RSS
 

$500 Reward Quiz

10 Mar

What does a $500 reward have to do with Errol Flynn?

— Tim

 
13 Comments

Posted in Behind the Scenes, Gentleman Tim, Newspaper & Headlines, QUIZ PAGE, Special Events, Travels

 

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

 
 

  1. Gentleman Tim

    March 10, 2020 at 7:39 am

    [img]https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1186/1542/products/brownsville_1080x.jpg?v=1579804562[/img]

    [img]https://storage.googleapis.com/hippostcard/p/cdee77dc202a032882723783480f5cd3-800.jpg[/img]

     

  2. Gentleman Tim

    March 10, 2020 at 8:46 pm

    That’s Jack Warner above with Errol and Bogie. He’s the one who offered the $500 Reward.

    [img]https://mattsko.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/errol-dodge-city-gif.gif[/img]

     

    • Gentleman Tim

      March 10, 2020 at 11:45 pm

      On March 10, 1939, it was reported that “wiithin a few hours” after announcing their $500 reward, “Warner Brothers received 143 telegrams from all parts of the country.”

      [img]https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u9TtfW9cSmY/WtN-oStUXnI/AAAAAAABIZA/jOOlBXyMEPAEKAKsQqHQbG6cVIDWjnzWQCEwYBhgL/s640/d4.gif[/img]

       

      • barb

        March 11, 2020 at 1:01 am

        Tim, judging from the date and photos, is this part of the premiere of Dodge City? No idea about the reward, tho .. part of the festivities?

         

      • Gentleman Tim

        March 11, 2020 at 1:28 am

        Bob Taplinger, Warner Brothers Director of Publicity, was involved. Here he is with Bette Davis, who was not involved with the reward (but was briefly with Taplinger.)

        [img]https://img2.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/9/b/9bbxib5cb3pibbip.jpg?skj2io4l[/img]

         

        • Gentleman Tim

          March 11, 2020 at 3:02 am

          March 10, 1939

          “Warners wish they hadn’t offered that $500 reward … Within a few hours after the story hit the wires, the studio had received 143 telegrams from all parts of the country. …and now the studio is faced with the headache of trying to figure out who deserves the reward.”

          [img]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7fEAAOSwxDJcT13V/s-l400.jpg[/img]

           

  3. barb

    March 11, 2020 at 1:10 am

    Tim, given the date, is this from the premiere of Dodge City in Dodge City? No idea about the reward, though, maybe part of the festivities?

     

  4. David DeWitt

    March 11, 2020 at 4:23 am

    Barb writes (She is having probs commenting):

    Tim, given the date, is this from the premiere of Dodge City in Dodge City? No idea about the reward, though, maybe part of the festivities?”

     

    • Gentleman Tim

      March 11, 2020 at 4:58 am

      Excellente, Barb! Muchas gracias, David. Indeed it is a Dodge City-related quiz. The exact nature of the $500 reward may be unfindable on the net, however (until after this comment.) So, here it is:

      March 9, 1939

      Evening Herald Express

      FLYNN IN TEXAS ON NEW FILM RUNOUT

      Errol Flynn, dashing screen star who is supplying Warner Brothers publicists with a headache, was reported proceeding to Mazatlan, Mexico, today and running out on his film studio’s stunt for a picture.

      Traveling incognito so far as it was possible – and it was pretty difficult after Warner’s offered a $500 reward for his capture. – Flynn and his wife Lili Damita, would only comment at the Brownsville airport today that they were “making a little trip.”

      Then the couple took a plane to Mexico City. It waa understood Flynn’s plans included a hunting trip to Mazatlan. Warners wanted its playboy to go to Dodge City, KS, for the premiere of a picture by that name.

       

      • barb

        March 12, 2020 at 2:30 am

        Tim, that is wild. What a great find. I love that so many claimed the reward. Wonder how it was resolved.

         

        • Gentleman Tim

          March 12, 2020 at 3:25 am

          Yes, 143 telegrams, and that was just within the first few hours! I’m sure many more poured in. …Some were said to be “gags” (which probably included some hilarious claims,) but I’d bet all kinds of people were spotting Flynn – in Texas, Mexico City, Mazatlan, and God knows where else. His internationally famous face be hard to miss, especially with Lily Damita in tow!

          I don’t know who, if anybody, Warner paid. Based on his reputation I wouldn’t be surprised if he reneged on everybody!

          During the remainder of the month I will publish more info and articles on the exciting rest of this story, which includes, inter alia, the reported near deaths of Errol and Lily on their return from Mexico.

           

          • Gentleman Tim

            March 12, 2020 at 3:57 am

            For a fun take on Jack (J. L.) Warner’s reputation for scheming, reneging and untrustworthiness, see Something to Sing About, where Gene Lockhart portrays B. O. Regan. Cagney was suing WB at the time of filming for J.L.’s reneging on a contractual promise to him.

            Further, much more direct and severe, evidence of Jack Warner’s greedily deceitful ways can be found in accounts of how he backstabbed his own brothers, reneging on a very important promise to them.

            www.hollywoodreporter.com…

             

            • barb

              March 13, 2020 at 1:06 am

              I’d never heard that story about Jack Warner, Tim .. pretty grim, to say the least.