David Niven on Visiting San Simeon | The Dick Cavett Show

Oscar-winner David Niven discusses what it was like being invited to San Simeon.
Date aired - November 25th 1981 - David Niven
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Dick Cavett has been nominated for eleven Emmy awards (the most recent in 2012 for the HBO special, Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again), and won three. Spanning five decades, Dick Cavett’s television career has defined excellence in the interview format. He started at ABC in 1968, and also enjoyed success on PBS, USA, and CNBC.
His most recent television successes were the September 2014 PBS special, Dick Cavett’s Watergate, followed April 2015 by Dick Cavett’s Vietnam. He has appeared in movies, tv specials, tv commercials, and several Broadway plays. He starred in an off-Broadway production ofHellman v. McCarthy in 2014 and reprised the role at Theatre 40 in LA February 2015.
Cavett has published four books beginning with Cavett (1974) and Eye on Cavett (1983), co-authored with Christopher Porterfield. His two recent books -- Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary, and Off-Screen Secrets (2010) and Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic moments, and Assorted Hijinks(October 2014) are both collections of his online opinion column, written for The New York Times since 2007. Additionally, he has written for The New Yorker, TV Guide, Vanity Fair, and elsewhere.
#thedickcavettshow #DavidNiven #DickCavett

[@daviddewitt9365]

Mr. Niven wrote me two letters. One from his house in France and one from his house in Switzerland replying to letters I sent him. He was very kind and one of the most generous actors who was extremely popular and successful not only as an actor but as an author. I cried like a baby when I learned he had passed away.

[@dl7281]

Neat! Was reading “The Moon’s a Balloon” while pregnant, so it was quite obvious my son would be named David - done!

[@pauls.9228]

What a beautiful story. You are fortunate to have had such kind gestures from this exceptional, modest and kind man. They are few and far between in Hollywood. Thank you for sharing your memories.

[@mortalclown3812]

@@pauls.9228 The notion that such kindnesses are rare in Hollywood is patently false. To be sure, there are cruelties, but these exist on all playing fields. I've been in the "biz" for decades and know a great deal of charity and good that's actually done humbly and even anonymously. Mean people are a sad fact of existence. It's unhelpful to demonize a particular set simply because their sins are in lights.

[@pauls.9228]

@@mortalclown3812 You are quite right, it is unfair to castigate an entire profession, and I’m sure there are many other kind souls in the film world. Thanks for putting me straight.

[@deb7518]

I think I could watch David Niven do anything, even read an old phone book. He exudes such an elegant aura of "Nice," a rare commodity in modern times. One of my all-time favorites. If you get a chance to read one of his books, " Bring On the Wooden Horses", don't miss it. Hands down the best Old Hollywood memoirs I've ever read.

[@davidahlstrom7533]

What a gentleman David Niven was. I read when passed away in 1983, the biggest bouquet of flowers sent to his memorial was from the porters at Heathrow airport. He was always both generous and kind to the airport staff and knew them by name. About everyone who knew Mr. Niven spoke very highly of him (and a veteran of the Second World War).

[@kellycoleman715]

My sister gave me a copy of his autobiography, ‘The Moon’s a Balloon’. It was fascinating look at the golden age of Hollywood in the 1930’s. Very candid. Several years ago I toured Hearst castle. I was blown away by the massive amounts and size of the artwork and antiquities Hearst imported from Europe.

[@niklar55]

Someone once described David Niven, as the greatest Gentleman he had ever met. I think that becomes obvious in all his interviews. .

[@damienomen68]

He was, truly, when he got beyond not paying 20 yrs earlier? His books enriched my mental space. Rip rasputin GB

[@artfernandez7127]

Mr. Niven was always the epitome of class, decency, accessibility, charm and respectful sense of humor. Not to mention a consummate dedicated actor always conveying deep thought and emotion in all his movies. Saw Mr. Niven in Bridge over the River Quay when I was a child and again in my adult years and remember how moving and intense his acting in this movie. I'm 70 yrs. old now (2022) and remember many of David Niven's earlier movies. I believe a fun adventure movie Mr. Niven made Around the World in 80 Days with the famous Mexican comic actor Cantinflas!

[@marygoodson4920]

Niven wasn't in Bridge on the River Kwai...it was Alec Gunness.

[@artfernandez7127]

@@marygoodson4920 Yes, Mary I believe you are correct. I must have been thinking of David Niven in A Bridge Too Far?

[@jackspry9736]

RIP and long live David Niven (March 1, 1910 - July 29, 1983), aged 73 You will always be remembered as a legend.

[@tompahdea9263]

San Simeon really was a wonderful place. Visited it in the 80s. In 1990 I was asked by a friend to go along with him to deliver some medication one of the Hearsts forgot before taking off to Palm Springs that morning. We made a stop in Beverly Hills, were given a paper sack lunch by the housekeeper and sent on our way. My friend said that if she had let us in on the right of the driveway we would have seen the compound. After a drive of about two hours we finally got out of the van with the dogs and went into the backyard to see if the dog already there got along. I was asked to take the medication into the darkened house for the guy inside. He was a spitting image of the portrait on the book released in the late 1980s on San Simeon including being stiff as a corpse with just about as much charm. He got the medication (I was told it was prescription but that was back in the day of much of any medication was "happy-making" medication). He being much older than myself, say in his late forties or early 50s would mean that he is probably dead by now. Funny how it became known the family retained visitation rights to the Castle after a bombing incident influenced by "Tanya" having been kidnapped some months earlier. When the police thought that they had holed up the "SLM" in a south-central house the exploding bullets etc made interesting live broadcast television on that afternoon's news broadcast as everyone had to view but avoid the ballistics. With the crawl space beneath the one story "bungalow" meant that we had to endure a burn to the ground experience on a hot day before it was found out no one was at home.

[@kriskarr3686]

What a lovely person. "Humble". I am really enjoying these interviews from the past. Thank you Dick Cavett. Now I know why I haven't watched TV in the last 20 years. It's become an immense wasteland filled with toxic people.

[@jamescasey8065]

...Mr. Karr...You make an excellent point regarding Television...Have not owned nor watched one since 1990...Not only television today...But the entire Media World is toxic, vicious, insulting, boring and devoid of even a scintilla's worth of originality and intelligence...Major newspapers that have been extant for a century or more carry daily stories about Hollywood idiots...Intelligence, class, culture, erudition, kindness, generosity and concern for others have disappeared from our Society...Crap has been elevated on high...The great societies of History all rotted from the inside out...We are following the template...Dick Cavett was, and remains, the very best at conversation with interesting people...The art of conversation is, well, a lost art...People would speak and people would listen...No one spoke over another person...Try and find such an exercise today..."...To sell your soul is the easiest thing in the world...That is what everyone does every hour of Life...If you were asked to keep your soul...Would you understand why that is much harder..."(Ayn Rand)...Pax...James Patrick Casey...

[@kingy002]

Yes, there are many toxic people. But there are also many thoroughly decent people as well. The medium, based around sensationalism, is just as much the problem as those toxic narcissistic individuals that you mention.

[@kriskarr3686]

@@kingy002 Thank you for your reply. The medium of television started off as a muse. Like any medium or device, they are just tools. It is how humans decide in how to use these tools for good or for evil. Humans are in control of these things and how they are used. From TV to laws, music to reading periodicals, chemicals to weapons, science to medicine, religion to politics, facts or lies. You name it. A simple hammer can be used to build, repair, save life or take life. The human holding it decides it's use.

[@deecee784]

After watching the delightful David Niven interviews on Cavett I have a problem. I look for his appearances on other talk shows --- and there aren't nearly enough of them. He will be truly missed.

[@FrankIsAlwaysRight]

You may see him on Parkinson

[@deecee784]

@@FrankIsAlwaysRight I did a couple of days ago --- and the crab story was hilarious. Thanks.

[@g.e.5723]

DeeCee, did you see clip where Niven tells a Noel Coward story about the "mating dogs", (the one in front just went blind), I laughed literally outloud.

[@deecee784]

@@g.e.5723 If you're talking about the "and he's pushing his friend to the hospital"....yes. My wife says that Niven would have been the perfect dinner guest and I agree. Did a KZbin search for all the D.N. vids available --- and still want a bunch more.

[@g.e.5723]

@@deecee784 You probably know that you can subscribe to "dick cavett show". Indeed, Niven w/b fantastic guest. One guest prompting him for a story or memory, and the rest of us howling with laughter.

[@maxbeale8186]

David Niven was such an amazing actor and a great story-teller. He actually talked about his visit to Saint Simeon in his book, BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES

[@jimmycakes7158]

I'm a simple man, I see a new dick cavett video and I click

[@jennifersman7990]

Same here, his 70’s shows are addictive

[@Luzanne.]

David Niven is the best guest!

[@Heritage4x4]

My grandfather WO2, H Bell served with him before WW2 he was then full a Lieutenant in the Seaforth Highlands, POP had very fond memories of him, at the time he wasn’t cut out to be in the army, however when WW2 came knocking he reached the rank of Lt. Col. in the commando’s, thank you for your service and RIP, SIR.

[@mariadacre5875]

One of my favourite actors and its a shame here that you can see the onset of MND just beginning to start.

[@g.e.5723]

Geez! When I recall the late '60s, early '70s days of my adolescence, I am filled with wonderful warm memories. Now, at age 63 with life having kicked me in the teeth a few times, I'm reminded how very "different" times & things were. Compare Cavett to the vapid inane crap they offer as entertainment today, it makes me sad.

[@normadesmond6017]

very true. Just compare the Academedy Awards ceremony then and now. I'm from the Netherlands and as a child I used to get out of bed to watch it in the middle of the night. You saw Elizabeth Taylor and Cary Grant and Fred Astaire. It was magical. It's not magical anymore. The celebrities now are mostly just trash. The magic is gone.

[@FrankIsAlwaysRight]

Agreed…across the board

[@coasterbrookie]

Whole-heartedly agree! Such different times. Calm, calculated and dignified. Now it’s just drama and chaos to get as much attention as possible.

[@michaelynedwards1043]

My all time favourite actor. Before ya yell, Niven admitted it himself, he was a nymphomaniac..

[@mozart579]

Great interview, thank for posting. I could listen to Niven for hours.

[@danjf1]

They don't make talk show hosts like Dick Cavett anymore, sadly. He was always a gentle gentleman, at least on stage.

[@florencioq]

A true, natural talent. The description of the phone call is hilarious.😄

[@westfield90]

I wish I had been alive in the 1920’s. Los Angeles must have been so magical. Clean, wide open spaces, exciting.

[@mariadacre5875]

Totally agree with the smell of orange and lemon still in the air.

[@suzanneterrey4499]

I suspect this speech was just starting to be affected by his illness because I noticed a slight slurring of words. He was such a lovely person, so decent and kind.

[@ShoelessNomadThailand]

I visited Hurst Castle 30 years ago and was over welled as an Englishman what relics for Europe he had collected. Will never forget the swimming pool the Hollywood used in Spartacus. The cinema and monks dinning hall. Truly amazing place.

[@giovanni5063]

Decades ago me and the Mrs. went to San Simeon and after the tour we went away dazzled, to say the least.

[@BettyAnnLLCC]

I have such a thing for David Niven.

[@hypolyxa7207]

He is so charming!! :)

[@cynthiaennis3107]

I was so happy to find what I thought was his full book on Yt only to find 34 minutes of it on repeat in a children’s channel. Yes...a children’s channel!

[@lelandfranklin3487]

There is a "class" about him lost forever in today's Hollywood...and even society.

[@ringo688]

It never existed, they have always been degenerate.

[@margo3367]

He was English.

[@1SeanBond]

The best! Ty so very much! Luv&Peace! Ceers!

[@stevesosebee5860]

I went on the Hearst Castle tour once back in the 90’s, it was so cool !!!

[@cynthiaennis3107]

Ohhh! That was where the second dog was pushing the first! 😂👍🏼 Thank you! Lmao!

[@BillyAlabama]

Wonderful series of interviews! Thank you for posting! 😂❤

[@klars3207]

"Old Hollywood" is so much more interesting than the fools out there nowadays.

[@myleschilton3473]

Great men.

[@cynthiaennis3107]

The best guest I’ve ever seen on this show! ♥️🌹

[@danielcruz8347]

Beautiful memories of Hollywood California knights... Mr Dick Cavett draws out event's in life of Mr David Niven life.....thank you.

[@bryanarnold1149]

He clearly wasn’t well here. Surprised he consented to the interview, but then he was a classy gent.

[@anveshana4500]

Guns of navarone ❤

[@GM-fg3bi]

u can hear his voice slurring here from als. died from it a year and a half after the interview.

[@DrDespicable]

It seems the ALS is really doing its work, at this stage... 😢

[@preesi1403]

Please! I beg of you, PLEASE, put the 2 Elton John Dick Cavett appearances up on KZbin. Johnny Carson inc. put up EJ on theirs. One from 1968 and 1971

[@commontater8630]

I don't know how the audience was capable of deciphering Mr. Niven's accent, I'm certainly not. That said, The Dick Cavett Show episodes are some of the best television available these days!

[@margo3367]

Rosebud…

[@davidcawrowl3865]

Once a year, by report, the staff there and groundskeeping crew are allowed to swim in the Neptune pool.

[@amesadamson]

Delish.

[@NGMonocrom]

It sounds like a wonderful compound.... run by a miserable excuse for a human-being. The lives his paper ruined. His lack of sincerity. "Bring a friend." You bring one and you politely get kicked out the very next morning. The morals he claimed to have, but never practiced. Just yet another example of how this world rewards those who don't deserve it at all.

[@janealexander1378]

-and played a mayor part in getting a valuable medicine vilified.

[@MrBsbotto]

@@janealexander1378 Sorry, what was that about?

[@MartintheTinman]

Now it's not luck, join Scientology and you'll have plenty of luck in show business like the nut job Cruise

[@carolinemulders135]

Well, Cruise maybe a nut but he's totally right on psychiatry.

[@MartintheTinman]

@@carolinemulders135 . He's just spouting L Ron Hubbard BS from years ago. Medicine changes all the time learning from their mistakes. You might as well join Scientology because you're not intelligent enough to be in control of your own life