Niven in THE PINK PANTHER

David Niven, Best Actor 1958: MovieActors.com

SEPARATE TABLES (Drama) David Niven received his Oscar for playing the phony British Major who's afraid of people and tells lies about his World War 2 experiences.

ABOUT DAVID NIVEN (1909 - 1983) Niven was co-owner of the FOUR STAR production company. David Niven was a British actor, who had a long career in movies and television in America. Niven had been working as an extra, a supporting actor and the lead in movies and television since 1932, with time off for war duty during World War II.  He then played a World War II pilot, who gets lost in the fog in the fantasy drama, STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN [1946].  He won an Emmy in 1955 and 1957 for 2 different roles in FOUR STAR PLAYHOUSE, a television drama program.  In 1958, David Niven played Major Angus Pollock, a veteran, steeped in war reminiscences, in the movie SEPARATE TABLES.  He won the Academy Award for his performance.  David Niven played Corporal Miller in the taught war time drama THE GUNS OF NAVARONE [1961].  David Niven played the jewel thief, "The Phantom" in THE PINK PANTHER, the classic, 1963 Blake Edwards movie about the misadventures of Parisian police detective, Inspector Clousseau, played by Peter Sellers. David Niven also reprised his role in the 1982 movie, TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER, and the 1983 movie,  CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER. David Niven's other credits include: BARBARY COAST (1935) WITHOUT REGRET (1935)  ROSE MARIE (1936)  THANK YOU JEEVES (1936) PALM SPRINGS (1936)  THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936)  DODSWORTH (1936)  THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1937)  BLUEBEARD'S EIGHT WIFE  (1938)  THREE BLIND MICE (1938)  THE DAWN PATROL (1938)  WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)  BACHELOR MOTHER (1939)  RAFFLES (1939)  THE WAY AHEAD (1944)  MAGNIFICIENT DOLL (1946)  THE BISHOP'S WIFE (1947) A KISS IN THE DARK (1949)  THE TOAST OF NEW ORLEANS (1950)  SOLDIERS THREE (1951)  HAPPY EVER AFTER HAPPY GO LOVELY (1951)  COURT MARTIAL (1955)  AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (1956)  THE LITTLE HUT (1957)  MY MAN GODFREY (1957)  ASK ANY GIRL (1959) PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES (1960) THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961)  THE BEST OF ENEMIES (1961) 55 DAYS AT PEKING (1963)  THE PINK PANTHER (1963)  WHERE THE SPIES ARE (1965)  CASINO ROYALE (1967)  EYE OF THE DEVIL (1966)  PRUDENCE AND THE PILL (1968)  THE BRAIN (1969)  PAPER TIGER (1975)  MURDER BY DEATH (1976)  CANDLESHOW (1977)  DEATH ON THE NILE (1978)  ESCAPE TO ATHENA (1979)  ROUGH CUT (1980)  OLD DRACULA (1975)  TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER (1982) CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER (1983) Niven's television credits include: A MAN CALLED INTREPID (TV Mini-Series) (1979)  THE DAVID NIVEN SHOW (series 1959) THE ROGUES (series 1964)

David Niven with his co-stars in 55 DAYS AT PEKING (1963)

David Niven with his co-stars in DEATH ON THE NILE

Robert Wagner with David Niven in THE PINK PANTHER (1963)

David Niven in SEA WOLVES (1980)

Niven with his co-stars in AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

David Niven in PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES (1960)

Niven (left) with Gregory Peck in THE GUNS OF NAVARONE

David Niven in THE BISHOP'S WIFE

David Niven in MURDER BY DEATH (1976)