Addendum to published Video
“The finger chopping blow”
Edward, Prince of Wales is the main role played by Errol Flynn in “The Dark Avenger (1955). The film was also known as The Warriors in the USA, and The Black Prince in the UK although the latter seems to have been a working title. In Greece it was aired on TV as The Black Knight.
— Tina
The Real Person!
February 5, 2017 at 7:03 pm
This is an excerpt from an article that I came across recently – Hollywood agent Danny Allen who was a friend/agent of Errol’s. Not sure if anyone posted it before -but perhaps newer authors may not have seen it. I will post a photo of the 2 of them as I believe there is one: Apologies for some of the language..
“My former client and best friend, the late Errol Flynn was shooting a movie opposite Joanna Dru and Peter Finch called “THE DARK AVENGER” back in 1955. As Errol always did, he invited my assistant Misty and I to watch him on the set. I recall, it was close to the last day of shooting and Flynn said, “Moxie Man”, I have invited an old chum of mine to meet you.” He wouldn’t tell me who, but insisted I would piss my pants!
After the crew wrapped up for the day, I could hear loud cheers out of nowhere and low and behold, I turned to see Jackie Gleason doing a soft shoe dance bit for the crew as he came closer to the set to see Errol. “The Great One” (a nickname given to him by the legendary Director and Actor Orson Welles) yelled, out “hey Flynn, you may own a sword fight, but you can’t dance a lick next to me.” Flynn fell on the floor literally and when he got up, Gleason gave him a bear hug. As Misty and I stood there laughing our tushies off, Flynn called over for us to meet Jackie. Yes, as Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas did a few years later, Gleason flirted with Misty who as I said before, could flirt with the best of them. Gleason, said and I recall this vividly, “Misty, with a great ass like that, you have a great future behind you.” That even made Flynn, the ultimate ladies man blush, but Misty ate it up!
JG had his limo outside waiting on him to take us all to dinner which we had a riot at. Flynn, JG, Misty and I would talk into the wee hours of the morning exchanging numbers where we would remain in touch for many years. In fact, I remember one of the saddest calls I ever received on October 14, 1959, when I picked up my home phone to hear a grief stricken Jackie Gleason who could only get out, “Moxie Man, I loved Flynn and to think he is gone, I am speechless.” Yes, my client and best friend in the world, Errol Flynn had died suddenly on October 14, 1959 at the young age of 50. But in those 50 years, he did a lot of living baby…..”
Gentleman Tim
February 6, 2017 at 9:15 am
WOW, Maria, what a tremendous find and story!!!
I’ve often wondered if Errol and Jackie knew and liked each other. During his teens, Jackie used to spend some of his summers in the Brooklyn seaside neighborhood where I was later born, a wondrously idyllic mostly- Irish enclave, especially for teenagers in those pre-War days. He stayed (only 30 yards or so from my Dad, who was about six years younger) with Mr. Dennehy , who he later made very famous.
I believe Mr. Dennehy was related or quasi-related to his mother, and Jackie had a crush on his daughter. Jackie was eternally grateful to the Dennehy family for helping him through his often troubled youth.
I figured Errol and Jackie ran into each other at Toot Shors, where they were both quite popular with the legendary saloon keeper. But I never knew if they were friends. Now, thanks to you, we all know this fun and touching story, Maria. How sweet it is. Thank you so much.
Here is a link with some Mr. Dennehy skits:
www.jackiegleason.com…
And here is Jackie’s hit song “Hi’ya Mr. Dennehy”:
And away I go.
Thank you, Maria.
The Real Person!
February 6, 2017 at 5:49 pm
[img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/jackie-gleason.jpg[/img]
Maid Maria, you just majored in Flynnology. Any first hand, little known anecdote on Errol revives our swashbuckling spirits. Sharing them is what this blog is all about. Seems that Jackie Gleason had a dance routine that used to crack everybody up. I remember him mostly as Minnesota Fats in the superb movie “The Hustler” with Paul Newman. Dance on Jackie: www.youtube.com…
Gentleman Tim
February 6, 2017 at 10:50 pm
I recall nothing on TV during the 50s bigger in my neck of the woods than The Honeymooners, teleheinz. Here’s Art Carney teaching Jackie how to dance. Carney, btw, was an exceptional baseball player, in addition to a tremendous comedian.
[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kDRCpsBgqKk/UEm_RToGjEI/AAAAAAAANZE/jUe9dxpM77c/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-07+at+2.32.30+AM.png[/img]
The Real Person!
February 7, 2017 at 1:26 am
THANKS Fellow Flynnians. I did find a “photo” of Errol and this agent-but it looked photoshopped. I would like to find a photo of Jackie Gleason and Errol but nothing yet. Errol’s friends had such affection for him didn’t they? I remember the Honeymooners too- Didn’t Bishop Sheen show up every year as well? There was another story I found where Jackie Gleason tells how he decided to write music -remember his theme Melancholoy Serenade? Anyway he mentions how watching Errol in romantic scenes made him realize the importance of the music..and he figured if it helped Errol – well-imagine what it would do for him!
The Real Person!
February 7, 2017 at 1:41 am
[img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/joe-dimaggio-toots-shor-jackie_1_8554f5c8c5283fa95d49fa696a2ce9ac.jpg[/img]
Way down on the right..a familiar cigarette holder..
Gentleman Tim
February 7, 2017 at 12:37 pm
This is a terrific photo, Maria, which I’ve seen credited on the net as being one of Errol, Gleason, DiMaggio, Marilyn, and Toots Shor. But, to me, it’s not so clear that’s Errol. To me, Don Juan looks perhaps more like Don Ameche. I hope I’m wrong and it is Flynn, ’cause I love this photo.
What do you guys think?
[img]http://p8.storage.canalblog.com/89/30/312561/78804005_o.jpg[/img]
The Real Person!
February 7, 2017 at 1:15 pm
That is the first time I ever seen DiMaggio with a cigarette… I never knew he smoked – to me he always came off as such a clean cut guy, not drinking, smoking sort of fellow; I was surely wrong… I know back in those years everyone smoked, even in sports, but again, I just never even though D to be one. The things we find on the internet amazes me even today….
By the way, I too don’t think its Errol, but Don Ameche with DiMaggio .. I have never seen a ring as the one on his right hand on any of the Flynn pics I have and/or seen.
Also on his left hand; I don’t think he still wore a wedding band still in those later years as shown in the pic. Could be wrong, buttttt?
Gentleman Tim
February 7, 2017 at 2:54 pm
Great observations, Sergio. I agree, not Don Juan, Don Ameche – who it is rumored could outdrink almost anyone. (I must say, however, I sat two seats away from him on a flight from Madrid to Miami in the early 90’s and I don’t recall him drinking – or smoking – – or even speaking – at all. He was extremely reserved.)
Now, as far as Joltin’ Joe was concerned, he did get a few jolts here and there from spirits, wine and beer, but, even during his playing days, he would smoke like a chimney, often even in the dugout.
In fact, The Great DiMaggio may well have died from cigarettes – only a baseball’s throw from where you lived and worked, Sergio! – in Hollywood F.L.A.
[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Joe_dimaggio_camel_ad.jpg/464px-Joe_dimaggio_camel_ad.jpg[/img]
[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1UR4Bxh2q0c/UmdMPJJaOKI/AAAAAAAALNU/Ofofo9d_y0A/s1600/Smoking+Joe2.jpg[/img]
P.S. Though it’s been reported otherwise, Mr. Coffee also drank coffee. though he didn’t imbibe nearly as much caffeine as he did nicotine.
The Real Person!
February 8, 2017 at 1:40 pm
By the way GT, many years ago when I was freshly out of school and still trying to get my career going in music. I was an electricians helper to a small local electrical company, believe it or not called, SURGE Electric! Go figure?
We were the contractors who did all the Electrical and Control wiring for the new (then) DiMaggio Children’s Hospital wing, which looks nothing as the hospital does today; a city!
I am proud to say that I have left some blood there, although it was not blood donations in their blood bank, but on those walls many a days smashing and cutting my fingers and arms at that job. (LOL!)….
Maybe when you sat next to Don Ameche he was Cocooned out by then….
The Real Person!
February 7, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Excellent Tim! and is that Marilyn?
Gentleman Tim
February 7, 2017 at 11:11 pm
Yes, Maria, and doesn’t she look really sweet and pleased to be with this assembly of hard core Shor men. Not too far north of Toots’ place (which was just north of Radio City Music Hall), here are the happy honeymooners (they were only married nine months) up at the Stork Club. (According to what I’ve heard, women tended to love the Stork Club, more than they did Toots Shor’s, which was more a club for sports-loving and hard-drinking men.)
[img]http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.948036!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/alg-monroe-dimaggio-jpg.jpg[/img]