While The Moon’s a Balloon plots Niven’s course to stardom, Bring on the Empty Horses provides a riveting insight into some of the great actors of the era. His memories of a close friendship with Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart are enthralling — I’m not at all surprised the blurb on the paperback says that this ‘might easily be the best book written about Hollywood’. That goes for the CD too. But it’s not all played for laughs. Niven’s voice falters as he describes the accident responsible for the death of his first wife Primmie. Unlike most people in Tinseltown today Niven gives the impression of being a devoted family man. He subsequently remained married to his second wife Hjordis until his death in 1983. I listened to both volumes back to back and loved every moment. I just wish we were told how he kept that pencil-thin moustache so impeccably trimmed. But that’s another story.

Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling, 24 unabridged stories, read by Martin Jarvis (4 CDs, 5 hours, CSA Word. £15.99); The Moon’s a Balloon by David Niven, abridged, read by the author (2 CDs, 2 hours, Headline Audiobooks £14.99); Bring on the Empty Horses by David Niven, abridged, read by the author (2 CDs, 2 hours, Headline Audiobooks, £14.99).

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