Our Author, and my friend, Stephen Youngkin sends us a rare photo of Errol Flynn at the time of They Died With Their Boots On standing with the descendants of George Armstrong Custer!
Thanks, Stephen!
— David DeWitt
From the Mailbag! Errol Flynn and the Custers!
21
Feb
Gentleman Tim
February 21, 2015 at 4:29 am
Wow! That is AWESOME!! Thanks Stephen!!!
Thanks, David!
Didn’t know about these great grand nephews of Custer’s, especially not their showing up at Boots, but they apparently went on to do rather heroic things themselves after meeting Flynn. Brice evidently even won the Croix de Guerre, joined and briefly headed the 7th Calvary, appeared in the Custer-related film, “Warpath”! (Riding as a corporal behind Custer, bearing Custer’s banner.
Adding further Custerian luster, he had a son named Garry Owen.
Here’s a humorous account of his first arriving for duty with the 7th Calvary:
custer.over-blog.com…
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/64/Warpathpos.jpg/220px-Warpathpos.jpg[/img]
The Real Person!
February 21, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Wow. Many many thanks for posting this photo! I am currently reading “The Last Stand” by Nathaniel Philbrick (I am not quite at the last stand section yet) but I had wondered about Custer’s descendants. There is a section in Chapter 3 where the author recounts Custer’s appearance: “He sat his charger as if to the manor born”. He was almost 6″tall -and approaching forty he and another officer “had the clippers run over their heads” . I am glad Errol did not go for that last bit! I found a little something (INTERNET)on Brice Custer-NOT SURE WHICH ONE:
“Like many other Custer family members before him, Brice Custer served in the American armed forces as an Air Force jet-fighter pilot in Korea. He flew F-86 and other jet fighter planes in combat against North Korean, Chinese, and Russian pilots. His father Brice was a colonel in the U.S. Army, as were his brother George and uncle Charles. He taught physics at the Air Force Academy and holds degrees in electrical and nuclear engineering fields. In 1999, he authored a book on his famous predecessor, “The Sacrificial Lion,” which is the first “Custer” book written by a family member since General Custer’s wife Elizabeth Bacon Custer wrote her three famous, best-selling books over 100 years ago.”
I wonder if the family had any input into Errol’s portrayal of Custer?
I wonder how Errol felt about meeting the Custers?
Thanks again!
Gentleman Tim
February 21, 2015 at 8:52 pm
Great info, Maria. Thank you. Exellent questions. I hope to hear what you learn from and think about The Last Stand.
From what I read yesterday, I believe the Brice you’re referring to is Brice Jr., son and nephew of the two Custers, Brice Sr. & Charles, in the photo Stephen so kindly provided us.
The Real Person!
February 22, 2015 at 1:55 am
Thank you so much for the pic and the info . Has anybody noticed that they have spelt Errol’s name wrong on the bottom of the pic. Love Genene
Gentleman Tim
February 22, 2015 at 2:02 am
Very good, tassie devil. … I guess they those Cussters thought he was really on a roll in those days.