n his autobiography ("In The Arena"), while filming "55 Days At Peking," Charlton Heston said this about David Niven (his co-star): David Niven is my happiest memory of that whole shoot. He was that increasingly rara avis, a true gentleman, funny as only Brits can be, a flawless professional and best of all, a superb actor........I knew David had an outstanding war record. Though his career was well established in Hollywood when Britain went to war in 1939, he'd squirmed, bullied, and connived his way back to England to take up the reserve commission he still held in one of the Guards regiments. He ended up with probably the best combat record of any actor in the war on either side. I also knew he wouldn't talk about it. He did tell me a marvelous story about his meeting with Winston Churchill. As a Churchill fan, I relished it. It seems his public face (as David put it) and his combat service (as I suspect) had, toward the end of the war, earned him an invitation for a weekend at Chequers, the Prime Ministerial country manor. There were of course a dozen or so other guests, far grander than David, but he had his moment with the great man. Pacing the graveled paths with him Sunday morning, Churchill said, "Well, Niven, I've been told of the difficulties you surmounted to come back from Hollywood and take up arms again in the service of your country. That's admirable, Niven. Admirable." "Thank you, Prime Minister," David murmured modestly. "Mind you," Churchill said sharply, "anything less would have been despicable." I do like that story. I liked David, too.

Hi Pat. :-) Thank you for these stories. I enjoyed them very much. I'm a David Niven fan, and have several of his books. (I recommend them) I was so sad to learn he was ill and dying. : ( I'm a Jimmy Stewart fan too. What a great guy~! :-) I only saw him play a bad guy once. Do you know the name of the movie that was in? :-) (little trivia question) <heehee> :-) Thanks again, and thank you to your brother. :-) ( Forwarded these to John.) Kath > n his autobiography ("In The Arena"), while filming "55 Days At Peking," > Charlton Heston said this about David > Niven (his co-star): > David Niven is my happiest memory of that whole shoot. He was that > increasingly rara avis, a true gentleman, > funny as only Brits can be, a flawless professional and best of all, a > superb actor........

Well, I've thunk and I've thunk and I just can't come up with what movie Jimmy Stewart played a bad guy in... you gonna tell us? *grin* pat :@) <<Hi Pat. :-) Thank you for these stories. I enjoyed them very much. I'm a David Niven fan, and have several of his books. (I recommend them) I was so sad to learn he was ill and dying. : ( I'm a Jimmy Stewart fan too. What a great guy~! :-) I only saw him play a bad guy once. Do you know the name of the movie that was in? :-) (little trivia question) <heehee> :-) Thanks again, and thank you to your brother. :-) ( Forwarded these to John.) Kath>>