I’d like to see some response to what the gentleman wrote about David Niven being kind of a butler or valet to Glenn Miller. From what I’ve read, it appears that Niven had a rather distinguished war record. Can you comment on this?
The column is Did band leader Glenn Miller die in a French brothel?, written by SDSTAFF John Corrado.
Since the “information” you refer to was in the original question and not John Corrado’s report, it is possible that the information is incorrect.
**John Corrado **may have simply ignored the questioner’s reference to Niven’s role vis-a-vis Miller (that his primary job was setting up Miller’s band appearances, NOT that he was his “valet” – Niven and Miller were both ranked Major at the time of Miller’s death IIRC) because it had no substance or bearing on the question being asked. The facts, of course, ***do ***explain the reason the questioner found no mention of it in Niven’s book: it was NOT his job. Niven did propaganda filmwork before D-Day and worked with setting up various troop-morale activities, but held a commission as an infantry officer and after the invasion actually went into the fight on the continent.
Niven had been a commissioned officer in the British Army pre his Hollywood career, and he rejoined in 1939. How on earth could he have possibly ended up being a lackey for Glenn Miller?
Johnny, who wrote the question, says that setting up Miller’s appearances was Niven’s sole job job in the military.
Perhaps a job job has a different meaning in the military from an ordinary job, and would require a commissioned officer to do it.
Does it matter if it was Yo-Yo Ma and Boutros Boutros-Ghali having mahi mahi?
Only if they did it in Walla Walla, Washington.
Best couscous I ever had was in Walla Walla.
The batman bit may be a conflation of the fact that Peter Ustinov served as David Niven’s batman. linky