Dear fellow Flynn fans,
Errol`s congenial counterpart`s birthday shan`t be forgotten. Yesterday he would have turned 123.
In the book “Basil Rathbone: His Life and His Films” a vintage Errol-on-a-role episode is recalled:
The Rathbones gained a reputation for throwing lavish (and expensive!) parties, which the biggest stars in Hollywood attended. At one such party Errol Flynn got drunk, followed a young lady home and passed out on her living room sofa. Later that night, the woman’s father brought the unconscious Flynn back to the Rathbone’s house and dumped him on the lawn. “The next morning, Basil and Ouida were having breakfast on the patio, when the gardener turned on the sprinklers. Who should spring up from the grass, but a hung-over Errol Flynn. The Rathbones sat–mouths agape–as Errol bid them a cheery ‘Good morning,’ then departed for home.”
Here is another worthwhile recount of their encounters:
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
zacal
June 14, 2015 at 3:51 pm
What a great story. Every day with Errol was an adventure, yes? The article is very good, too. It repeats Rathbone’s quote about Tyrone Power being a better fencer than Flynn but I’ve always chalked that up to Rathbone wanting to compliment Power, not disparage Errol. Here’s another quote from the great Mr. Rathbone: “…I would say that he (Errol) was fond of me, for what reason I shall never know. It was always “dear old Bazzz”, and he would flash that smile that was both defiant and cruel, but which for me always had a tinge of affection…”
zacal
June 14, 2015 at 3:52 pm
[img]https://thegreatbaz.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bw6.png[/img]
Tina
June 14, 2015 at 10:20 pm
Hi Heinz:
This is a very nice blog with great stories! I enjoy reading it!
Take care!
Gentleman Tim
June 15, 2015 at 4:19 am
So it’s 123 – Elementary, watsonheinz.
This party could have been at either Basil’s Los Feliz or Bel Air address, both renowned for their parties – in Errol’s case a garden or lawn party.
Los Feliz, near Cecil B. DeMille’s place and not far from Olivia (’til 1938)
[img]http://www.basilrathbone.net/potpourri/homes/losfeliz05.jpg[/img]
After 1938, Baz Party Headquarters moved to the much larger estate in Bel Air, on Bellagio:
[img]http://www.basilrathbone.net/potpourri/homes/belair5.jpg[/img]
shangheinz
June 15, 2015 at 7:48 pm
Baz had quite a nose for beautiful residences. Ty GT.
timerider
June 15, 2015 at 2:51 pm
This one gave me goose bumps! When I was very young and foolhardy, I was flirting around with 2 sisters. Ah oh, too much to drink and found myself on the lawn in the early dawn! LOL!
shangheinz
June 15, 2015 at 7:50 pm
Errol would have been proud of you, easytimerider.
Gentleman Tim
June 15, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Good for you, timerider, for being so joyously young and foolhardy. A Tale of Two Sisters should be on every guy’s shelf.
btw, by any chance did these two happen to be red heads from Havana hanging at the Waldorf?
If you kept it up, timerider, you could have had your own sister wives reality show, with schools of little timerider siblings/cousins running and riding all over the place.*
[img]https://katiestringer.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/sisterwives.jpg[/img]
*I just hope those sisters weren’t named Kardashian.
timerider
June 16, 2015 at 2:53 pm
HAHAHA… Tim! Actually they had the last name starting with a K.
A very famous name but not related (I hope) to anyone reading these lines,LOL…..
Tina
June 15, 2015 at 4:08 pm
I thought you may enjoy this site of Basil Rathbone home or homes.
lolitasclassics.blogspot.ca/2009/04/basil-rathbones-homes.html…
shangheinz
June 15, 2015 at 7:22 pm
Dear Gentlewoman Tina, thanks for upping the ante of my entry. These are fine photos! Take care, Heinz
Tina
June 15, 2015 at 10:02 pm
Thanks Infoheinz! Wow – Gentlewoman – a raised status?
Basil sure had a spread of classical elegance versus Errol’s being more plain and a rather rustic style. But then is was a farm and fitting Errol very well.
The best to you!
timerider
June 16, 2015 at 3:01 pm
The great Rathbone will always be my favorite Holmes and a most formidable adversary for the Flynn!
shangheinz
June 20, 2015 at 11:24 am
[img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/mons.jpg[/img]
Baz ran with a rowdy crowd, the pic above shows his personal Rat(h) Pack. Maybe Rushstreet Ralph knows more about the circumstances when and where this photo was taken?