. The story of peoples lives is always interesting, 30 plus years in law enforcement has taught me that everyone has an interesting tale to tell to how they end up where they are in life... and David's is proof of that.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, and you’re right, everyone has a story to tell
people might try and get a copy of The World's a Balloon - his auto biography which is extremely amusing and self-aware. a self-deprecating man ( not the usual big-headed celebrity self-congratulation we see today ) it tells of his early life in the army , prior to going to Hollywood and his life from there till 1971 when book published.
It’s a thoroughly entertaining read
Actually, it's called "The MOON's a Balloon"
I read somewhere that David’s wartime stories used get more elaborate at each after dinner rendition, lubricated by a vintage port.I read The Moons a Balloon years ago. Niven didn’t disappoint on the lace on his autobiography. I don’t believe some of his accounts.
The moon is a balloon is a thoroughly entertaining read.
@@TheHistoryChap Entertaining yes, however, fanciful with accuracy.
Like most good raconteurs, David Niven "jazzed up" the facts of his stories, sometimes in the details, sometimes in the manner of their telling, and wasn't afraid to "borrow" events that actually happened to someone other than himself.
Still, they were expertly told and wonderfully entertaining, and I'd rather have heard them from him than someone who didn't have his story telling skill.
I admired him both as an actor and as a young man who understood his duty, and I still remember the sense of loss I felt when I heard he had passed.
@@Kevin-mx1vi Thank you you expressed exactly what I was trying inadequately to betray.
Port will improve any story.
Great video. Your work is very good! You have a fantastic voice for history. Thank you.
That’s very kind of you, thanks
While serving in the Army during the war Niven also stared in at least one film, "The Way Ahead", which I am surprised that you didn't mention.
“The Way Ahead” and the “First of the Few” were both wartime films but I chose to focus on his military activity. I also didn’t mention that he was married and had children.
Wasn't David niven I'm the ox an bucks
My Dad came home aboard RMS Queen Mary. Until it was destroyed in a house fire, we had a souvenir photo with the dates of his passage. Now, I wonder if it might have been the same trip that Niven made.
15,000 men on a ship, unbelievable! I wonder if your dad was on that one?
David Niven was the type of English gentleman we don’t seem to have too many of nowadays. A brilliant raconteur, brave, self deprecating and a wonderful actor. I can recall crying with laughter at the Moons a Balloon and Bring on the Empty Horses. Still very sadly missed by those of us of a certain age.
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A fabulous story and hugely ‘entertaining’. We are fortunate now that so many historians are relating the stories of famous actors’ wartime experiences, primarily before they became’famous’. David Niven was already famous but I always remember as a kid seeing ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ when the ping-pong ball stopped in mid-air. Considering it was made in 1946 this was sensational to a young Derick L
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Really enjoyed that Chris
Glad you enjoyed it
Not many people know where the commandos name originated from. During the Boer war the British came up against the Boer Commandos. Churchill who had been captured was so impressed with the way they fought, he decided to form the British Commandos based on them.
Great actor, great video, great channel! Thank you for the outstanding work you do! 😊
Thank you for your very kind comment
A very polished presentation.
Thank you very much for that kind comment
as part of his service, he spent some time at Maryhill barracks in Glasgow in 2nd battalion HLI .
Thanks for sharing
Niven's time in Malta wasn't always dull. I have heard from a reliable source that he described it as "Parades, Polo and Poking". Apparently he was rather friendly with the wife of a Royal Navy officer. When this officer's ship sailed out of the Grand Harbour he was giving her a good seeing to in her married quarters overlooking the harbour. Their congress was interrupted by the steam whistles of a pair of tug boats towing HMS Blank Blank back to her berth after an engine breakdown. Fair play to Niven, he did finish the job to the lady's satisfaction before making himself very scarce, especially in Naval company.
Yes, he recount that tail in his autobiography “ the moon’s are balloon”. Have you read it it really is a good fun page turner.
I read David Niven's book 'The Moon is a balloon'. I have not read a book that had me laughing out loud so much. He was a decent man, he lost his first wife when they were playing hide and seek with their guests when his wife accidentally fell down the stairs. A tragic loss.
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Country before self. Takes a special person to place themselves in harms way when they do not need to, truly decent man.
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Quality piece of history reporting right there 👍🏼
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Thnk David Niven was a great guy and did his bit like many others and also a great actor God Bless him!
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I met him in Zurich airport in April 1980.
Not long before he was diagnosed with ALS the following year, but that day he was as we all remember him, a very charming British gentlemen.
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I never know this side of his life - thank you for the video and share
It’s my pleasure. Thank you for watching.
My Dad served alongside David Niven in GHQ Liaison in 1944/45. Niven ofc was a British Army officer before he went to the US and became an actor and resumed his commission in WW2. Dad was just a ranker. He always claimed that Niven was a nice bloke but he really was more of a "propaganda/morale" appointment as opposed to a day-to-day officer involved in the cut and thrust of the last months of WW2.
Oldfella: It does seem rather a waste of Commando training to then place someone in a liaison role.
Thank you for taking the time to both watch and share your dad’s thoughts about Niven, being more of a propaganda appointment than a real fighting soldier
@@StevenKeery I would say that GHQ Liaison wasn't a straightforward admin type liaison group - they operated at/near the front line with their associated Army Group, recce'd the situation and reported back directly to Monty's HQ rather than going through the more traditional routes of Div/Corps HQs etc. Idea was that info got thru quicker (and maybe also avoided some of the "misinterpretations" that occur going through several groups). They operated in addition to, rather than instead of, the more traditional recce groups. They were otherwise known as "Phantom".
Was your dad in the RB?
@@StevenKeery Phantom was closer in operation to modern SAS reconnaissance. It was primarily a strategic signals unit whose task was to probe and inform the Army Commdr, though it may have had other tasks allotted. This would require nerve and initiative, especially if going behind the initial German line of defence even if it was crumbling.
Very interesting as are all your programs! Thank you! One small pedantic niggle though - in June 1940 there was no Parachute Regiment. Though they were standing up it's predecessor , the para trained No.2 Commando that would become 11 SAS Bn (not David Stirling's later SAS) and eventually the 1st Bn when the Parachute Regiment was created in 1942. Please keep up the good work. Love your channel.
I didn’t say he joined the parachute regiment. David Niven, in his autobiography, thought that the British might be setting up an airborne division based on the success of the Germans.
I was staying in a cottage at Stourhead a few years ago and in the pub there I noticed his name scratched into a window. Apparently he did it with a diamond on a ring when he was there in the war.
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Great video Chris!
Glad you enjoyed it
Hi Chris , wow whot a great man he was . i didn't realise he did all that for queen n country . Thank you
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Lovely man. So interesting about his wartime service.
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Enjoyable video and well told 👏 It was great seeing you on the placet crack podcast on monday 15/01/24 great fun a 👍🎲
I really enjoyed being on it. Hope to be invited again soon.
Thank you for suggesting it.
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Thoroughly enjoyed the video and would observe that this love of country and bravery wouldn't manifest itself in today's Hollywood!
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