Niv: The Authorised Biography of David Niven

Niv: The Authorised Biography of David Niven

by Graham Lord (Author)

Synopsis

For more than forty years, Niven portrayed on screen the impeccable values of a lost breed of English gentlemen - handsome, beautifully spoken, elegantly dressed, witty, with perfect manners and utterly charming. Niv, according to his friends, was much the same off-screen. Both men and women were enchanted by his charisma, humour and joie-de-vivre. In addition to winning an Oscar for Separate Tables (1958), Niven was a polished writer, and published two volumes of lighthearted autobiography: THE MOON'S A BALLOON (1972) and BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES (1975). Yet behind those twinkling eyes, Niv's life was punctuated by tragedy and he was often deeply unhappy. From the death of his father when Niven was five, to his mother's neglect and the stepfather he loathed, through to the death of his beloved first wife and his volatile and disturbing marriage to his second wife, Hjordis, tragedy and hardship were never far away. Graham Lord, using new material from Niven's private papers, manuscripts, unpublished stories and correspondence, has written a fresh, revealing, funny and poignant portrait of a brave and brilliant man. Fully authorised by Niven's family and drawing from dozens of interviews with stars, from Lauren Bacall to Roger Moore and Sir John Mills, NIV: the Authorised Biography of David Niven is a fitting tribute to one of Hollywood's greatest heroes.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Edition: 1st ed
Publisher: Orion
Published: 01 Oct 2003

ISBN 10: 0752853066
ISBN 13: 9780752853062
Book Overview: Entirely authorised by the family Access to hitherto unseen material including letters The truth behind the amazing adventures recounted in THE MOON'S A BALLOON - one of Amazon's all-time bestselling books - and BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES Praise for ARTHUR LOWE: 'Required reading for those of us who want to learn how the art grew out of the man - you can't ask for more from a showbusiness biography' DAILY EXPRESS Praise for DICK FRANCIS: A RACING LIFE: 'A plot as gripping as one of his own novels - sensational' DAILY STAR

Media Reviews
NIV was strictly embargoed until 22 September. The press date for NIV is 9thOctober. SERIAL Serial ran in MAIL ON SUNDAY & DAILY MAIL over 4 days - from 21-24 September. Second serial ran in THE WEEK on 27 September. The David Niven episode of HOLLYWOOD BRITS, featuring an interview with Graham Lord will be on CHANNEL 4 on 25 October at 8pm. MEDIA Graham will be in the UK from4-19 October and available for interviews. Niv has been credited in ESQUIRE magazine (August issue) in a feautre article about David Niven's life. Diary stories about the book have run in THE GUARDIAN (29 September) and THE DAILY MAIL (30 September). Graham has been interviewed about his book for a featureon BBC RADIO SCOTLAND ARTS SHOW which airs on 13 October. Confirmed RADIO interview with Graham include: BBC RADIO SHROPSHIRE, BBC RADIO HUMBERSIDE, BBC RADIO NOTTINGHAM, BBC RADIO MERSEYSIDE, BBC RADIO JERSEY, BBC RADIO LEICESTER. EVENTS Graham Lord will be speaking at the CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL on 14th October, appearing with Piers Paul Read and John Miller.
Author Bio
Graham Lord is the bestselling biographer of James Herriot, Dick Francis and Jeffrey Bernard and, most recently, of Arthur Lowe, as well as eight novels, an autobiographical portrait of Mozambique and Zimbabwe (Ghosts of King Solomon's Mines) and several short stories.