Jean Seberg, Deborah Kerr, David Niven and director Otto Preminger on the set of Bonjour Tristesse, photographed by Bob Willoughby, 1957.
Ava Gardner and David Niven, two dear friends, discussing to author Michael Munn about the time Niven made advances to Gardner.
“Was that at the Coconut Grove?”
‘I can’t remember where the hell it was, but we were dancing.’
“I think that was the first time we met.”
‘Maybe it was,” said Ava, ‘but if it was, you weren’t wasting any time.’
I’m sure I was the perfect gentleman.” He winked at me and said, “You were too damn drunk to be a gentleman.’
‘Oh dear, was I?’
‘You were trying to ask me to dance, and you kept saying, “Would I care to dance with you, Miss Gardner?”’
‘I didn’t’
‘You did. I swear. You never said, “Would you care to dance with me? but “Would I care to dance with you, Miss Gardner?” I never forgot got that.’
‘I did that on purpose.’
‘Like hell you did honey.’
‘But it worked. You danced with me.’
‘Oh yeah, and all the time you were grabbing my ass.’
‘I was trying not to tread on your feet.’
That sent Ava into shrieks of laughter. David told me that he took Ava through a near- perfect tango and was sure he couldn’t have been as sloshed as Ava said he was.
‘Sloshed or not,’ said Ava„ ‘you kept saying, “How about a little kiss? Just one! On the cheek! I’ll even close my eyes.’”
‘Don’t believe a word of it.’ David said to me.
‘You got a beter version of events?” Ava asked him.
‘Give me time and I’ll think of one. The point is, my darling, is that your face was the most beautiful in Hollywood and any man would want to kiss it.’
David Niven The Man Behind the Balloon by Michael Munn
David Niven, Merle Oberon, Norma Shearer, and Irving Thalberg at the Mayfair Ball, 1936
Carole Lombard was the hostess of the annual White Mayfair Ball. Gentlemen were insisted to wear white ties and tails and ladies were instructed to wear all white as well. An hour into the party Norma Shearer arrived. Heads turned. ‘Why, that fucking bitch!’ muttered Carole. Norma was wearing a bright crimson red gown.
‘Daaarrling!’ exclaimed Norma. ‘Thanks so much, Norma darling.’ growled Carole. Norma laughed and made her way among the crowd.
‘Wanna dance?’ said Clark Gable who was amused at Carole’s anger. ‘Did you ever see such a bitch with so much nerve?’ said Carole as she motioned to a giggling Norma. ‘She’s a good kid.’ answered Gable. ‘I go for you, Ma’ he smiled. ‘I go for you too, Pa.’
“So much has been written about Sinatra, of his talent, his generosity, his ruthlessness, his kindness, his gregariousness, his loneliness, and his rumored links with the Mob that I can contribute nothing except to say that he is one of the few people in world I would instinctively think of if I need help of any sort.” — David Niven
