September 28, 1935
Harrison Carroll
One of the years strangest sites in Hollywood may be Errol Flynn acting in the story of his own life.
The new Warner Brothers’ discovery, who’s also the husband of Lili Damita, wants to put the story of his adventures into a scenario and, if the studio accepts it, to play the leading role himself.
Flynn could start the story in 1928 when he boxed for Ireland in the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. He’d include his experiences as a member of the British constabulary in New Guinea, his discovery of gold in the savage infested country, his operations as a skipper of a trading ship in the South Pacific, and his near death in a typhoon.
The young Irish actor, who’ll make his big did for fame in Captain Blood, would collaborate on the scenario with an experienced Hollywood writer.
If the story is carried on to Flynn’s arrival in Hollywood, conceivably, his romance with Lili Damita may be included.
…
Starting with his time on the Irish Olympic Boxing team might have proven a one-round knockout:
Flynn on Sirocco may have been better place to start, leaving out Amsterdam altogether:
Few men have ever survived adventures like those Errol experienced in New Guinea.
Only unholy matrimony with Lili Dynamita was more perilous.
Here she is, the ultimate Miss Adventure herself, Tiger ‘Lil,
Pre-Code in ’34, and post-Flynn in a few misadventurous years more:
— Tim
Paula
September 29, 2020 at 7:17 pm
I wished this had happened! I’d watch the heck out of it. Trying to think of anyone else who portrayed themselves in a studio-era film and all I can think of is Audie Murphy.
Gentleman Tim
September 29, 2020 at 11:14 pm
I agree, Paula. What a film that could have been! One for the ages. Perhaps Warner Brothers painted themselves into a corner (so to speak) with the boxing for Ireland fabrication. Or perhaps they thought if they put his bio on screen it would make many of their other actors look like boring weaklings!
I can’t think of many if any major studio actors who did cinematic “auto-bios”. I found the list below, but many on it were famous athletes, not actors – Jackie Robinson and Mohammed Ali included. They list Babe Ruth, but the movie they referred to was actually fictional, not a biography. Somewhat similarly, though not listed, I would think John Malkovich playing the John Malkovich character n Being John Malkovich would not qualify.
m.imdb.com…
[img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/70e239b41f90d4c9f1c3821995f708c3/tumblr_n9ykzq13ox1ti5fg9o1_1280.png[/img]