The Errol Flynn Blog

Dear fellow Flynn fans, what`s cooking?

Atticmag published these hard boilt pics. They supposedly show the makeover of Errol`s kitchen in the 70s and then some 30 years later.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

Jock Mahony was the go- to- fallguy for any leap of faith. He made a name for himself within the stunt community and a top 1000 $ by jumping down a staircase from a standing position in “The Adventures of Don Juan”.

Born in Chicago of 1919 Jacques O’Mahoney excelled at swimming, basketball, and football at the University of Iowa. During World War II he was a Marine flight instructor. After the war, he moved to Los Angeles and worked as a horse breeder. He soon was doubling Charles Starrett in the Durango Kid westerns. Jock also doubled Gregory Peck, Randolph Scott and Rod Cameron. One of a few incedibly talented stuntmen he later became a TV star alongside Gene Autry.

If not for Lex Barker, he even would have succeeded Errol`s prime mate Johnny Weismüller as Tarzan. At age 44 he did just that and starred in two jungle features of the noble Ape Man in Thailand and India.

While pitching himself to Hollywood studios with this daring flying stunt from above, he needed a catcher to either save him or to pick up the pieces.  That (no small) feat was handled brilliantly by Paul Baxley

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

here are some subtle subtitles to the filmsy footage: www.theerrolflynnblog.com…

The archer Jerry Hill remembers his uncle Howard.

Errol Flynn’s favorite sailing boat was called, Sirocco. He had another called ZACA. It had a flag on it that had a picture of a fighting game rooster with the boats name below the picture. When he would sail out of Balboa, where he kept it docked, in southern California. Fellow seaman friends, seeing him pass would comment jokingly, “there goes C**K ZACA”. Leading up to the filming of, THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD. Howard Hill was hired by Warner Brothers, to tudor Flynn in the art of archery. Uncle Howard had to school him in all aspects of the sport, drawing an arrow from a backquiver, knocking an arrow onto the string, drawing of the bow, aiming and releasing, proper stance and etc. They spent long hours together, repeating every step to get everything right. It was very important that uncle Howard teach Flynn correctly, so Flynn wouldn’t look stupid in the film. There were quite a few archers that had joined into the sport of archery. Howard new that once the film was released, they too would go and see it. If Flynn didn’t do a good job, he new that he would be the first to hear about it.
Flynn had one problem however. Uncle Howard said that he was double jointed in his elbow, and couldn’t hold his bow arm outward. Flynn continually raked his arm and bruised it. This fact shows in still pictures of him shooting the bow as well as in the film. Even though Flynn complained with most every shot, there seemed to be nothing that could be done, so practice continued. After all Hollywood wouldn’t mind, as they new how to cover things up with make up.
Howard new that some of the best practice that could be done with a bow and arrow, was away from the target and out into the field. Occasionally, they would sail to Catilina island, off the coast of California. They would sail around to the back side and drop anchor in Cherry Cove. Cherry cove was the perfect place, as it would keep Flynn away from picture takers and autograph seekers. From there they would paddle a small boat, called a dingy, into shore. Once on shore they would climb the steep bluffs, and once on top where the land was suitable, they would bowhunt wild boar and wild goats. The island was owned by a Mr Wriggley. Mr Wiggley’s company was of the chewing gum name. The island was stocked with many types of animals, but mostly cattle, goat’s and buffalo. The wild boar were not stocked, as they are considered to be of the early Spanish variety. The boar caused a lot of damage to the island and the goats multiplied so quickly, they were a menius. Mr Wiggly liked uncle Howard and gave him free rein of the island. What a fun time I’m sure the two archers had, mixing work with pleasure. This had to be right down uncle Howard’s alley. Uncle Howard and Flynn made several trips to Catilina later own after the movie was made, also to Santa Cruz island.
After months and months of continued practice, there seem to Flynn to be no end, but finally the last lesson was at hand. It being the last one, uncle Howard made it long and really pressured Flynn to be perfect in every step. Once finished, Flynn looked at uncle Howard and said. “You know Howard, there is only one thing that keeps me from hitting you right in the nose”. Uncle Howard looked at Flynn and ask, “what’s that”? Flynn answered, “FEAR”!

Which proves that Errol feared nothing but fear itself.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

as today is Errol`s birthday, here is what the stars had in store for our Hollywood hero: www.astrotheme.com…

Very fittingly for a man who sailed under the flag of a fighting cock, he was born under the Chinese sign of the Rooster.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

Errol`s congenial counterpart`s birthday shan`t be forgotten. Yesterday he would have turned 123.

In the book “Basil Rathbone: His Life and His Films” a vintage Errol-on-a-role episode is recalled:

The Rathbones gained a reputation for throwing lavish (and expensive!) parties, which the biggest stars in Hollywood attended. At one such party Errol Flynn got drunk, followed a young lady home and passed out on her living room sofa. Later that night, the woman’s father brought the unconscious Flynn back to the Rathbone’s house and dumped him on the lawn. “The next morning, Basil and Ouida were having breakfast on the patio, when the gardener turned on the sprinklers. Who should spring up from the grass, but a hung-over Errol Flynn. The Rathbones sat–mouths agape–as Errol bid them a cheery ‘Good morning,’ then departed for home.”

Here is another worthwhile recount of their encounters:

Flynn & Rathbone – the perfect duelists

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

ever since learning that Errol purchased a Mercedes Benz while filming in Italy of 1953

(see: www.theerrolflynnblog.com…),

I wondered where this custom made car had ended up.

Now we know, in the very capable hands of New York Yankee Reggie Jackson!

From the swashbuckler on the brinks to the straw that stirred the drinks, so to speak.

In 2006 it was resold for $ 264.000.- at an auction in Palm Springs.

I am sure it was the apple of Will Tell`s eye.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

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— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

here is the second standout stuntman who stuck his neck out for Errol. Scotsman and SAS captain Jock Easton, doubled in for Flynn in “Master of Ballantrae”, “Crossed Swords” and “Will Tell 1/2”.

Prior to that he had fought against German field marshal Erwin Rommel in the North African Desert and assisted the French Resistance behind enemy lines. After WWII was over he was awarded a military merit.

With ex-commando Joe Powell he founded the JES- Team and they would perform state of the art stunts for Gregory Peck in “The guns of Navarone” & Sean Connery in “The man who would be king”. Being parachuters they specialised in the perfect plunge. Furthermore Jock would receive the Stunt of the year Award for a “Frankenstein”-  film out of Hammer Studios in England of 1957.

But in January of 1954 he pulled the biggest stunt and it involved our Hollywood hero. All the frustration of the aborted Tell movie led to a blowout between him and Errol. Jock put in the first and then took the second punch. This gentlemen agreement settled the score and ended the argument on the spot. Shelley Winters had a ringside seat.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

picking up Steadyman Tim`s thread: www.theerrolflynnblog.com…

I want to wave it into a (safety) net citing all death defying daredevils that stood in for Flynn.

Let`s beginn with Jack Ingram, who broke his arm, his wrist, and several ribs making this spectacular leap doubling for Errol Flynn in “The Charge of the Light Brigade”.

Luckily he didn`t hurt his head, and so after several weeks of thinking in hospital, he decided to switch to acting in B- Western movies.

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

in 2007 an exhibition called “The Korngolds- Cliché, Critic & Composition” was shown at the Jewish Museum of Vienna to commemorate 50th years since the passing of Erich Wolfgang Korngold. See: www.korngold-society.org…

Attending this event was the Maestro`s granddaughter Kathrin Korngold, herself an accomplished ventriloquist, pardon, violinist of course! Here is an excerpt of the adressing speech she gave on opening night.

I am often asked whether I remember my grandfather. Regrettably, I was only three years old when he passed away, but for the last year of his life, my family lived immediately next door to his home, just a short distance from the Warner Bros. Studios. My memories of that time are shadowy at best, but my life has been punctuated and enriched by accounts of Korngold’s early life as a child prodigy, his musical career both in Vienna and Hollywood, his generous and benevolent spirit, his legendary quickwitted Viennese humor, the memorabilia that filled my childhood home and of course, the music. Always the music.

The genesis of the Korngold Renaissance dates back to 1972, owing to an RCA recording of the Warner Bros. film score classic, “The Sea Hawk”, produced by my uncle, George Korngold, and the esteemed conductor, Charles Gerhardt. The span of Korngold’s Hollywood career was relatively short – a mere twelve years — and yet its significance remains indisputable. In 1938, after having traveled between Vienna and Hollywood for several years, and having established himself as an Academy Awardwinning composer, Korngold was forced to make a critical decision that would have a long-lasting effect on his life, as well as that of his family. He was invited to compose the score for a film called “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, agreed, and then, having viewed a screening, had a change of heart feeling that it was, as he put it — “no picture for him”. On February 12th, Helene Thimig, wife of the famed director and impresario, Max Reinhardt, called the Korngolds who were now in California, warning them that it was “all over” in Vienna. To quote my grandmother, “Under the crucifying influence of the news we had just heard on the telephone, Erich began to reflect on the matter. My grandfather acquiesced and went on to earn his second Oscar for “The Adventures of Robin Hood”.

Fifty years ago, Erich Wolfgang Korngold died in Hollywood, brokenhearted – believing himself a forgotten man. I would like to close this evening, by articulating how deeply gratified our family is to know that Erich Wolfgang Korngold, the man and his music, have been welcomed once again to Vienna, the city he knew and loved so well. Indeed, the child prodigy has, at last, come home again.

Over the past 10 years, since my father’s death, I have seen my Family role evolve to that of an ambassador – a caretaker of my grandfather’s legacy, if you will — and now, my greatest pleasure derives from corresponding with scholars and artists who are keen to research and perform the Korngold repertoire. In doing so, I am fulfilling the promise that I made in 1987 to my Uncle George, shortly before his death – to do all that I could to help Korngold’s star continue to rise.

True to her word, Mrs. Korngold was very forthcoming when I approached and asked her what she knew about an abandoned Errol Flynn soundtrack of her grandfather. In Brendan Carroll`s Korngold biography, The Last Prodigy, the topic of a Don Juan score is mentioned.

She said that she could only answer speculatively about her grandfather’s view of the abandoned Don Juan mission.  As Flynn’s drinking bouts were the cause of the delay in shooting this film, she imagined that Korngold was disappointed. However, by 1945, she believed that he was already feeling somewhat disillusioned with the quality of his film assignments, and was ready to return to his concert works.  Poor health prevented him from taking on Forever Amber at Twentieth Century Fox, as well as The Adventures of Don Juan at Warner Brothers. He however did some sketches for a main theme.

I was allowed to order them from the Korngold Collection and show them to you here on the blog. Mrs. Kathy K., your heart is a Korngold mine- Danke schön!

Enjoy,

— shangheinz