Born in central London to an upper-middle-class family, Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory School and Stowe School before gaining a place at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After Sandhurst, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry. Upon developing an interest in acting, he found a role as an extra in the British film There Goes the Bride (1932). Bored with the peacetime army, he resigned his commission in 1933, relocated to New York, then travelled to Hollywood. There, he hired an agent and had several small parts in films through 1935, including a non-speaking role in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). This helped him gain a contract with Samuel Goldwyn.
Born in central London to an upper-middle-class family Niven attended Heatherdown Preparatory School and Stowe School before gaining a place at the Royal Military College Sandhurst After Sandhurst he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry Upon developing an interest in acting he found a role as an extra in the British film There Goes the Bride (1932) Bored with the peacetime army he resigned his commission in 1933 relocated to New York then travelled to Hollywood There he hired an agent and had several small parts in films through 1935 including a non-speaking role in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) This helped him gain a contract with Samuel Goldwyn