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David Niven

David Niven

Actor, also writer · Died July 29, 1983, aged 73 · London, England, UK

Oscar winner · 2 Golden Globes · Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

James David Graham Niven (1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983), known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther. He was awarded the 1958 Academy Award for Best Actor in Separate Tables.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 1, 1910
Died
July 29, 1983 (aged 73)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also writer
Titles
71 on MovieCove · 113 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

What are David Niven's films like?

Across their 59 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy28 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
39%
Morality
25%
Self
19%
Power
7%
Society
6%
Survival
3%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love25 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception17 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 58 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 41 · Serious 13 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 25 · Stylized 24 · Heightened 9

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 31 · Charged 21 · Intense 6

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 37 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 20 · Funny 24

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 31 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 3

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 42 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 52 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

53 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 16 of 53 analyzed roles.

Hero
16 of 53
Mentor
9 of 53
Trickster
8 of 53
Ally
7 of 53
Shadow
7 of 53
Shapeshifter
5 of 53
Threshold guardian
1 of 53
Show the 53 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
25
Tense
18
Absurd
17
Warm
16
Romantic
17
Other
55

How their films linger

Feel-good36 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun32 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy37
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Niven's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 37 of their 71 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (24).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Niven's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

113 credits, 71 with a MovieCove page; 36 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger(2024)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Many Faces of Dracula(2000)

    as Count Dracula (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker(1991)

    as actor 'Bonjour Tristesse' (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Night They Saved Christmas(1984)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Curse of the Pink Panther(1983)

    as Sir Charles Litton

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Better Late Than Never(1983)

    as Nick Cartland

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Trail of the Pink Panther(1982)

    as Sir Charles Litton

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Sea Wolves(1980)

    as Col. W.H. Grice

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Rough Cut(1980)

    as Chief Insp. Cyril Willis

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square(1980)

    as Ivan

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Escape to Athena(1979)

    as Professor Blake

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • A Man Called Intrepid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · as Sir William Stephenson

  • Death on the Nile(1978)

    as Colonel Race

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Candleshoe(1977)

    as Priory

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Murder by Death(1976)

    as Dick Charleston

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • No Deposit, No Return(1976)

    as J.W. Osborne

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Paper Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as 'Major' Walter Bradbury

  • The Remarkable Rocket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Canterville Ghost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Sir Simon de Canterville

  • Gorilla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Narrator

  • Old Dracula(1974)

    as Count Dracula

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • King, Queen, Knave(1972)

    as Charles Dreyer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Scotland Yard - the Golden Thread (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Host

  • The Statue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Alex Bolt

  • The Extraordinary Seaman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Lt. Commander John Finchhaven, R.N.

  • The Brain(1969)

    as Colonnel Carol Matthews, Aka 'Le Cerveau'

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Before Winter Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Major Burnside

  • The Impossible Years(1968)

    as Jonathan Kingsley

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Prudence and the Pill(1968)

    as Gerald Hardcastle

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Casino Royale(1967)

    as James Bond

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Eye of the Devil(1966)

    as Philippe de Montfaucon

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Where the Spies Are(1965)

    as Dr. Jason Love

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Lady L(1965)

    as Dicky, Lord Lendale

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Rogues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 30 episodes · as Alec Fleming

  • Bedtime Story(1964)

    as Lawrence Jameson

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Pink Panther(1963)

    as Sir Charles Lytton

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Harvey Cleeve

  • 55 Days at Peking(1963)

    as Sir Arthur Robertson

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Shortest Day(1963)

    as Soldato inglese (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Conquered City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Major Peter Whitfield

  • Guns of Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Tom Jordan

  • The Road to Hong Kong(1962)

    as Lama Remembering Lady Chatterly's Lover (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Best of Enemies(1961)

    as Maj. Richardson

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Guns of Navarone(1961)

    as Cpl. John Anthony Miller

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Please Don't Eat the Daisies(1960)

    as Larry Mackay

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The DuPont Show with June Allyson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcus Dodds

  • Ask Any Girl(1959)

    as Miles Doughton

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Happy Anniversary(1959)

    as Chris Walters

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Separate Tables(1958)

    as Angus Pollock

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Bonjour Tristesse(1958)

    as Raymond

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • My Man Godfrey(1957)

    as Godfrey Smith

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Alcoa Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Carleton · as Mark Garron · as Paul Evans · as Paul Martel · as Robert Medhill

  • Goodyear Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Carleton

  • The Little Hut (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Henry Brittingham-Brett

  • Oh, Men! Oh, Women!(1957)

    as Alan Coles

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Around the World in 80 Days(1956)

    as Phileas Fogg

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Director · as Allen Raikes · as Milo Brant

  • The Silken Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Roger Tweakham

  • The Birds and the Bees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Patrick Harris

  • The King's Thief(1955)

    as James - Duke of Brampton

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Star and the Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny

  • Carrington V.C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Major Charles Carrington

  • Happy Ever After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Jasper O'Leary

  • The Love Lottery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Rex Allerton

  • The Moon Is Blue(1953)

    as David Slater

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Producer · as Adams · as Andy · as Andy Fields · as Bingham · as Charles · as Cookie · as David · as Deacon · as Doctor · as Doctor Gentry · as Frank · as George · as Hal Winters · as Henry · as Jim Kenyon · as John · as Larkin · as Lee · as Maxwell · as Mitch · as Phil Weston · as Philip · as Richard Lilliam · as Robert Louis Stevenson · as Royal Thurston · as Steve Carlyle / Roger Carlyle · as Ted · as Ted Parker · as Tony Stewart · as Uncle Fred · as William Langford · as Wyeth

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Lady Says No(1951)

    as Bill Shelby

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Appointment with Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Valentine Moreland

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Soldiers Three(1951)

    as Capt. Pindenny

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Happy Go Lovely(1951)

    as B.G. Bruno

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Elusive Pimpernel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Percy "Scarlet Pimpernel" Blakeney

  • The Jack Benny Program (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 2 episodes · as David Niven

  • The Toast of New Orleans(1950)

    as Jacques Riboudeaux

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Robert Montgomery Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheffield

  • A Kiss for Corliss(1949)

    as Kenneth Marquis

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The BAFTA Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Show 1 episode · as Host

  • A Kiss in the Dark(1949)

    as Eric Phillips

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Enchantment(1948)

    as Roland Dane

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Bonnie Prince Charlie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Prince Charles Edward Stuart

  • The Bishop's Wife(1947)

    as Henry Brougham

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Other Love(1947)

    as Doctor Anthony Stanton

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Perfect Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Dale Williams

  • A Matter of Life and Death(1946)

    as Peter Carter

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Magnificent Doll(1946)

    as Aaron Burr

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • United States (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Way Ahead(1944)

    Writer · as Lieutenant Jim Perry

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Spitfire(1942)

    as Geoffrey Crisp

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Raffles(1939)

    as A.J. Raffles

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Eternally Yours(1939)

    as Tony

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Real Glory(1939)

    as Lieut. McCool

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Bachelor Mother(1939)

    as David Merlin

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Wuthering Heights(1939)

    as Edgar Linton

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Dawn Patrol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Lt. Scott

  • Three Blind Mice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Steve Harrington

  • Four Men and a Prayer(1938)

    as Christopher Leigh

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Bluebeard's Eighth Wife(1938)

    as Albert De Regnier

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Dinner at the Ritz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Paul de Brack

  • The Prisoner of Zenda(1937)

    as Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • We Have Our Moments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Joe Gilling

  • Beloved Enemy(1936)

    as Captain Gerald Preston

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Charge of the Light Brigade(1936)

    as Captain Randall

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Thank You, Jeeves! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Bertie Wooster

  • Dodsworth(1936)

    as Captain Clyde Lockert

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Palm Springs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as George Britell

  • Rose-Marie(1936)

    as Teddy

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Mutiny on the Bounty(1935)

    as Able Bodied Seaman (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Splendor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Clancey Lorrimore

  • A Feather in Her Hat(1935)

    as Leo Cartwright

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Barbary Coast(1935)

    as Cockney Sailor Thrown Out of Saloon (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Without Regret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Bill Gage

  • Cleopatra(1934)

    as Slave (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • There Goes the Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Bit Role (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 113 titles from 1932 to 2024; peak year 2024.

Biggest box office

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

$42M worldwide

Highest rated

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Four Star Playhouse (1952)

Film career

19322024

Peak 2024 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 25 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting112 of 113: 110 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thDirecting1 of 113: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 113: 1 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1930s25 · acting1940s13 · acting1950s30 · 30 acting · 2 crew1960s21 · acting1970s14 · acting1980s7 · 6 acting · 1 crew1990s1 · acting2000s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 23% of 39 roles
354055657580

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

an Oscar and 2 Golden Globes from 7 major nominations, 1954–1959.

WinNomination
  1. 1959
    • Oscar, won · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Drama
  2. 1958
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor - Comedy or Musical
  3. 1957
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Series
  4. 1955
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Best Actor in a Single Performance
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best British Actor
  5. 1954
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Actor - Comedy or Musical

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do David Niven's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 60th percentile, the median of all 70; across their 58 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Midcredits score across 71 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up21
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th21
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

34 of their 71 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser34
  • Broadly Agreed13
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

King, Queen, Knave (1972)

64th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (2024)

Midcredits 98th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 57 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is David Niven's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles16–48 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles5–46 · median 21 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles2–33 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs9 titles27–34 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles8–37 · median 25 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does David Niven work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Niven's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Samuel Goldwyn shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles