I need to get the movie. Been draggin my feet! It is one of 3 pirate movies on one DVD available on eBay. I think I would enjoy seeing the whole thing.Actually I think Errol did a great job for his first flick! A little to serious but good effort.
I’m with you, timerider, As the “B, B, B, B, B, B & B” title of this tab may imply, it was definitely a ‘B’ movie, but Errol gets an ‘A’ in my book for an Amazingly good acting debut.
Anyone out there know the true account of how Errol got this role!?! I’ve read and heard several contradictory accounts – seen at Bondi beach, seen on footage filmed in New Guinea, connections and recommendations through family and/or friends, punching out the actor slated to play Cristian! – anyone know for sure, or have any ideas on what may be the truth???
Hi Tim,I recently bought an old Australian magazine called ‘ People ‘ from 1951 with Errol on the cover,inside the article about Errol has this by Charles Chauvel saying how he found Errol for Mutiny On The Bounty –
‘ My assistant director John Warwick saw a piece in a Brisbane paper.It was about a young man called Flynn who had been (ship)wrecked,and had done a good job saving someone’s life.His picture was published and he looked just the man we wanted.We got in touch with him.In our Midshipman’s uniform he looked like a million dollars.Girls all round us practically swooned.But he had never done any acting and he was so stiff in his scene with Mayne Linton (as Captain Bligh) that we spent a whole day on just a few words he had to say.
We had him for about 3 weeks,paid him about 10 pounds a week.When the last shot was taken,he said the job had intrigued him,asked me if I could do anything for him in films.I explained that we didn’t have much money and he might have to wait quite a while for another part,but that if I had all his attributes I would go to Hollywood and expect to break into the game.He said he thought he’d do that.’
Looked into this a bit, Lollie, and will provide you some info on how you may be able to find that paper. Will get back with you on that. In the meantime, here for your viewing pleasure is a great mini-doc on Charles Chauvel, with a very interesting version of Errol’s most fortunate shipwreck:
Thanks very much Tim. :)
I remember a newspaper called The Brisbane Courier which had been around since the 1800’s and seemed to be a very well known one,perhaps it could be that one?
which have digitised many Australian newspapers and there are lots of entries about Errol from papers all over the country,it’s really wonderful.You can search by earliest date etc.I found a few articles from Brisbane/Queensland papers re Errol sailing on the Sirocco,having Malaria,talking to him,but unfortunately no photo.The only one was of the Sirocco,but the photo was so hard to make out that you can’t tell if Errol is in the photo or not.The only photo I found was from a Sydney newspaper called Arrow from 1932. ?
Trove by all means doesn’t cover every newspaper,but I think they are getting there as it sure does cover lots of them Anyway it’s a terrific website to look through for early Errol articles like his engagement notice,ads for Wake In The Bounty etc & him being sued by someone.Definitely worth a look. :)
Wonderful, Lollie! Absolutely, Wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing all that!!! So terrific Young Mr. Flynn was certainly a man of great action, adventure & destiny.
By the way, when he spoke of ‘one foot in the grave, the other in a gael”, was he referring to New Guinea, or to Hollywood?
Here’s another summary of potentially relevant papers:
Wow thank you very much for all that Tim! :) I will definitely have a look through those too.
Yes he truly was a man of adventure right from he start,an incredible life he made for himself that’s for sure.I just wish he hadn’t been plagued by that awful malaria throughout his life,even with his drinking etc he probably would have lived much longer if it weren’t for that affecting him. : /
Just saw Million Dollar Mermaid on TCM, Lollie – Hollywood’s account of Australia’s legendary Annie Kellerman. I wonder if Errol ever met her. … Now The Lady from Shanghai is on, featuring tillLovely Rita & the Zaca! .. I wonder if Erroll ever knew Rita. I suspect so.
I’m not sure why I posted these photos here, except that I was just watching Rita on the Zaca, went to grab a photo of her with Errol on it with her, but saw these earlier gems. The second one could be great on your Candid photo Tab!
Despite rumors to the contrary, I don’t think Errol’s actually in The Lady from Shanghai, Lollie, though Zaca and his dachshund, Chula, have starring roles!! Errol does Captain and do some aerial filming of the Zaca though, I believe.
Also, coincidently, the movie includes shots of the Nunes Brothers, Boatyard, in Sausalito, where the Zaca was originally built!
Yes I think it might be one of those cameos that didn’t really happen.But I read somewhere that he is supposed to be in a scene near the end (with his back to the camera) talking on the phone as Orson Welles walks past.Maybe it’s a Hollywood myth? I will have to run the movie up & see if I can see that scene & perhaps Errol,or his back anyway. :)
That would definitely be very cool, Lollie! Hope you find him!!!
I’ve read, somewhat similarly, that Senor Flynn can be very briefly seen outside a casino in Acapulco, Lollie, but I’ve never made the effort to study that. Hope you’re the first to post where exactly he’s at in the film!
Spoke tonight, Lollie, with good friends whose son and step-son grew up and still.lives in Brisbane. They occasionally visit there, so I got to learn a few things. There son is flying into FLA this summer (your winter) and now thinking of heading over to Jamaica for a look at Errol’s world in Port Antonio!
timerider
October 21, 2013 at 1:55 am
I need to get the movie. Been draggin my feet! It is one of 3 pirate movies on one DVD available on eBay. I think I would enjoy seeing the whole thing.Actually I think Errol did a great job for his first flick! A little to serious but good effort.
Tim
October 21, 2013 at 9:47 am
I’m with you, timerider, As the “B, B, B, B, B, B & B” title of this tab may imply, it was definitely a ‘B’ movie, but Errol gets an ‘A’ in my book for an Amazingly good acting debut.
Lollie
October 21, 2013 at 2:47 am
I bought the dvd a while ago & really enjoyed seeing Errol in his very first role.It is wonderful that the film is still around.
Tim
October 21, 2013 at 9:53 am
Anyone out there know the true account of how Errol got this role!?! I’ve read and heard several contradictory accounts – seen at Bondi beach, seen on footage filmed in New Guinea, connections and recommendations through family and/or friends, punching out the actor slated to play Cristian! – anyone know for sure, or have any ideas on what may be the truth???
[img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/_photos/sirroco2.jpg[/img]
Lollie
March 27, 2014 at 12:24 pm
Hi Tim,I recently bought an old Australian magazine called ‘ People ‘ from 1951 with Errol on the cover,inside the article about Errol has this by Charles Chauvel saying how he found Errol for Mutiny On The Bounty –
‘ My assistant director John Warwick saw a piece in a Brisbane paper.It was about a young man called Flynn who had been (ship)wrecked,and had done a good job saving someone’s life.His picture was published and he looked just the man we wanted.We got in touch with him.In our Midshipman’s uniform he looked like a million dollars.Girls all round us practically swooned.But he had never done any acting and he was so stiff in his scene with Mayne Linton (as Captain Bligh) that we spent a whole day on just a few words he had to say.
We had him for about 3 weeks,paid him about 10 pounds a week.When the last shot was taken,he said the job had intrigued him,asked me if I could do anything for him in films.I explained that we didn’t have much money and he might have to wait quite a while for another part,but that if I had all his attributes I would go to Hollywood and expect to break into the game.He said he thought he’d do that.’
How interesting. :)
Tim
March 27, 2014 at 2:53 pm
WOW, LOLLIIE!!! What a TREMENDOUS discovery!!! THANK YOU!!!!
.. I wonder if there’s a copy of that original news article and/or photo anywhere!
Lollie
March 28, 2014 at 10:23 am
You are very welcome Tim,I’m glad I could help out a little. :)
Yes I thought the same thing,wouldn’t it be GREAT if we knew the name of the newspaper and could find the article & photo of Errol.
Tim
March 28, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Looked into this a bit, Lollie, and will provide you some info on how you may be able to find that paper. Will get back with you on that. In the meantime, here for your viewing pleasure is a great mini-doc on Charles Chauvel, with a very interesting version of Errol’s most fortunate shipwreck:
leaders.slq.qld.gov…
[img]https://ia600204.us.archive.org/5/items/CharlesChauvelsinTheWakeOfTheBounty1933/InTheWakeOfTheBountyvo.gif[/img]
Tim
March 28, 2014 at 5:18 am
Even that bad wig couldn’t stop the girls from falling at his feet, Mollie!
[img]http://www.scorpiotv.com/images/wakeofbounty.jpg[/img]
Lollie
March 28, 2014 at 10:24 am
lol,how true,even in that silly wig he is gorgeous as ever. :D
Lollie
March 29, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Thanks very much Tim. :)
I remember a newspaper called The Brisbane Courier which had been around since the 1800’s and seemed to be a very well known one,perhaps it could be that one?
P.S. There is a great website called Trove
trove.nla.gov…
which have digitised many Australian newspapers and there are lots of entries about Errol from papers all over the country,it’s really wonderful.You can search by earliest date etc.I found a few articles from Brisbane/Queensland papers re Errol sailing on the Sirocco,having Malaria,talking to him,but unfortunately no photo.The only one was of the Sirocco,but the photo was so hard to make out that you can’t tell if Errol is in the photo or not.The only photo I found was from a Sydney newspaper called Arrow from 1932. ?
trove.nla.gov…
Trove by all means doesn’t cover every newspaper,but I think they are getting there as it sure does cover lots of them Anyway it’s a terrific website to look through for early Errol articles like his engagement notice,ads for Wake In The Bounty etc & him being sued by someone.Definitely worth a look. :)
Tim
March 29, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Wonderful, Lollie! Absolutely, Wonderful!! Thank you so much for sharing all that!!! So terrific Young Mr. Flynn was certainly a man of great action, adventure & destiny.
By the way, when he spoke of ‘one foot in the grave, the other in a gael”, was he referring to New Guinea, or to Hollywood?
Here’s another summary of potentially relevant papers:
sites.google.com…
Help researching matters connected to Chauvel’s Bounty may be available through the Royal Historical Society of Queensland:
www.queenslandhistory.org…
Lollie
March 30, 2014 at 11:16 am
Wow thank you very much for all that Tim! :) I will definitely have a look through those too.
Yes he truly was a man of adventure right from he start,an incredible life he made for himself that’s for sure.I just wish he hadn’t been plagued by that awful malaria throughout his life,even with his drinking etc he probably would have lived much longer if it weren’t for that affecting him. : /
Tim
March 30, 2014 at 4:37 pm
Just saw Million Dollar Mermaid on TCM, Lollie – Hollywood’s account of Australia’s legendary Annie Kellerman. I wonder if Errol ever met her. … Now The Lady from Shanghai is on, featuring tillLovely Rita & the Zaca! .. I wonder if Erroll ever knew Rita. I suspect so.
[img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m579raG80Z1r0rezxo1_1280.jpg[/img]
[img]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m56kbjpAWl1qaeet6o1_500.jpg[/img]
I’m not sure why I posted these photos here, except that I was just watching Rita on the Zaca, went to grab a photo of her with Errol on it with her, but saw these earlier gems. The second one could be great on your Candid photo Tab!
Lollie
March 31, 2014 at 9:30 am
Lovely photos Tim,what a beautiful looking couple they would have made. :)
Tim did you happen to spot Errol anywhere in the Lady From Shanghai movie? My brother gave me the dvd to watch but I keep forgetting too.
[img]http://i59.tinypic.com/264osat.jpg[/img]
Tim
March 31, 2014 at 10:10 am
GREAT photo, Lollie!!
Despite rumors to the contrary, I don’t think Errol’s actually in The Lady from Shanghai, Lollie, though Zaca and his dachshund, Chula, have starring roles!! Errol does Captain and do some aerial filming of the Zaca though, I believe.
Also, coincidently, the movie includes shots of the Nunes Brothers, Boatyard, in Sausalito, where the Zaca was originally built!
[img]http://www.thesailingchannel.tv/zaca/images/history/Origin_Bluenose72_launch.jpg[/img]
Lollie
March 31, 2014 at 11:00 am
Yes I think it might be one of those cameos that didn’t really happen.But I read somewhere that he is supposed to be in a scene near the end (with his back to the camera) talking on the phone as Orson Welles walks past.Maybe it’s a Hollywood myth? I will have to run the movie up & see if I can see that scene & perhaps Errol,or his back anyway. :)
Tim
March 31, 2014 at 11:26 am
That would definitely be very cool, Lollie! Hope you find him!!!
I’ve read, somewhat similarly, that Senor Flynn can be very briefly seen outside a casino in Acapulco, Lollie, but I’ve never made the effort to study that. Hope you’re the first to post where exactly he’s at in the film!
Tim
April 5, 2014 at 7:10 am
Spoke tonight, Lollie, with good friends whose son and step-son grew up and still.lives in Brisbane. They occasionally visit there, so I got to learn a few things. There son is flying into FLA this summer (your winter) and now thinking of heading over to Jamaica for a look at Errol’s world in Port Antonio!
Lollie
April 5, 2014 at 11:38 am
Wonderful! :)