Hello everybody,
first I'd like to thank you all for the warm welcome you gave me. It feels good to be member of such a great community!
Then I would like to make a suggestion. Maybe it's crazy, but this idea has been on my mind for some time and I think it'd be quite unique…Why don't we create an “Errol Flynn Calendar” together? Meaning that we try to make a kind of “list” or overview of what Errol did every day of his life? For example, today is April 20th, and you could go to this site we'd create and have a look: Oh, today 60 years ago, Errol did this and that… He was shooting this or that film, had a party in the evening… What do you think? Possible? Crazy?
My second question for today: I read this wonderful book “Errol Flynn Slept Here” and I was wondering: who was the guy that eventually destroyed Mulholland House? His name is not mentioned, probably because he would have a hard time then? Is the name known at all?
Well, take care everybody and thanks for reading this!
— Inga
Anonymous
April 20, 2010 at 9:59 am
Hi Inga,
Regarding the first question: a calendar/list of dates pertaining to Mr. Flynn's activities and/or whereabouts is an excellent idea—as long as each bit of information cites one or more sources.
The problem is how to organize the data in such a way that it is web-friendly—both easy to read and easy to edit. That would have to be someone else's job!
Anyhoo, I've got lots of dates that are not to be found in any of the biographies. Here's one to start: we know that Flynn tested more than once for the lead in CAPTAIN BLOOD—yet not one bio tells us exactly WHEN he got the part! It was announced by Louella Parsons on Monday 8 July 1935. Here's what she wrote (this would be a wire-service story running in many papers; this is from THE FRESNO BEE):
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Errol Flynn Is Selected For Captain Blood Role
By LOUELLA O. PARSONS
LOS ANGELES, July 8.—Errol Flynn has waited around quite a spell without any sort of screen recognition. Then, presto chango, he took himself a wife and now a job, and a very important one, looms on the horizon for him. After three weeks of testing Michael Curtiz has finally settled on young Flynn, Lili Damita's bridegroom, as the lead in Captain Blood.
Rafael Sabatini's thrilling story has no more adventures than those which Flynn has experienced in his own life when he was whale fisherman, a pearl fisherman and a contestant in the Olympic games.
Olivia de Havilland, Reinhardt's protege, also gets her big chance as Arabella, while Casey Robinson will adapt the Sabatini novel.
————————————
Again, a great idea, and I hope we can find a way to implement it within the rather crowded confines of this forum!
Can't help you with your second question. I have “heard” that the house was torn down by a certain well-known actor, but have absolutely no proof that what I “heard” is true. Somebody here undoubtedly knows.
(I was in Los Angeles in 1987 (writing a screenplay for Warner Brothers) and could see Flynn's house from my hotel window at Universal City. How I wish I'd taken a trip to see it up close!)
Take care!
Anonymous
April 20, 2010 at 6:46 pm
I have a voluminous day-to-day chronicle of EF's entire life that I have been continuously compiling for several years, if anyone is interested. It even includes his daily work schedule with what scenes (and where) he was filming on any particular day. I've thought of posting it here, but since it is changing and expanding regularly it seems like a pointless exercise.
Robert
Anonymous
April 21, 2010 at 2:05 am
Hi Inga;
Robert has given us the answer in a reply in the Bambi article, his name was Steve Weiss, see my article – New interest in 7740 Mulholland Drive. We may get all the answers yet!
Anonymous
April 21, 2010 at 2:37 am
Wow, are you serious? I am interested and I'm sure the rest of us are too. I can't imagine what his schedule was like. Does it provide any personal appointments like dates, parties, or what he was doing when not at the studio? You could give us an interesting tid-bit about a day every day. That certainly would be worth looking at, to see what he was doing every day. I do have a trivial question though, what size shoes did Errol wear and what size pants and suits did he wear? Just curious, Tammy.
Anonymous
April 21, 2010 at 6:58 am
of course there is someone interested! and certainly not only me… that's exactly what i meant, but would you give it away like that? i mean, it was certainly so much work, but it'd be great as a basis. or maybe you would even send it to people interested, i don't know? if all of us had it, we could make the changes together maybe?
Anonymous
April 21, 2010 at 6:16 pm
I'm not sure I want to post the chronicle; for one thing, it's LONG. I'll have to think about it and perhaps discuss it with Captain DeWitt.
Anonymous
April 21, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Sounds absolutely EPIC, Rob!
I for one would love to see your work (a date freak am I) but empathize with the labour that posting it would entail.
Cheers!