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** warned you a hiking Easter' woahl be son much for you!”
TAILIR
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Edited by JULIAN RHIPPS
mahingu!
** You'll be a litle faveller cach day -- thr
RUNNING IN PLEASE TRY
TO PASC
y're new around here, arret
you, Doct
Robini
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1960.
TUESDAY PROFILE
For once the publicity
London.
W
THEN Hollywood's wordy publicity" machine grabbed James David Graham Niven and served him up as "sauve, gay, debonair, imper- turbable and impeccable" it was, for once, telling the truth.
2
Niven is 50. He has beautiful wife-his second. He has two growing boya and a magnificent home overlooking the Pacific. He was 1958's best screen actor
men were right
By
Simon Kavanaugh
(for his role in "Separate Royal Naval College at Dari- Tables"). And he is, at mouth. £30,000 a film and with an interest in a £9,000,000 tele- vision company, one of the fabulous city's wealthiest residents.
Now he has reached this lofty pinnacle, Niven can sip his glu and chuckle at the climb up. For that matter, it would make any one chuckle.
But New York was no better. For me, he occupied a room In a cheap hotel, but managed Instead, Niven entered the to keep us appearances "for my own morale" by strolling Royal Military College at Sand-
out of the back door of his own hotel. into the back door of the adjoining Waldorf, and out through the Waldorfs im- posing foyer. Even the Waldorf's
und
burst, wox commissioned to the
in May, 1933, ment Machine Gun School at Nethern
London. There, Niven's self-assurance first made itself evident.
ven,
hear
One day, General Sir Here-
lecture. I ward Wake gave a was a warm August afternoon and the thoughts of Second- Lieutenant Niven were all with his girl-friend in London.
Anglo-Saxon Type No. 2003 (as Niven was once listed on Hollywood's fie of extras) was born on March 1 St. David's Day 1010. His mother's name. Lady Comyn-Platt, later made him, in the eyes of class-con- setuus Americans, an aristocrat. One And his father's Scottish estate. the air. comprising a large country house Second with footmen, tutters and game-
"Could keepers, though long since gone, I have completed the picture.
Not idyllic
Then
Broke
ZYNIE
question-time.
doorman was 'fooled.
About that Ume, Niven dreamed up the American Pony Express Racing Association. He got financial backing (one of the investors: the late Damon Runyan), hired the Atlantic City Municipal AuditoriunY, bought 100 ponies, and set him- self up as on indoor pony-racing promoter.
Hle staged onc show and hand waved tiredly in Atlantic City mobsters saw to that there was never a "Please, sir." asked it Lieutenant Niven, second you tell me the time? a train to caten
Д
Jou's a
Niven was placed under close Arrest, but, luckily, the officer detailed to guard him was friend of his. One hour and bottle of whisky later, the two But life was not idyllic for
Dovid. William men knotted several sheets 10- the young
the friendl Niven, David's father, gambled gether and, while heavily and lost, and the family turned his back, Niven climbed moved to a ramshackle cottage out of the window. en the Isle of Wight. When David was four, his father was killed in action during the First (The publicity World War,
machine's version: "Niven is the the son of General Willlain G. Niven. famed Scottish war horo." In fact, Willam was an undecorated subaltern),
It was 3 short descent. The guard-room was on the ground floor.
1
Niven Suave, Gay, Debonair....
Niven turned up next in Ber- muda-as the guest of a honey- mooning couple. From there, he went to Havana where, utter did. When he awoke, with the the Bounty." Niven was trans- to the Bounty and several inebrious days in Sloppy painful legacy of an uproarious ferred
dropped off at Son Pedro, the reunion party, he was at sea, out Bir, he staggered
port to Hollywood. Niven's state of mind at that nearest and offered his services, as an expert machine-gunner, to
moment was not one that he There, after three hungry days, rebel movement,
cares to recall. Still in his din- and still in his bedraggled din--
suit, he queued up for a tottered on
deck ner ner suit, he where, curiously, he wat screen test, on the advice of the ignored. So he tottered down acquaintances he made on the Again, to sleep off his hangover. Bounty.
When he was awakened by a
The director's face Consul steward who said. "Bounty on inscrutable during the risque ordered the starboard beam, sir," ho
story Niven chose for his teat. boat mul be dreaming. This
But soon came on-off paris in cow-
When
Hangover
the British pot wind of it, he Niven to catch the next out of Cuba.
cer-
remained
suspicion hardened tuto tainly when he looked through minor films, usually as a
a Indian, Between the porthole and saw a fully
studio jobs, be washed dishes raged, old-time
in a Mexican restaurant alongside.
worked as a deckhand on a fish- ing mack,
salling Niven
When Niven was six. bis
was
Niven Having gone AWOL, decided that the Army was not for him. He wired his corn- manding officer: "Dear Colonel, Request permission to resign commission. Love, Niven." Then he swapped his vintage Bentley
for a leket to Canada."
en
He was a mother remarried, disobedient, i shy, boarding
three schools in turn That was a mistake, Broke, pupil at (he
the expelled trom often hungry. Niven scrounged second), with dreams of becom- existence by bopying," Vor. ing an admiral. But a disastrous batim, five chapters of a book examination paper-eight riarks and selling them to a Canadian out of 300 for mathematics-put newspaper as hla own work, him out of the running for the Then he fled to New York.
IF THE WORLD GOES
IF from Chelsea in London you proceed eastwards you will come to that hallowed space which holds Westminster Abbey, St Margaret's Church and the Houses of Parliament. Quite rightly you will commune with past centuries and, when tired of being guided around the famous interiors, you can gaze at the Thames as it gurgles its comments on human frailty,
have
WOULD
kung m
But on the Nurth side of Would iter have hesitated to the Embankment you will explode the atomic bomb (it one now
see something that were available) when his armies strange new type of war.
The were reeling back in the anal seems odd in the midst of so stages of the ighting? He would mach revered antiquity. I buried in the fact that refer to a magnificent new there were thousands of others modern building which, al who would die with him in the though not quite a sky- al scene, scraper, is far more Ameri- can than British in charac- ter.
Today the Governments of the U.S.A. and Great Britain are of one record in relation to tie atomic bomb. They belleva that war is unlikely but they
of this great company,
This took Niven to Panama, where he transferred to a Son Francisco-bound liner. He land- ed in Collfemia with only the clothes he wore (a dinner suit), a seven-day U.S. visa and no money, and thumbed a ride on a fruit lorry to Santa Barbara, arriving there in time to see the Bitish cruiser, HMLS, Note folk, drop anchor in the at bour
Friends, thought Niven. must have Irlends aboard.
The parts
ship
At that time he was sharing a bosch-hut with solar Errol Flynn. They called it "Cirrhosis. by-the-Sea."
Though he didn't know it, this was Niven's introduction to
'Niven waited a long time for the film world. The Bounty was quite real. Aboard were the a renl port., Then one day he He actors and technicians who were wns offered a seven-year He making the film, "Mutiny on tract by Samuel Goldwyn. He
MAD AGAIN-WHAT
YOU
DO?
Precautions
Damn
In
con-
signed it, then rushed out and bought himself a new car on credit before the ink was dry. Unfortunately, lie hadn't read the small print. Money for work, il said. The car' went back the same day.
But the Goldwyn contract was a start. And Niven was never one to let an opportunity go by.
The war
making the best possible use of For a time it seemed that the He cultivated the right friends the protection which our homes atomic bomb threatened not only among them Douglas Fair- provide, these dangers could be civilisation but existence itself. banks, senlor-played pole with minimised."
But because the invention of Darryl Zanuck, and shared a Then in short clear phrases man's mind has outstripped steam-bath with Charlie the pamphlet ends: "The W.V.S. man's soul, war on a large scale, Chaplin.
this information, gives
a which has become such scientific The parts followed, and each
that even has been carefully prepared so insanity
another new film become a milestone an tainly. If there is an atomic at- Services and he recently took the or theory they recently perform frightening, in two short and give the signal to launch Hell's in his Oscar-winning perform- that it is practical without being maniae Hitler would hesitate to his road to stardom, culminating tack you won't and us slow to opportunity of expounding to an ed a realistic defence rudal. At a
ance in "Separate Tables make friends with our neigh- audience of its members the given point in the country they simple talks and these can be fury on the world. Lours." Obviously the reticence theme of modern national de assumed that on enemy hydrogen followed by a third talk on how when dealing with a bomb had been exploded 15 to care for a sick person in an of the Englishman would be one fence of the first casualties of
The directors of "Imperial the nuclear attack. He told his ou- miles down wind from the town emergency, or better still, by a short, practical course on Home dience that the dangers of of Witten three hours before the
Nursing. Knowledge combats Chemicals" believe firmly
When war came in 1938. migirty amalgamation nuclear attack were not as clear- exercise began, known as I.C.I. sprawls like a ly understood as they should be. It was confirmed that the fear so help the W.V.S. to help peace, but just in case they
Britain be put to the test of war patriotte aims. He blew his life- galit across the face of England The two defects it would seem exercise area was on the fringe you by getting in touch with should be proved wrong and Niven was not content to make which means that a nuclear at are that women are inclined to of the fall-out ores, and while your local W.VS. office,
It would be wrong for me to by another megalomaniac dicta-savings on a bang-up party and tack could involve, in the case over-rate or under-rate the dan watching carefully for any give the impression that all the for the powers of peace shall be sailed to Brijala amid a bias of publicly (which embarrassed no less pers. True to his temperament changes In the radioactivity
women or the men of Britain armed for attack and defence Him then and still deer when he thun 110 factories and 130,000 Mr Butler wants to reach a conditions, the forces were able
are eagerly Elving up their with every devilish device that
The H.A.I remembers it), workers. As in warfare, however, workable compromise between to work quite safely in the care this wo ke 15 be ready to selence can produce.
rojected him, so he joined the there is a divisional sel-up with these two divisions.
area for a maximum of four title part If the world rom The Kaiser went to wat be- Rifle Brigade and served 1 fully equipped are stations. In- I have before me an attractive- hours.
mai skain. In wat ad in peace), cause he thought he could win that, and in the Phantom He- cidentally these stations are ly presented booklet, complete
there are always the drones Hitler went to war because he connaissance Regiment, for the who believe my 1 71 thể aut mistook the unpreparedness of next six years, winning of other people to look after Franec and Britain for the deca- American Legion of Merk, A wide variety of incidents them. Yet it is only fair to my dence of the human spirit, During the war Niven was in- had been arranged to exercise
that the response, even though Today the Free world holds out irreduced to a WAAF cypher vii- the furces and to demonstrate it be not fully adequate, has the Torch of Liberty in hand cor named Primula Rollo, niece the work of all sections of the undergone a remarkable deye but is armed to the uttermost in of the Binrduls of Downstice. Industrial Civil Defence Service, lopment.
nuclear strength with the other. Ten days' after theil Becong working 1 co-operation with the
"So we said goodbye to our The Cathedral...The Houses meding d year Inter, they Wers. local authority Civil Defence kindly heste at the LC.1. and of Parliament...and firing such married. But, in 1940, Primida Corps, plus the Mobile Defence
paused in the almost summer as 1.C::. För once Britain fell down the basemditt dairy' of Corps of the Army and the In-
and sunshine to gaze upon the Abbey, ready, and only a doomed and their Californian home, with photographic illustrations dustrial Fire Service.
un St. Margaret's and upon the donned idiot would think that was killed. A few days after the exercise Houses of Parliament-cach pro- he could wage a victorious war instruction for those ICI, men recent 1.C.1. exercise known as had been completed the High claiming the indestructibility of against her and her allies today. covering from this tragle blow.
Niven was a long time r For years and years Sir Harry Improved since the last wur.
Command Issued With admirable modesty he who are on permanent defence "Lon.""
eridique the human spirit. McGowan
developed a passion for le Wis
genially
Peace through strength, and its He "No sane person," writes Sir which was informative and also
A for the new race vigorous chairman and did much started with to advance its fortunes. But now demonstration et internal tele Chemien Industries could be of TC., ita foreward, "con it all seriously.
And what is true of Imperial Alexander Fleck, the Chairman blunt. In other words they take Amazons the women of Greal paredness of the human mind temperamentat
of corollary Peace through pre-work and became noted for his outburja. It Britain they are ready for and the human spirit!
was during one of these, In 1948, has reached the years of phone loter-communication.
be the duplicated on a smaller scale in weh for war, with the terrible
Thus bs 1800 calls for good the ilveliness of peace is a peer. Thus he thot
or the Jilstory
he met may yet record that that
the beautiful twilight and their lordships fece nunfmum of confusion the emer- most parts of the country weapons of destruction available will by men towards men we, in sterility of war, and because of in the latter half of the 2011 Swedish ex-model, Hjordis can stand in there for Westmins-gency telephones are shut in tiny Britain Intends to be ready next today. But the excellent work Britain, are preparing to deal that we may in fact be moving century the power of attack was Tersmeden.
being done up and down the with the hydrogen bomb if in the into a lung ern of reasonable re- balanced by counter-attack, and ter and gaze at M.I's or at the bomb proot cella Hi the walls.
One day, storming onto the country by Civil Defence Forcey mad hour of victory or defeat lations between the nations. traffle of the river according to Without any worming a company
pokos' at last came to earth, cet, he saw a woman sitting is is making a noiable contribution
some maniac dictator deciden to
his chair. "Throw her out!" he towards 'preparedness
and bring down civilisation.“ Nalber
snapped. The woman turnes towards discouraging the idea the med nor the
women shrinkt
and faced him apologetically. Ton days later, they were mar- red.
This gearing building has nothing to do with religión nor polities except as they say in ŋuiz programintes, It is remotely concerned with the prolonging of
also believe that for once the civilised world should be armed as strongly as any potential enemy or group of enemies,
life. In short this is the famous "Now", said our host at the
industrial compony known as 1.C.I. which, being translated, is
LC.L. headquarters, "we shall show you how we train the staf
"Imperial Chemical Industries." to deal with a Rureatened or
10
Realistic
hi tancy.
บล.
Now there are new men of the
netual atomic attack,”. We descended to the extensive shel-
LONDON LETTER
By Sir Beverley Baxter, M.P.
tems far beneath the building vices. There is regular drill and which gives the report,
the civil fire ser- available to
which have been modernised and
there
an unrehearsed
duty.
So
should
time.
civil defence volunteer pleked up
0
telephone and said in so appropriately hoorne voice: "Are
Booklet
of the
THE
Hast
Farty-loving Niven lite his ́rocreations ng "éountry sports, Bwimming, underwater apear Bahlug and of painting. He smallest trade union in the world the Amisomat-couts also add practical folting. ed Society of Lace Pattern Readers, Correctors, Press to an innocuour punch that had Onb; lie addett Elx'bottles ¿t'gin Plano Punchers--will be wound up if X resolution intros prezred for a drinking meeting of its 12" mainters. In scene. Filming ended carly that
day. Köflingham,
Today, Niven admilly cheer-
ups and Howes, lift In general has been "bin." After
head of LC.I, and I was pleased you receiving? Over1" In fact It must not be thought that of starting a war. A well-trained from the duties that they are when the Chairman Invited my the motto of.L.C.I. Is "Rendy Aye these preparations to meet a
Civil Defence Force of adequate asked to perform. wife and myself lö visit their Rendy" no matter how peaceful nuclear atack are confined to a numbers would do much to save
The Women's Volunteer Ser- magnificent building and see the be the Immediate scene,
few fm-scing industrial for very many valuable lives, how vicen, hown as W.V.S., have run steps they have taken iò deal Just to allow for those who miatlons such as 10. Mahy ever vast the devastation. It a publicity campaign based on with nuclear wartore if such a might panic or become confused other great companies such as could also Help Corellore the end questlott "What could tragedy should be thrust upon in an emergency there is a big Shell, Bowater, Marie & Open- way of life of bur' tountry after you dot" they ask of womum in
blackboord in the main corridor gur, Boots, to name only
Ley on attack"
a pamphlet jier issued to help which, according to Engilala nié taking C.D. very seriously. Then he adds the stirring yourself, your family and your Being realistle, na Well as romantic, the management of famhlun is probably known as the Me RAD Butler, as Home Seerd words "We are all proud of the neighbours? In areas outside the And
that the idiots guide The blackboard on tary, is responsible for law and tinb work done in their prea actual explosion of air atomic 1.C.1. are convinced threat of atomic warfare should but day, and presumably every order; and quite obviously on the bye 6.000 10.4 her and home you could survive you not be brushed aside se an old day, gave the emergency affoon- atamle bomb attack on London women 13" ont units of the stock certain almmple precautions."
tions of personnel.
or Maschenter or Liverpool dustrial Civil Defence Servic
They the pamphlet--goerion wives nightmare. Nor do they
When they were showing us would create a degree of havoc one of the Crown services under The Orgin-Five theme lub by must work nod to the world their fire bumps, which have to far surpassing the ravages of the comand of Her Majesty the ways, aims to izlvo 15 cut Intend to gamble on" Com- becoming tothem in sweel ac- command immense power, I ask Hitler's "Luftwaffe,
in every five women 14 die One of the formations which
Just
10 show that cord. Still further they will not ed if they could be used in alitof venture on the assumption that edining buildings in an emer has had warm support from Me vigajous cruciibration would not dangers of are, blast and neither aide would use the bomb, geney The answer was "Ekt- Boller is thố Wolnèn's 'Volunteer be content WAM &¤fedée Url Paper active foll-out
The Queen,
this try the basic fact,
and Howe,
puszeń
ot o gena
GETT
The union once had a membershig of more than 200, fully that, although he has had but the coming Helandeliber which made certain fo
brally, and the fact that some members Ibined torgars, he mys, living in like racing and more powerful Molons, has meant a gradual decline in in the Grand Natlom."It's not memberkle of the A‚S.L.P.R.C.P.P.P
-London Express Service),
who' wins. 11's getting around the course that counts.""