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Hjördis Genberg Niven

Sweden's first supermodel and the actor David Niven's second wife

  • Hjördis Genberg 1919-43
    • Long winter evenings in the north, 1919-29
    • Life was never the same again, 1930-40
    • Hjördis Genberg, model student, 1941-42
    • Life at Leja, 1942-43
    • Hjördis in the city, 1942-43
  • Hjördis Genberg 1943-45
    • Stockholm’s star mannequin, 1943-44
    • Hats on to Hjördis Genberg, 1943-45
    • Something big and demanding, 1945
    • Hjördis Genberg, fashion model, 1945
  • Hjördis Tersmeden 1946-47
    • Mrs Hjördis Tersmeden, 1946
    • Hjördis in Hollywood, 1946
    • Hjördis Tersmeden : Fashion from America, 1946
    • Stockholm to El Morocco, 1946-47
    • Cholly Knickerbocker observes, 1947
    • A rootless and insecure marriage, 1947
  • Hjördis Genberg-Tersmeden 1947
    • The Cassini connection, 1947
    • The sawmill worker’s daughter, 1947
    • David Niven’s chair, 1947
    • Darts and black velvet, 1947
    • A marriage proposal, 1947-48
  • Hjördis Niven 1948
    • South Kensington Registry Office, 1948
    • A storybook stepmother, 1948
    • Niven in Hollywood, 1948
    • May I introduce… Mrs David Niven
    • Life cover, 1948
    • On the cover of a magazine
  • Hjördis Niven, 1948-50
    • A whirlwind romance, 1948
    • Back to earth, 1948-49
    • The perfect wife, 1949-50
    • Hi society, 1949-50
    • Rocket to the stars, 1950
    • Lady of the manor, 1950
  • Hjördis Niven, 1951-55
    • A chap with white gloves, 1951
    • Broadway and break-up stories, 1951-52
    • The moon is blue, 1953-54
    • I’ve learned to be happy ever after, 1954
    • Around the world.., 1955
    • Hjördis gets shot, 1952
  • Hjördis Niven, 1955-58
    • The first Rat Pack, 1955
    • Safe Keeping, 1956
    • Recuperating with Grace, 1956
    • Bonjour Tristesse, 1957
    • Understatement of the century, 1957
    • Getting 24 hours older every day, 1958
    • Stars’ wives, 1958
  • Hjördis Niven, 1959-60
    • Separate tables, 1959
    • Deep red carnations, 1959
    • Brazil, darling? 1959
    • Niven in Europe, 1960
    • The beautiful ice lady, 1960
    • Come up and see my etchings, 1960
  • Hjördis Niven, 1961-64
    • Cap Ferrat and Kristina, 1961
    • Lo Scoglietto – The little rock
    • The pitfalls of skiing, 1962
    • Narrow escapes and JFK, 1962-63
    • Breakfast in bed, 1963
    • A well kept secret, 1964
  • Pia and Mia Genberg
    • Pia and Mia Genberg
    • Pia and Mia photo gallery 1
    • Pia and Mia photo gallery 2
    • Pia and Mia photo gallery 3
  • Hjördis Niven, 1965-1967
    • Living in the lap, 1965
    • The Nivens in Château-d’Oex 1965
    • Mr Niven’s brand of peerless charm, 1965
    • New friends and old roles, 1966
    • The Nivens at Lo Scoglietto, 1967
    • The impossible years, 1967-1968
  • Hjördis Niven, 1968-1975
    • All so distinctive and ‘notice me’, 1968
    • If things had turned out differently, 1969
    • The moon’s a balloon, 1970-1971
    • The deeper understanding, 1972
    • Drifting along on an uneven keel, 1973
    • A non-participating background presence, 1974
    • When the snows come, 1975
  • Hjördis Niven, 1976-1982
    • Something of a burst balloon, 1976-77
    • Escape to Monte Carlo, 1977-78
    • Two words: Mon-ey, 1979
    • Struck on the leg with a plank, 1980
    • Relationships quite close to home, 1981
    • From Dawn Until Dusk, 1982
  • Hjördis Niven, 1983-1997
    • David Niven and Lou Gehrig, 1983
    • Surrounded by trees and flowers, 1983
    • David Niven’s last days, July 1983
    • A bright summer’s day in Chateau D’Oex, 1983
    • The other side of the moon, 1984-85
    • I want to be free, 1985-97
  • Hjördis tangents
    • Wartime Sweden, 1939-45
    • Swedish fashion in the 1940s
    • Career guide: Modelling in Sweden
    • Living at the Pink House, 1948-60
    • Christmas recipes, 1967
    • At home with Hjördis, 1991-92
  • Primmie Niven
    • David Niven’s first wife, Primmie Niven, 1918-46
    • Niven weddings, 1917-48
  • The Hjördis Niven bookshelf
  • Hjördis Niven links
  • About this site
  • Latest posts
  • Site-map & updates
  • Contact

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If you own the copyright to any of the uncredited images, I apologise and am happy to either remove or credit them.

Copyright © 2021 David Browne

Gudrun and Maj-Lis Genberg

Pia and Mia Genberg
Hjördis' twin nieces, who had successful careers as singers, dancers, models and actresses. (Page updated)

Primmie Niven

Primula Rollo
David Niven's first wife, Primula Rollo. Updated with Oleg Cassini's memories.

Lo Scoglietto under renovation in 1999

Was it difficult to have a happy marriage in Hollywood?

Actress Lilli Palmer (Rex Harrison's wife between 1943-1956:

"It was almost impossible. One evening a big star gave a party honoring couples who had been married more than 10 years. We showed up with about 50 other couples, and everyone that I knew had either been or was being unfaithful to the other. But these were the survivors."

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  • Hjördis Genberg 1919-43
    • Long winter evenings in the north, 1919-29
    • Life was never the same again, 1930-40
    • Hjördis Genberg, model student, 1941-42
    • Life at Leja, 1942-43
    • Hjördis in the city, 1942-43
  • Hjördis Genberg 1943-45
    • Stockholm’s star mannequin, 1943-44
    • Hats on to Hjördis Genberg, 1943-45
    • Something big and demanding, 1945
    • Hjördis Genberg, fashion model, 1945
  • Hjördis Tersmeden 1946-47
    • Mrs Hjördis Tersmeden, 1946
    • Hjördis in Hollywood, 1946
    • Hjördis Tersmeden : Fashion from America, 1946
    • Stockholm to El Morocco, 1946-47
    • Cholly Knickerbocker observes, 1947
    • A rootless and insecure marriage, 1947
  • Hjördis Genberg-Tersmeden 1947
    • The Cassini connection, 1947
    • The sawmill worker’s daughter, 1947
    • David Niven’s chair, 1947
    • Darts and black velvet, 1947
    • A marriage proposal, 1947-48
  • Hjördis Niven 1948
    • South Kensington Registry Office, 1948
    • A storybook stepmother, 1948
    • Niven in Hollywood, 1948
    • May I introduce… Mrs David Niven
    • Life cover, 1948
    • On the cover of a magazine
  • Hjördis Niven, 1948-50
    • A whirlwind romance, 1948
    • Back to earth, 1948-49
    • The perfect wife, 1949-50
    • Hi society, 1949-50
    • Rocket to the stars, 1950
    • Lady of the manor, 1950
  • Hjördis Niven, 1951-55
    • A chap with white gloves, 1951
    • Broadway and break-up stories, 1951-52
    • The moon is blue, 1953-54
    • I’ve learned to be happy ever after, 1954
    • Around the world.., 1955
    • Hjördis gets shot, 1952
  • Hjördis Niven, 1955-58
    • The first Rat Pack, 1955
    • Safe Keeping, 1956
    • Recuperating with Grace, 1956
    • Bonjour Tristesse, 1957
    • Understatement of the century, 1957
    • Getting 24 hours older every day, 1958
    • Stars’ wives, 1958
  • Hjördis Niven, 1959-60
    • Separate tables, 1959
    • Deep red carnations, 1959
    • Brazil, darling? 1959
    • Niven in Europe, 1960
    • The beautiful ice lady, 1960
    • Come up and see my etchings, 1960
  • Hjördis Niven, 1961-64
    • Cap Ferrat and Kristina, 1961
    • Lo Scoglietto – The little rock
    • The pitfalls of skiing, 1962
    • Narrow escapes and JFK, 1962-63
    • Breakfast in bed, 1963
    • A well kept secret, 1964
  • Pia and Mia Genberg
    • Pia and Mia Genberg
    • Pia and Mia photo gallery 1
    • Pia and Mia photo gallery 2
    • Pia and Mia photo gallery 3
  • Hjördis Niven, 1965-1967
    • Living in the lap, 1965
    • The Nivens in Château-d’Oex 1965
    • Mr Niven’s brand of peerless charm, 1965
    • New friends and old roles, 1966
    • The Nivens at Lo Scoglietto, 1967
    • The impossible years, 1967-1968
  • Hjördis Niven, 1968-1975
    • All so distinctive and ‘notice me’, 1968
    • If things had turned out differently, 1969
    • The moon’s a balloon, 1970-1971
    • The deeper understanding, 1972
    • Drifting along on an uneven keel, 1973
    • A non-participating background presence, 1974
    • When the snows come, 1975
  • Hjördis Niven, 1976-1982
    • Something of a burst balloon, 1976-77
    • Escape to Monte Carlo, 1977-78
    • Two words: Mon-ey, 1979
    • Struck on the leg with a plank, 1980
    • Relationships quite close to home, 1981
    • From Dawn Until Dusk, 1982
  • Hjördis Niven, 1983-1997
    • David Niven and Lou Gehrig, 1983
    • Surrounded by trees and flowers, 1983
    • David Niven’s last days, July 1983
    • A bright summer’s day in Chateau D’Oex, 1983
    • The other side of the moon, 1984-85
    • I want to be free, 1985-97
  • Hjördis tangents
    • Wartime Sweden, 1939-45
    • Swedish fashion in the 1940s
    • Career guide: Modelling in Sweden
    • Living at the Pink House, 1948-60
    • Christmas recipes, 1967
    • At home with Hjördis, 1991-92
  • Primmie Niven
    • David Niven’s first wife, Primmie Niven, 1918-46
    • Niven weddings, 1917-48
  • The Hjördis Niven bookshelf
  • Hjördis Niven links
  • About this site
  • Latest posts
  • Site-map & updates
  • Contact
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