Hopefully with a more positive outlook than the last batch. I found the Erben one particulary fascinating, trouble just seemed to follow Doc Erben around.
I spent a few hours the other night going through all these newspaper clippings (something I have been meaning to do for a while now) I had intentionally set aside an hour to do this… which very quickly turned into four hours; truly fascinating stuff I have to say…
best wishes,
Brian.
— themainflynnman
Anonymous
May 11, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Hi Brian;
Wonderful articles – thanks for sharing! Keep bringing those goodies!
I know it is a lot of work, but ever so appreciated, I am sure by all of us.
Tina
Anonymous
May 11, 2011 at 9:27 pm
I love these articles, Bri! Flynn often was annoyed at the penny-pinching ways of Hermann Erben. Erben preferred to stay in flophouses instead of better hotels even when Flynn offered to pay the bill during their travels together. Erben was able to con young Errol into allowing him to be his photographer during the trip to Spain to cover the war, and Flynn's Spanish Diary reveals that Flynn was curious about some of Erben's secretive movements but dismissed his concerns easily. Erben became involved in some shady dealings that would have shocked Errol had he known of them, yet Errol was always a loyal friend to Erben trying always to help him in any way he could in the following years. Far from trying to conceal Erben's name in MWWW's Flynn's letters to Earl Conrad show that Flynn expected Erben's name to be used and gave details about the way his speech sounded. After failing to locate Erben for a release to use his name Putnam's changed Erben's name to “Koets” in the book and gave Charles Higham an excuse to make the claim that Flynn was trying to hide Erben's true identity.
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 5:34 am
An interesting point, David – do you know more about “the way his speech sounded”?
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 9:00 am
I will dig around and try to find the letter that Errol wrote to Earl Conrad about this. There is a clip of Erben talking about Flynn and the Higham charges, I think. Of course, Erben is much older and wouldn't' sound exactly the same way he did when Errol knew him but you do get a sample of his accent from it.
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 10:56 am
Would be great, David, you know how interested I am in accents…
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 2:27 pm
There is a book on offer on EBAY.COM… (for a long time now!) at a hefty price of 450 USD. Edited by Dr. Erben and full of photos of Errol probably taken during the Spanish Civil War days and previous travels. Would be a great addition to somebody's collection of EF.
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Could you post a link, please? I was not able to find it on ebay. Thanks!
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Hi Inga;
I would say he spoke English with a Viennese accent, like Schwarzenegger speaks with a Styrian accent. I have a friend who is from Berlin she is unable to say “tsch” like in children and chicken, she will says: shildren and shicken. Accents are a wonderfull thing!
Take care,
Tina
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Hi Jan;
I think you mean the red book: Errol Flynn – Dr. Herman F. Erben
“A Friendship of two Adventurers 1933 – 1940”
A Documentation Edited by Josef Fegerl
Unless you have another book in mind?
Do You have Josef Fegerl's book?
Tina
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 10:58 pm
I found the letter, parts one and two, and will add it to the attachments in the post above! Errol is speaking privately to Earl Conrad so he is a bit, how shall I say this – frank but funny as long as you are not offended by something he describes here to another man. You will see what I mean!
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 11:02 pm
I bought a copy of the Fegerl book a long time ago for 60USD and it has steadily climbed in monetary value!
Anonymous
May 12, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Thanks for sharing this 2-part letter with us, David! It's always fun to read letters that Errol wrote. :-)
If you have any more letters like the above, please do post them here if you can.
Anonymous
May 13, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Thanks David, this was a good read in between my dull corrections… would love to hear Erben speak actually, but I don't think there is a recording, is there?
Anonymous
May 13, 2011 at 7:21 pm
There is a recording of the elder Erben speaking about his friendship with Errol, and the Higham charges. I will try to hunt it up.
Anonymous
May 13, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Swell!
Anonymous
May 13, 2011 at 8:56 pm
This is all quite easy for anyone to see and hear: it's on the DVD “Errol Flynn-Portrait Of A Swashbuckler”
Anonymous
May 14, 2011 at 2:21 am
David, this letter is wonderful!
I wonder who is “mp” at the end of the letter (EF/mp – EF standing for Errol Flynn) as this is usually the initials of the person who types the letter. Meaning Errol did not type the letter he dictated it to somebody who typed it – his secretary or?
Take care,
Tina
Anonymous
May 14, 2011 at 4:50 am
The letter is great! Thanks for posting it.
Anonymous
May 14, 2011 at 5:55 am
Thanks Robert!
Anonymous
May 16, 2011 at 9:16 am
m.p. is Latin and means “manu propria” – with one's own hand. I suppose Errol wanted to indicate that he had typed the letter himself.
Anonymous
May 16, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Hi Inga;
Oh cripes – yes!
I never stopped to think for a minute, just curiosity got a hold of me. Thinking only – ahhh… maybe we find another name of his many so called secretaries he had. I am terrible I know – don't say it – “d m”
Have a great day clever clean thinking Inga! Hahaha!