RSS
 

This and That … Errol Flynn Letter!

07 Jun

Interesting read on a lot of subjects!


— David DeWitt

 
13 Comments

Posted in Collectibles, Documents, Main Page, The Last Years

 

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

 
 

  1. Gentleman Tim

    June 7, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    Fascinating, David! Thank you!

     

  2. David DeWitt

    June 8, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    Particularly interesting letter, I think. Lots of subjects but was interesting to read about his thoughts on his book!

     

    • Gentleman Tim

      June 8, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      Absolutely, David! One astonishing revelation is that Flynn suggested George Frazier to help write his autobiography. “Acidmouth” George Frazier! A supreme talent, no doubt, but how would he have paired with Flynn??

      “He was known for his arch style, acerbic wit, erudite Olympian pronouncements on men’s fashion, and general je ne sais quoi.”

      “An intense, tightly strung, almost compulsive worker, Mr. Frazier fueled himself with whisky and cigarettes in order to pass the night’s hours in jazz dens and nightclubs and then go home and write.”

      I must find and read what Frazier wrote about Errol that so impressed Errol but incensed his father! I believe it’s fully included as a chapter in this book:

      [img]https://dankennedy.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/frazier8.jpg?w=191&h=299[/img]

       

  3. barb

    June 8, 2020 at 4:07 pm

    I agree, Flynn’s comments about his book are fascinating. Tim, I hope you’re able to find what Frazier wrote about Flynn. Quite the contrast that Flynn would think that that writing would recommend Frazier to him but cause his father to want to sue!

     

    • Gentleman Tim

      June 8, 2020 at 5:24 pm

      Thank you, Barb. With my usual go-to local university library closed due to riots and the plague. I therefore tried old faithful, the world wide web. No luck there either, except at the following link. Unfortunately,however, I need to start a GoFundMe account in order to purchase Frazier’s $312 book.

      www.abebooks.com…

      “He could be brilliantly acerbic. He had a vast command of the English language. He never hesitated to be inflammatory if that suited his goals.

      Frazier dressed impeccably, drove his editors crazy by missing deadline after deadline, chain-smoked unfiltered Camel cigarettes, and drank too much. He was probably an alcoholic, and he died of lung cancer a few days after his 63rd birthday. He was gratified to find himself on Nixon’s enemies list. And like my friend, I miss Frazier’s style.

      Mr. Fountain’s book is long out of print and quite expensive second-hand. Your best bet is to try your public library.”

       

      • barb

        June 8, 2020 at 8:03 pm

        Tim, I did a little digging online and found that Frazier’s Flynn article is reprinted in book by Frazier titled “The One with the Mustache is Costello.” It appears to be a compilation of Frazier’s articles written about Flynn and other celebs. It’s actually available from abebooks for roughly $15 including postage.

         

        • Gentleman Tim

          June 8, 2020 at 10:13 pm

          Great find, barb! Bud I always thought the one with the mustache was Abbott?

          [img]https://travsd.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/abbott-costello-abbott-and-costello-833858_483_608.jpg[/img]

           

          • barb

            June 8, 2020 at 11:55 pm

            Yeah, I wondered about that, too.

             

            • Gentleman Tim

              June 9, 2020 at 2:36 am

              Hildegarde is also the one with the mustache!

              [img]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812NANu8FgL._AC_SL1500_.jpg[/img]

               

              • barb

                June 9, 2020 at 2:48 am

                Ah, I only saw a smaller image of the cover .. I’d never heard of Frazier, but it could be an interesting book.

                 

              • Gentleman Tim

                June 9, 2020 at 8:26 am

                Here was a very famous one from the Incomparable Hildegarde – from 1935 – about a French speaking young women and an English speaking young man falling for each other. Errol and Lili had to know this one!

                This was obviously before she grew her incomparable mustache for the cover of Frazier’s book.

                 

                • Selene Hutchison-Zuffi

                  June 9, 2020 at 4:34 pm

                  I guess the one page about Errol is nowhere to be found…unless someone buys the book
                  Not sure what he wrote as apparently it was juat a collection of previously weitten LIFE magazine articles.

                   

                • Selene Hutchison-Zuffi

                  June 11, 2020 at 4:33 pm

                  More interested in the land..what did he had on it? Just empty land ?