Editing David Niven (section)

====1965–1983: Later films====
In 1965, Niven made two films for [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]: the [[Peter Ustinov]]-directed ''[[Lady L]]'' with Paul Newman and Sophia Loren, and ''[[Where the Spies Are]]'', as a doctor-turned-secret agent. After the horror film ''[[Eye of the Devil]]'' (1966), Niven went the secret agent route again, appearing as James Bond in the hit ''[[Casino Royale (1967 film)|Casino Royale]]'' in 1967.  He remains, with the exception of Sean Connery in ''[[Never Say Never Again]]'', the only other man to portray Bond in a non-[[Eon Productions]] film. Niven had been Bond creator [[Ian Fleming]]'s choice to play Bond in ''[[Dr. No (film)|Dr. No]]''. ''Casino Royale'' co-producer [[Charles K. Feldman]] said later that Fleming had written the book with Niven in mind, and therefore had sent a copy to Niven.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hmss.com/books/fleming|title=Ian Fleming, Author or Spy?|website=www.hmss.com|access-date=24 August 2007|archive-date=28 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000918/http://www.hmss.com/books/fleming/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Niven is the only actor who played James Bond to be mentioned by name in the text of a Fleming novel. In chapter 14 of ''[[You Only Live Twice (novel)|You Only Live Twice]]'', pearl diver [[Kissy Suzuki]] refers to Niven as "the only man she liked in Hollywood", and the only person who "treated her honourably" there.

Niven made two popular comedies, ''[[Prudence and the Pill]]'' (1968) and ''[[The Impossible Years (film)|The Impossible Years]]'' (1968). Less widely seen was the offbeat ''[[The Extraordinary Seaman]]'' for [[John Frankenheimer]] in 1969. ''[[The Brain (1969 film)|The Brain]]'', a French comedy with [[Bourvil]] and [[Jean-Paul Belmondo]], was the most popular film at the French box office in 1969. He did a war drama ''[[Before Winter Comes]]'' (1969) next, followed by a return to comedy in ''[[The Statue (1971 film)|The Statue]]'' (1971). 

Buoyed by the massive success of his best-selling memoir, ''[[The Moon's a Balloon]]'', Niven was in demand throughout the last decade of his life. ''[[King, Queen, Knave (film)|King, Queen, Knave]]'' (1972) and ''[[Vampira (1974 film)|Vampira]]'' (1974) were followed by one of the most enduring images of Niven.  While hosting the [[46th Academy Awards|46th Annual Oscars ceremony]], a naked man ([[Robert Opel]]) appeared behind Niven, "[[streaking]]" across the stage. In what instantly became a live-TV classic moment, a bemused Niven responded, "Isn't it fascinating to think that probably the only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping off and showing his shortcomings?"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IIl3zSYL8k| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/2IIl3zSYL8k| archive-date=11 December 2021 | url-status=live|title=Oscar streaker | date=19 February 2008|publisher=YouTube |access-date=24 September 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> That same year, he hosted ''David Niven's World'' for [[LWT]], which profiled contemporary adventurers such as hang gliders, motorcyclists, and mountain climbers: it ran for 21 episodes. In 1975, he narrated ''The Remarkable Rocket'', a short animation based on a story by [[Oscar Wilde]]. 

Continuing with his film career, he starred in the highly-regarded drama ''[[Paper Tiger (1975 film)|Paper Tiger]]'' (1975) and a Disney comedy, ''[[No Deposit, No Return]]'' (1976), while at the same time appearing in lucrative TV commercials for cologne and coffee in Asia, setting a trend that carries on with major North American film stars today. The all-star mystery spoof ''[[Murder By Death]]'' (1976) followed, after which came a better Disney outing, ''[[Candleshoe]]'' (1977), alongside [[Jodie Foster]] and [[Helen Hayes]], and then the first of the all-star Ustinov-as-Poirot films, ''[[Death on the Nile (1978 film)|Death on the Nile]]'' (1978). ''[[A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (film)|A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square]]'' (1979); ''[[Escape to Athena]]'' (1979), another all-star effort, this time with his son as producer; then the far-better-than-usual [[Burt Reynolds]] vehicle ''[[Rough Cut (1980 film)|Rough Cut]]'' (1980), and finally ''[[The Sea Wolves]]'' (1980), a wartime adventure film, rounded out his peak years.  By the last two, and his TV mini-series [[A Man Called Intrepid]] (1979), Niven's declining health was becoming evident.

Niven's last leading role was in ''[[Better Late Than Never (1983 film)|Better Late Than Never]]'' (1983). In July 1982, [[Blake Edwards]] brought an ailing Niven back for cameos in two "Pink Panther" films shot at the same time (''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]'' and ''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]''), reprising his role as Sir Charles Lytton. By the time of filming, Niven was fully in the throes of [[amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]] and his voice was no longer usable. His lines were dubbed, however inadequately, on short notice, by [[Rich Little]]. Niven only learned of it from a newspaper report.