David Niven

Born: 1 March 1909 Birthplace: Kirriemuir, Scotland (?) Died: 29 July 1983 (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Best Known As: Dapper British star of Around the World in 80 Days For four decades David Niven was the very image of the urbane British gentleman in films like Raffles (1940), Around the World in 80 Days (1956, based on the book by Jules Verne) and The Pink Panther (1964, with Peter Sellers). Niven's slender figure and even more slender moustache were well-known to film audiences around the world. Though he specialized in light comedy, Niven also handled drama in movies like Separate Tables (1958), for which he won a Oscar as Best Actor. In the 1970s Niven published two humorous autobiographies of his life in the movies, The Moon's A Balloon (1971) and Bring On the Empty Horses (1975). Niven served with the British commandos in World War II, leaving at war's end with the rank of colonel... According to the BBC's 2004 obituary of actor Peter Ustinov, Ustinov served as Niven's batman (orderly) during World War II... Niven's place of birth is uncertain. According to the official site of Niven's estate, "Some say he was born in Belgrave Mansions, Grosvenor Gardens in London, while others assert that he was born in Kirriemuir in Scotland."