Released on May 16, 1940
As this video of the Virginia City World Premier Tour poignantly depicts, 1940 was a wondrous time in Hollywood history, and in American history. Everything changed in ’41 – as abruptly as this video.
For a great review of Virginia City, and especially of Errol’s unmatched magnetism as a film star, see the Bogie Film Blog at this link.
— Tim
May 15, 1939
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Racking his brain over what to do with eight loose acres up on Mulholland Drive, overlooking San Fernando Valley, Errol Flynn hit on an interesting idea. He will turn his property into a fancy rest camp, with eight guest cabins, three tennis courts and a dozen riding nags available for the nearby Hollywood folk in search of quick relaxation.
Flynn plans to spend a lot of money on the project. Chances are that Bud Ernst, one of his close pals, will manage the place, which will be open to the public.
…
How Mulholland Scenic Road aka Mulholland Skyline Drive aka Mulholland Boulevard aka Mulholland Highway aka (finally) Mulholland Drive ultimately paved the way for Mulholland Farm.
Mulholland Drive was an Engineering Masterwork by Dewitt Raeburn
— Tim
The maps and article below describe the dire situation in China the very month Errol was there, May 1933.
— Tim
Ensuing his first year in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Errol suffered frequent recurrences of malaria throughout his life, to the very week of his death.
He appears to have contracted malaria for the first time in 1928, months after he first moved to Papua New Guinea in October of 1927.
Malaria plagued him during 1929, which factored into his decision to return to Sydney, after 25 months in PNG.
On June 18, 1930, the Rockingham Morning Bulletin states that “Captain Flynn” was suffering from a “touch of malaria”.
In 1931 and 1932 Errol had multiple malarial attacks, , including on the “black-birding” trip during which he was ambushed and injured. He reported that during that excursion he was “freezing and sweating at the same time” from malaria.
In March of 1933, newspapers reviewing In the Wake of the Bounty reported of Errol’s malaria in PNG.
In May of 1933, While in China, Errol reports having suffered a bout of malaria, “shaking and shivering” after his brief affair with Ting Ling O’Connor in Macoa.
In 1935, Errol suffered a malarial attack during filming of Captain Blood.
In 1937, Errol publishes Beam Ends, regarding which the Sydney Daily Telegraph reports that Errol was hospitalized in Townsville with malaria.
In September of 1938, Errol was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital prior to opening of The Sisters because of “malarial fever” and respiratory infection.
Circa late September 1940, Errol had a bout with malaria in Mexico City.
In September of 1941, Errol collapsed in an elevator in part due to malaria.
In 1942, Errol was documented to be suffering from recurring bouts of malaria, which contributed to his not being accepted by the Armed Forces for service in WW II. Coupled with heart murmurs and tuberculosis, he was told by doctors he would not survive the decade.
In Vancouver, shortly before his death in October of 1959, Errol had a bout of malaria.
— Tim
Errol arrived at Raoul, Papua New Guinea (PNG), on October 1, 1927, at the age of 18. He came in search of gold and adventure. It’s not clear how many ounces of gold he found, but he certainly did find tons of adventure. For his first two years in PNG, Errol worked at a series of many different jobs and endeavors, at many different locations, for many different employers. He regularly changed jobs and residences, quitting and getting fired frequently.
It’s difficult if not impossible to identify all of Errol’s work and travels during this time period. Likewise, it’s difficult if not impossible to identify exactly when and where he first contracted malaria. However, timing and evidence indicate that he first met “Ann” (the Anopheles mosquito) on New Ireland (while employed at the Kenabot Plantation) or at New Britain (while at the Kokopo Plantation) or at New Hanover, or perhaps on one of the small surrounding islands, such as on Umboi (at the Gizarum Plantation), on Lemus, or on New Hanover (at the Matanalaua Plantation.) And not just the remote jungles and plantations were perilous, all the lowland cities, villages, and settlements, he traveled to and through were malarial hotspots, also – Aitape, Bulalo, Kavieng, Lai, Laloki, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Salamaua, Wau – all of them. Only the highlands of PNG were safe (from malaria, that is, not from headhunters and other nuisances.)
Errol’s time on these Ann-infested islands included very high malarial risk work as a government cadet patrol officer, as a plantation overseer, and as a recruiter of native PNG workers for plantations, et al. It was in one of these activities that, in 1928, he most likely first became a casualty of malaria. Moreover, Errol was very likely bitten more than once, at the same locations and possibly also on subsequent trips to malaria danger zones on mainland New Guinea, including possibly during his adventures up the infamous Sepik (“aka Septic”) River.
…
This map shows the locations where Errol likely first became stricken with malaria.
…
The following two maps show how extremely malarial it still is in the locations where Errol worked. As bad as it is now, it was far, far worse when Errol was there.
…
Though it has receded elsewhere in the world, malaria is still extremely prevalent and dangerous in PNG.
Note from this map, also, that it is not likely Errol would have contracted malaria in mainland Australia or Tasmania.
www.theerrolflynnblog.com…See, also: Errol’s Malaria – Part 1 – Blood-Thirsty Annwww.theerrolflynnblog.com…
— Tim
The Adventures of Robin Hood opened almost simultaneously at both Warner Bros. Downtown (Seventh and Hill) and Warner Bros. Hollywood (on Hollywood Boulevard at Wilcox.) Here is an ad for the openings that ran on May 12 in the Los Angeles Daily Mirror.
…
The Adventures of Robin Hood at the Warner Bros. Downtown Theatre
…
The Adventures of Robin Hood at Warner Bros. Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard
— Tim
On Thursday, May 12, 1938, at 11:45 AM, Radio City Music hall – The Showplace of the Nation – hosted the world premier of The Adventures of Robin Hood
This is the Opening Day 12 x 6 inch advertisement that was published in the New York Times on May 12, 1938.
…
Live on Stage were the following performances…
…
These are the 1938 Rockettes… Waiting in line to meet Errol perhaps?…
…
Music lovers got a real treat. Not only were they to hear for the first time Erich Korngold’s magnificent Academy Award-winning score, they also witnessed a live performance of Ottorino Resphigi’s Pines of Rome, one of the most spectacular symphonic compositions of all time. Here is a version from seven years ago by a tremendous young orchestra:
…
Not to be outdone by Resphigi, here is Maestro Korngold:
…
Here can be seen the full New York Times ad and associated info.
— Tim
The lowlands of Papua New Guinea’s north coast have been a flashpoint in the shattering contest of mosquito versus human throughout history. Here people don’t so much die from malaria as endure it, morbidity outstripping mortality. Debilitating sickness reverberates through genetics, culture, prosperity and aspiration.
Malaria is particularly and powerfully entrenched in the communities here on PNG’s north coast and through the surrounding lowlands, where it has afflicted and shaped generations throughout history, a story written into their DNA.
There are four main types of human malaria. By far the most notorious and deadliest is Plasmodium falciparum, the biggest killer globally. By contrast, PNG has the world’s highest prevalence of P. vivax, which is difficult to control because it lingers in the body and relapses.
This type of malaria (P. vivax) inflicts relapsing illness on their carriers. This is the malaria tale familiar to so many travelers and soldiers who returned from the tropics to find themselves mysteriously floored by bouts of illness for years afterwards.
The location where Errol is believed to have first been stricken with malaria in or near New Britain – and the lifelong recurrent nature of his malaria, is evidence that he obtained it from “Ann” the female Anopheles mosquito, as did soldiers stationed in those same exact locations during World War II.
Conditions in the South Pacific Theater during World War II were harsh — thick jungle, high temperatures, heavy rainfall, swamps, excessive mud, and mountainous terrain made life difficult enough for Soldiers. But the environment was perfect for mosquitos. Disease, especially malaria, was rampant among the troops. Although dysentery and beriberi took their toll, malaria was by far the most devastating disease, causing more casualties than the enemy. In many cases throughout the campaigns malaria played a significant role in determining the outcome of battle.
The primary carrier of malaria was the species Anopheles minimus flavirostris, sometimes nicknamed “Ann” by the Soldiers. This type of mosquito thrived in the Pacific island regions, doing best in regions with swiftly-flowing, clear, shaded water.
— Tim
