[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb0BCqgMPmo[/embedyt]
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
after last week’s guessing game about what could have been, had Flynn been in- Case of the curious blog 3- here is another of Errol`s projected flics that actually made it to the big screen. Thank you, blog member Ralph Schiller for hinting at this little known fact.
It is the story of Irish freedom fighter Michael Collins starring Irish Pride Liam Neeson.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
if Lili Damita had ever been Mrs. Curtiz, was a recurring topic here.
Call me blogheaded, but I wanted to gather some additional preferedly conclusive information. Here is what I came up with.
1. Within the Vienna National Library a standard film encyclopedia (approximately eight bibles thick) can be found called “The great lexicon of film personalities” released in Berlin by Kai Wiesinger drawing from sources dating back to the 1930s. In the Curtiz column it states that he was married to actress Lucy Dorraine, while Damita`s next of kin was Errol Flynn.
2. The Budapest Film Academy had nothing but the internet entries in their archives.
3. An Italian biography called “Un ungarese a Hollywood” lists 1925 as a busy year, but with Damita as the Hu(ngaria)n’s leading lady strictly on a professional level.
4. Another lexicon: HALLIWELL`S Who- is- who- in movies lists Tiger Lil`s lovers such as Maurice Chevalier and King Alfonso III of Spain, but no other groom than Errol. Curtiz` second wife Bess Meredyth is mentioned.
5. Furthermore I reached Mrs. Ilona Ryder, a teacher living in Canada, who is the grandchild of Michael Curtiz and daughter of his son Michael II. She had no personal knowledge of a legal liaison between the two Flynntimates. Let it be noted, that her father was born in the same year as the marriage was said to have taken place.
I admit to have always been sceptical of the Curmita claim, thinking Errol for sure would have mentioned such a relationship in his memoires. He was never beneath a quick quip especially concerning his first ex- wife and the director he loved to hate. Something like “What God has joined together, let no Tasmanian separate” comes to my mind.
Now where did this rumor start in the first place? Look no furtherrol than page 72 of the pocket book edition of Charles Hoaxhams “EF. The Untold Story”
…the actress Lili Damita, who married Errol and Errol`s best known director, Michael Curtiz.
Interestingly on page 96 he writes about our Hollywood hero and Mrs. Dynamita:
Yet they were in many ways incompatible. This was Lily`s first marriage and she wanted possession.
If need be to achieve 100% certainty and infinte clearity, two more sources should be consulted:
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
here is a peek-a-boomshell of our Hollywood hero mingling with the Hurrycane in mink, Diana Dors, at a garden party in England of 1952. The very self concious and sophisticated DD, a perfect mix between Marilyn and Mansfield, knighted herself “the first British sex symbol since Lady Godiva”. Concerning his look, Errol agreed totally.
And here is a musical tribute to this Brit Empress: www.youtube.com…
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
what makes our Hollywood hero such a prolific topic are not only the things he did or didn`t do, but also the films he didn`t get to do. Unfortunately.
We already had this discussion twice:
Here are the remainders of unfinished Flynn business:
A play from W. Somerset Maugham called “Caesar`s wife” as a follow up film to “Lilacs in spring” with Ann Neagle for English producer H. Wilcox.
“Escape from Elba” a histopic about Napoleon with Errol in the role of an Irish general. Connived was this project probably in Cannes, both the landing point of the French Emperor and international glamour spot for Flynn and the Fred Pack.
“The White witch of Rose Hall”, a real life ghost story set in Jamaica announced with Vivian Leigh (!).
According to German Magazine “Gondel”, Errol planned on starring in a film about Fidel Castro and had already talked to studios as late as May of 1959.
Third time lucky, I hope we can clear up the urban legend once and for all, if Errol really was to do a sequel to “The Adventures of Robin Hood”.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
Cap Depp has been showing signs of fondness for our Hollywood hero at the film festival of Venice. Not only was he wearing Errol of ol` style shoes on the red carpet while promoting his newest film “Black Mass”, but his antics at the press conference reminded of Flynn as well. When bored at public gatherings Errol would resort to his flask and immerse himself in a high proof cup of tea. See: www.theerrolflynnblog.com…
Johnny upped the ante and drank straight from a bottle claiming it to be a non alcoholic beverage. The role of real life Irish gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, who collaborated with the FBI against the Italian Mob, while building a criminal empire of his own, could net him an Oscar nomination. He probably drank to that.
Here is what he had to say about the controversial character he playes: “You have to approach him as a human. No one wakes up in the morning and says, as they are brushing their teeth, I am going to do something evil today…I found the evil in myself a long time ago, I accepted it- we are old friends…when ordered by authorities to remove my dogs from Australian soil, I killed them and ate them, for these were the direct orders of a sweaty, big gutted man (reference to the minister of agriculture, who said that Depp`s two Yorkshire Terriers should “bugger” back to the United States).
When asked about the inspirations for his transformations on screen he mentioned John Barrymore, Marlon Brando and Lon Chaney Sr. as rolemodels. Errol Flynn looms large in Johnny`s private life again, since his new wife, Amber Heard, is 23 years younger than the 52 year old actor.
For he`s a Jolly Roger good fellow, Captain Sparrow will set sails for a fifth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean”- franchise scheduled for 2017. Don`t expect non alcoholic beverages at that one. Enjoy,
— shangheinz
[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaXtCIEy2wc[/embedyt]
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
here is a nice little vid showing a trip into La-La Hollywoodland.
One can see how Errol was living off his looks and wit and loving every minute of it.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
The last of Robin Hood finally reached the shores of the old continent and I had a chance to watch this biopic-indy flic on DVD. The casting of course is top notch and the real scoop here. Academy Award winner Kevin Kline has been linked to Errol ever since he starred on Broadway as Pirate King in “The pirates of Penzance”. Despite striking physical similarities, Kline dismissed any eventual parallel with a quick sidestep: “I consider myself rather an actor than a movie star.” Actually that is a very accurate account of Flynn`s dilemma with Warner Bros. Errol was considered rather a movie star than an actor and put in mediocre films many times with the notion, they would make money nonetheless.
Kline`s impersonation of the private Errol is what really brings Flynn to life. I guess method acting was not an option, since it would have hurt Kevin`s de-liver-y. He may be weary to walk in Flynn`s footsteps, but has been donning the pants of famous personalities like Douglas Fairbanks in “Chaplin” and Cole Porter in “De-lovely” before. He has done a ton of movie classics like “Sophie`s Choice”, “The Ice Storm” and “Cry Freedom” and is a rare hybrid actor that feels comfortable both in drama and comedy. The script of TLORH though rarely calls for an indebt characterization, so Kline narrows his acting down to hamming up the Hollywood hero. The dialogue seems like a best of Errol`s quick quips. Despite his disputable actions, Flynn is coming across very favourably.
Since this isn`t your average boy meets girl story, but the story of an aging matinee idol and his last conquest of an underage singer-dancer under the favorable eye of her manager- mother, the studio obviously decided to go easy on everybody. Especially Susan Sarandon, who as always does a fine acting job, has not to answer for the catering of her daughter to a funny old filmstar. Dakota Fanning is credible in her role of timid teenager turned into intoxicating inamorata. The film as a whole has a Sixties feel to it, which I found out of place (and time!). Clearly chosen for its scandalous topic, it doesn`t dare to bare all surrounding sordid details. Errol`s doing drugs comes across like another of his eccentrics for example.
All in all this light comedy comes and goes like a breeze leaving little impression, not even a bitter after taste. Still it is fine for a movie night in like Flynn.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
our blog member Ventura Sala, the son of an original crew member of the Zaca, was kindly showing me the old sport`s old haunts when I visited the capital of the Balearic Islands this summer. Our hands did most of the talking since Ventu speaks little English and I left my Spanish in El Sugundo.
He showed me the Marina, where Errol`s yacht anchored in pole position. One day instead going on board he went overboard the pier in a kind of golf cart he used within the harbour`s parimeters. I wonder why?
Further following Flynn`s footsteps, I saw where his and Pat´s fabulous Windmill Villa once stood. It had direct access to the sea, so no pool was needed.
There were always many visitors around, celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth with her then husband Aly Khan and Robert Graves, the author of “I, Claudius”.
Mary Pickford as well as some sprout of the Rockefeller family rented the Zaca for Mediterranean cruises at that time. The route spanned from Ibiza to the endless isles of Greece.
We ended up in Hotel BONSOL, who boasts a terrific terrace and was frequented regularly by Errol for siestas and fiestas with senioritas and margaritas. There we were enjoying an ice cold beer and each other`s company, a bond I`d like to call mutual Flynnship. Thank U, Ventu!
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
while there is much commotion these days on the blog where and when extra Errol first entered the movie scene, a film he very much wanted to do finally reached the movie screen. It is the lifestory of liberating Simon Bolívar. Our Hollywood hero would have been perfect for this biopic, being the wild and free spirit he was and with his love for South America. It seems only fitting that we can view the charge of the latino brigade free of charge here: www.youtube.com…
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Dear fellow Flynn fans,
Errol’s by now auctioned off romantic letters back from 1934 to a young English maid caused quite a stirr when they resurfaced lately, didn’t they?
First Elspeth, then Elizabeth and now Marjorie – make three. See:
England proved to be a prolific playground for this young lad fresh from Australia and new to the Northampton Repertory.
Should his vivid, vivid ways with the ladies find theirs to the moviescreen, I think this biopic should be called “300”.
Taking all his Oscar Wilderness into account, what about this summer festival where Flynn appeared in the role of a servant as announced in the official programm (forth to last name).
The 4 week Malvern festival was established in 1929 by patron Barry Jackson as a modern day drama counterpoint to the Shakespearean festival in Stratford upon Avon.
In 11 seasons until its suspension because of WWII, no less than 19 plays of George Bernhard Shaw were on display.
Even though appearing in 5 plays during the 1934 season, Errol was not on stage for Shaw`s “You never can tell”.
Another familiar name can be found on the cast for “Saint Bernard”- English actor Jack Allen flanks the left of our Hollywood hero.
Years later he would reappear as merry man to our marrying man in “The Adventures of Robin Hood”. Enjoy!
— shangheinz
