May 21, 1948
Sidney Skolsky
Hollywood Citizen News
Ronald Reagan: He is an actor who is interested in the welfare of actors and in their position in the industry. He has advanced from a supporting player to a leading man. He is always to know what pictures are being made at his studio, and when hears of any he likes, he makes a bid for it. He is very pleased that he is no longer told they wanted Errol Flynn for a certain picture, but that they are going to give it to him.
— Tim
May 16, 1936
Ray De O’Fan
Los Angeles Examiner
Smith Ballew as master of ceremonies on “Chateau” will introduce as his guests Errol Flynn, one of Hollywood’s newer stars; comic George Jessel, singer June Knight and grappler Man Mountain Dean. This in addition to Smith’s warbling and Victor Young’s music (KFL 5:30 PM)
***
“Chateau” refers to the Shell Chateau radio show. Smith Ballew was a very talented musician, who sang and played with many of the greatest musicians of the 20s and 30s. Following Shell Chateau, he became a ‘B’ Western star.
Jessel with Norma Jean
The Vivacious June Knight
Man Mountain Dean, Dizzy Dean, Daffy Dean
The Great Vincent Young
— Tim
Elray was a Texas Tech University beauty, Cotton Queen, and even played The Snow Queen in Santa Fe, New Mexico for Warner Brother’s Santa Fe Trail, starring Errol Flynn in 1940.
Her picture was used to promote the famous premier of the movie in Santa Fe.
— Tim
“John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Ronald Reagan and Errol Flynn, who often sailed his yacht to the island to hunt wild boar.” (Author’s note: Make that yachts … The Bachelor/Cheerio II, Sirocco, and Zaca.)
“With a tip of the cap to Copernicus, Aristotle, Galileo, and Ernie “Let’s Play Two” Banks, too!!”
— Tim
Sorry to report but the great Doris Day has left us at age 97. In her own autobiography Miss Day wrote how much she enjoyed kissing the great swashbuckler Errol Flynn at the end of the hilarious comedy “It’s A Great Feeling” (1949). Doris Day was a hit singer who sold millions of recordings, had a hit TV series that ran for five years, and starred in 39 motion pictures including one for Alfred Hitchcock. We salute this great lady who save the lives of many animals.
— rswilltell
May 11, 1937
Elizabeth Yeaman
Hollywood Citizen News
Errol Flynn will lay aside his rapier and don boxing gloves for his next picture, The Perfect Specimen, for in this story he will portray a gent who is handy with his dukes. Furthermore, he is going modern in more ways than one. He is to have a smart-cracking leady lady in the person of Joan Blondell. Joan, however, should not be classified as a leading lady, but as a co-star. Incidentally, the Flynn physique can now be bared for the entertainment of feminine fans. The age of chivalry and its uniforms will be tossed out completely.
A strictly modern supporting cast is lined up for The Perfect Specimen. Beverly Roberts will appear in the second feminine lead, and Dick Foran will be on hand in another featured role, while comedy is to be provided by Edward Everett Horton.
Michael Curtiz will direct, and the picture will star almost immediately. It is amazing how fast production is being resumed, now that the producers have reached an agreement with the Screen Actor’s Guild.
***
— Tim
I was on my way across the country from West to East coast about 8 years ago, and realized I could take advantage of the route to stop in Kansas at Dodge City, to take a look at what remained of the main theatre where Errol Flynn spoke to the crowds about his new film Dodge City, and a huge event it all was. I found the theatre, The Dodge Theatre, with its marquee down and laid inside the locked doors, and drove part of the parade route. But apparently, I missed something!
I did not find this plaque on the Dodge City Trail of Fame …
I found the boulevard where the parade was held that Errol rode a horse down and waved his hat to the heavy crowds on April 1, 1939. 50,000 people showed up for the film’s premier.
Three movie theatres were needed to meet the demand for the film. Errol and others spoke to the audience at the Dodge Theatre. It fell into disuse in later years, and the time I rolled by, it’s marquee was torn down as a hazard and laid inside the closed doors of the theatre. It was auctioned on eBay but a bid of $490 did not meet the seller’s price so it remained in the old movie house. There was an effort to restore it that came to nothing, as far as I can tell.
— David DeWitt
The most highly coveted of ornamental plants, the delicate, exotic and graceful orchid represents love, luxury, beauty and strength. In ancient Greece, orchids were associated with virility. There are numerous kinds of orchids but the black orchid is regarded the most intriguing and powerful of all. The Greek word “orchis” means “testicle” and is a symbol of virility. Ancient Greeks believed that they could control a baby’s gender by eating orchid roots. If they wished a son, the father would eat a large and new orchid tuber. If they wished a daughter, the mother would eat a small tuber. This belief, and other perceived magical sexual and spiritual powers of orchids, helped them remain popular into modern times.
Perfect for Virile Errol’s Hollywood Hot House, described below!
May 10, 1938
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
When Errol Flynn gets back from his Bahamas trip in about three weeks, Hollywood will get a floral novelty. He is bringing several hundred cuttings of a black orchid, found when he and Lili Damita were exploring the southern tip of Cat Cay Island.
His agent got an enthusiastic wire today ordering the ‘for sale’ sign off real estate the star owns on the tip of Laurel Canyon and instructing him to start building a modernistic hot house in which to grow the exotic blooms. Flynn plans to raise them for the Hollywood market.
***
Fascinating footage of Cat Cay Island circa when Errol first sailed there, shortly after he purchased Sirocco:
— Tim
I noticed the shoes right away, didn’t you?
— David DeWitt
