Dear fellow Flynn fans,
I am not quite sure where Jim Fleming, who was a topic on this blog recently: www.theerrolflynnblog.com…, fits in the stuntmen, stand-ins and stooges categories. Probably in all of the above.
In the studio he stood in for Flynn and was another of his (self proclaimed?) best friends.
Originally hired together with his first wife as house caretakers by Lili Damita, he stayed on solely with Errol after their divorce.
As Major Domus for 15 years at Mullhollands Farm, he did not only answer the phone, but also the questions of the press when needed. And according to Buster Wiles in his biography he did away with Flynn`s wine bottles. But only the full ones and to the extent of whole boxes.
Fitting in rather nicely with the Flynntourage, he was able to pull a stunt superbly. His most infamous act happened on the night of our Hollywood hero`s 32nd birthday
news.google.com…
Some war time remark had caused the Swede Gosta to term Fleming a “German”. Were there traces of Dr. Erben`s pro Berlin sentiments still lingering in the air? Did Suicide Freddie recall his Winter Olymic feats and impressions of 1936 when he performed in front of the Fuehrer? “Mister McEvoy, a hail is no ahoi…” Maybe something similar triggered the rowdy row.
Anyways, the Scandinavian butler was no match for the Scavenger valet, who in other accounts opened a bottle on the loaned barkeeper of Barbara Hutton in this lights out bout .
To add insult to injury, Errol once more squared off with Barb as a legal adviser to her ex- husband in the early Fifties: www.theerrolflynnblog.com…
Meanwhile hawk like figure Jim Fleming had married the widow of Flynn`s painter pal, John Decker.
For forever waiting in the wings, I think we should put him in the category of “Errol Flynn`s shadows”.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
timerider
November 26, 2015 at 6:04 pm
OK me stupido, I’m very interested in more information about Jim Fleming. I tried a search here on the site but to no avail.
He’s like a ghost on the web also. So where do I look? I Like the story by the one in 2012 about the encounter in NJ at a bar in the 1980’s. Anyway…….
shangheinz
November 26, 2015 at 8:49 pm
No need for you to ride into the sunset yet, Times. Here is more on the shadow in of Flynn: books.google.at/books?id=g-caBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA125&dq=Jim+fleming%2Bstand+in&hl=de&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Jim%20fleming%2Bstand%20in&f=false…
Gentleman Tim
November 27, 2015 at 12:53 am
Hola, Senor Timerider. Until now, on Graciasgiving, I didn’t realize you spoke Espanol. Supplementing poquito mas muchachoheinz’s posto excellente:
www.theerrolflynnblog.com… (This includes the account of him being in the Yankee Clipper, in Seagirt, New Jersey.
Also of possible additional interest may be a post on Fleming in IN WITH FLYNN – THE FLYNN CROWD (The most recent ‘F’ in that thread, comment 267 or so.) Fun and informative is the October 1942 Photoplay article on him (“In the Shadow of the Flynn Man”).
themave.com…
David DeWitt
November 26, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Wllace Berry tells us: Jm Fleming was the driver who did the Zaca day locate and it was an interesting car … wb
Gentleman Tim
November 27, 2015 at 12:42 am
Interesting car? How so!??
timerider
November 30, 2015 at 2:22 am
Thank you Gents, for the links and info. However it is still very thin on the life and times of Jim Fleming. Oh well time will tell…
Tim, I really only know a few words and phrases in the romantic language of the Castilians. I really only borrowed that phrase from one we all know in the movie “Name Of The Rose”…….
shangheinz
February 15, 2023 at 6:44 am
[img]https://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2CCA5713-67C9-4B7A-9372-E4FC5DC32CB9.jpeg[/img]
One rare full frontal of Jim Fleming, here with Ida Lupino.