The David Niven papers span the years 1841-1985 (bulk 1952-1983) and encompass 7 linear feet. The papers consist of production files, correspondence, subject files, manuscripts, books and pamphlets, awards and memorabilia, and oversize material. The production files relate to unrealized projects and contain scripts and some correspondence. There is no information on any of the films in which Niven appeared. The correspondence files are not complete and date primarily from the 1970s and 1980s. Of special interest are congratulations received after winning his Academy Award and several letters from Laurence Olivier. The subject files cover a variety of subjects, primarily the books Niven wrote and personal and family information. Family history documents and letters dating from the mid-1800s are among the oldest material in the collection. Manuscript material makes up the bulk of the collection and consists of Niven's handwritten drafts for his last three books, typed chapters, and galleys. There is also a sizable fragment of the novel that Niven was working on before his death. There is no material for "Round the Rugged Rocks."

The photograph series of the David Niven papers spans the years 1910-1983 and encompasses approximately 3 linear feet. The series consists of 5,576 items, including black-and-white and color prints, negatives, and transparencies. The photographs are grouped into motion picture production photographs, biography photographs, and subject photographs.

The motion picture production photographs span the years 1935-1983 and consist primarily of scenes and off-camera photographs, mostly in 8x10 format, of films in which Niven appeared as an actor. A few titles also feature color transparencies. The material is arranged alphabetically by film title, and 42 titles are represented. Of note are several titles of the 1930s and 1940s containing off-camera photographs taken by Niven himself, including photographs from "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937), "Stairway to Heaven" (1947), and "Wuthering Heights" (1939). There are also a few television titles and unidentified titles filed in the subject series.

The biography photographs span Niven’s adult life and include many taken by Niven himself. Persons depicted include Fred Astaire, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Noel Coward, Marlene Dietrich, Clark Gable, President John F. Kennedy, Merle Oberon, and Laurence Olivier.

The subject photographs include the following subseries: family, general, portrait, and travel photographs. The family photographs depict relatives of Niven, including his first wife, Primula, and second wife, Hjordis; his children; and other family members. Most of the items are small prints, both color and black-and-white. The general photographs, comprising the largest part of the subject photographs, are pictures of David Niven and of events of his life not directly related to his acting career, including book signings, sports activities, private parties he hosted, and his home life. Of special interest are those photographs related to Niven’s World War II service, many of which he took himself. The nearly two dozen portrait photographs, most of which are black-and-white 8x10s, start with Niven at age two and span the years 1912-1983. The travel photographs span the years 1935-1965 and are arranged by country. They document vacations and other personal trips, primarily in England and the European continent. Most are small prints, taken by Niven himself.

James David Graham Niven (1910-1983) was born in London. He entered Sandhurst in 1928 and became a junior officer in the Highland Light Infantry in 1930. He stayed in the army until 1933, when he resigned his commission and moved first to Canada, then to New York. Coming to Hollywood in 1934, Niven entered the film industry as an extra, and in less than a year he had a contract with Samuel Goldwyn. He appeared in THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1937), THE DAWN PATROL (1938), and WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) and was just gaining fame when World War II broke out. Niven immediately gave up his contract to return to England, where he rejoined the British army and served until 1945.

Back in the United States after the war, he appeared in such films as THE BISHOP'S WIFE (RKO, 1947) but soon became typecast as a light comedian. Dissatisfied, Niven left Goldwyn in 1949 and began to freelance. When he felt he still was not making progress, he began to explore other areas. He appeared on Broadway in "Nina," wrote a novel called "Round the Rugged Rocks," and, with Charles Boyer and Dick Powell, formed Four Star in 1952 to produce television series. At this point Niven began to appear in what were to him more significant films, starting with THE MOON IS BLUE (1953), AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956), and SEPARATE TABLES (1958), for which he won an Academy Award in the acting category.

In 1960 he moved to Switzerland and continued to work, starring in THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961), THE PINK PANTHER (1964), and KING, QUEEN, KNAVE (1972), among other films. In 1971 Niven published his autobiography, "The Moon's a Balloon," which became an international best-seller. Even though he continued to act, he devoted more time to writing and published a memoir, "Bring On the Empty Horses," in 1975, and another novel, "Go Slowly, Come Back Quickly," in 1981. At the time of his death he was working on a novel about the Irish Republican Army.