David Niven

The photograph series of the David Niven papers spans the years 1910–1983 and encompasses approximately 3 linear feet. The series consists of 5,576 items, including black-and-white and color prints, negatives, and transparencies. The photographs are grouped into motion picture production photographs, biography photographs, and subject photographs.

The motion picture production photographs span the years 1935–1983 and consist primarily of scenes and off-camera photographs, mostly in 8x10 format, of films in which Niven appeared as an actor. A few titles also feature color transparencies. The material is arranged alphabetically by film title, and 42 titles are represented. Of note are several titles of the 1930s and 1940s containing off-camera photographs taken by Niven himself, including photographs from The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), Stairway to Heaven (1947), and Wuthering Heights (1939). There are also a few television titles and unidentified titles filed in the subject series.

The biography photographs span Niven’s adult life and include many taken by Niven himself. Persons depicted include Fred Astaire, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Noel Coward, Marlene Dietrich, Clark Gable, President John F. Kennedy, Merle Oberon, and Laurence Olivier.

The subject photographs include the following subseries: family, general, portrait, and travel photographs. The family photographs depict relatives of Niven, including his first wife, Primula, and second wife, Hjordis; his children; and other family members. Most of the items are small prints, both color and black-and-white. The general photographs, comprising the largest part of the subject photographs, are pictures of David Niven and of events of his life not directly related to his acting career, including book signings, sports activities, private parties he hosted, and his home life. Of special interest are those photographs related to Niven’s World War II service, many of which he took himself. The nearly two dozen portrait photographs, most of which are black-and-white 8x10s, start with Niven at age two and span the years 1912–1983. The travel photographs span the years 1935–1965 and are arranged by country. They document vacations and other personal trips, primarily in England and the European continent. Most are small prints, taken by Niven himself.

Gift of David Niven Jr. and James Niven, 1994–1995.