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Author Archive

Guinn Big Boy Williams Night on Boot Hill …

15 Jun

Found this out on the Prairie, near Dodge City in an old newspaper found blowing in the wind …

Under the headline “Film Star Sleeps on Boot Hill,” in the Monday, April 3, 1939, Dodge City Daily Globe, a story begins: “For a great many years only concrete faces and the cowboy statue have rested in historic old Boot Hill cemetery. But Saturday night there was a newcomer there.

”The story goes on the tell how Guinn “Big Boy” Williams, one of the stars of “Dodge City,” was found sleeping on Boot Hill Sunday morning after the festivities surrounding the premiere.

Williams woke up sufficiently to elude authorities, who later learned that he had spent the day sleeping in a rooming house on West Chestnut street. Williams had missed the train back to Hollywood. He appeared in a west side grocery store later in the afternoon, took a taxi to the airport and caught a plane to Wichita. From there, he made it back to the coast.

Williams reportedly told a Dodge City man he wanted to sleep among the dead men for his wild West thrill.

 

Ah, Hollywood!

 

— David DeWitt

 

Errol Flynn: The Quest for an Oscar by James Turiello is now in Hardcover!

07 Jun

Over at Bear Media you can see the softcover reviews for James Turiello’s wonderful book Errol Flynn: The Quest for an Oscar. Jim tells me the book is now available in Hardcover! Run over to Amazon to get the hardcover version there, too! From the Amazon/Bear Media sites Jim writes:

“Take an incredible journey with Errol Flynn on his quest for an Oscar. Errol went from complete obscurity to become one of the most sought-after men in Hollywood. Men wanted to be him, and women wanted to be with him, yet Errol had little interested in acting. He was a cadet, an overseer at a copra plantation, he ran a charter schooner, and he mined gold, to name only a few of his ventures all before the age of twenty-one. He was a free spirit who played by his own rules, much to the chagrin of the Hollywood producers.

Throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, moviegoers loved Errol as Robin Hood, The Seahawk, and as General Custer. To quote Jack Warner of the famous Warner Bros. Pictures, “He was all the heroes in one magnificent, sexy, animal package . . . he showered an audience with sparks, when he laughed, when he fought, or when he loved. I just wish we had someone around today half as good as Flynn. Includes 200 photographs of Errol Flynn in his many movie roles, candid never-before-published images, rare posters from around the world, and some unique Errol Flynn items. 266 pages. Complete filmography with synopsis and cast of each movie.” -James Turiello.

Jim, great work and thanks for letting us all know about the new edition!

 

— David DeWitt

 
 

Mail Bag! French Curtiz Bio & Film Book!

16 Apr

Dear Sir,

For all those who love Curtiz and read French, I found this book. He presents an excellent biography and analyzes each of his films including his pre-Hollywood production.
Best – Erik Anzi
Thanks, Erik!

— David DeWitt

 

Instagram: Dame Olivia de Havilland!

25 Mar

If you love Olivia de Havilland as much as we do on this blog you can follow a great Instagram page dedicated to her by Tess X. There is a link in this post to audio of her legal case. Clicked the image to go to the Instagram posting!

Thanks, Tess Wagner!

 

 

— David DeWitt

 

Mail Bag! Errol pitches The White Rajah to Jack Warner!

07 Mar

Our new subscriber, Eric Clarke, sends us a couple of images of Errol’s pitch to Jack Warner about his script of The White Rajah and a page of the 14 page synopsis.

 

 

Thanks, Eric!

— David DeWitt

 

Mail Bag! Hi-Res Image’s of Zaca?

01 Mar

Hello David,

my name is Valentina Libri, editor-in-chief of Sea Fever magazine.  It is a Spanish publication entirely dedicated to the exclusive classic yacht sector. The magazine is published both in Spanish and English. I attach a copy of our latest issue so that you can appreciate the quality of our publication.

 

We would like to publish an article on Errol Flynn’s Zaca.
 
We have visited the Errol Flynn blog and find both the story and the pictures very beautiful. We would like to know if you could provide us with high-quality pictures of the zaca?
 
I really hope you will be interested in collaborating with us to further spread the story of the Zaca.
 
Kind regards,
Valentina Libri
Editor-in-Libri
Sea Fever

— David DeWitt

 

Mail Bag! Errol Flynn & James Dean! James Turiello’s new Book!

27 Feb

David;
Good morning my new book James Dean : The Quest for an Oscar has been released on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Etc. The good news there is a full chapter about our hero Errol Flynn, complete with many photos of Errol that are one of a kind. The Jai-Alai one with Errol holding a Jai- Alai cesta is probably being shown for the very first time. Below is the link and I will send you the cover also. It is big 360 pages. Thanks in advance for lifting the fraternity of Errol fans know, greatly appreciated.

Yours truly

Jim
———————————

This is the link:

— David DeWitt

 

Nanette Fabray, dies at 97!

24 Feb

 

Costarred with Dame Olivia deHavilland in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. She enjoyed a long and distinguished career in film, television and on stage.

— David DeWitt

 

Mail Bag! Schooner Zaca Painting by Dan Gilmore!

16 Feb

Received a nice email from “Schooner4” (award winning artist Dan Gilmore) about his painting of the Zaca with some fisherman nearby available right now for bids on eBay. Wow! It is beautiful work …

Thanks, Dan!

— David DeWitt

 

Mail Bag! Errol Flynn and Olas Atlas!

01 Feb

Author Sue Carnes writes to us:

I am right about now writing the part of my new book about the Belmar Hotel that includes stories about Errol Flynn. He was one of the many exciting individuals who spent time on the Bay of High Waves (Olas Altas) in Mazatlan. His special interest was the Belmar where he kept a room, but also a certain establishment called the Stratosphere on Ice Box Hill. That is the hill in the old photograph, and the Belmar is right in the middle of the Bay of High Waves pictured there a little to the right between the trees. Errol’s yacht the Sirocco was often anchored right out front as he made his way to Mazatlan or further South to Acapulco. Errol’s room was No. 35 which could never be rented later. No one could stay there. The room was remodeled and renumbered. Any insight to any of this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Sue Carnes

 

Thanks, Sue!

Author Sue Carnes

— David DeWitt