The Errol Flynn Blog

Tim Reid, Historic Researcher

Time Ride Enterprises

754-368-1295

On**************@gm***.com

NEWS RELEASE 

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF “ROBIN HOOD” ON CORONADO

Errol Flynn & Olivia De Havilland Stayed At The Hotel Del During the Summer of 1938

“The Adventures of Robin Hood” Played at Coronado Theater During Flynn’s Stay

Long Unpublished Photo of Flynn at the Hotel Pool Has Been Identified

CORONADO – The Summer of 1938 was an especially stellar one in the Emerald City. The Island witnessed a constellation of Hollywood Stars, including the most celebrated adventure star in cinematic history, the legendary Errol Flynn, who arrived at the Hotel Del during the debut of “The Adventures of Robin Hood” at the Coronado Theater. Following Flynn to the Hotel Del later that summer for the purpose of filming “Wings of the Navy” at North Island was Flynn’s equally-luminous ‘Robin Hood” co-star, Olivia De Havilland. Though already extremely popular around the world because of  “Captain Blood” & “Charge of the Light Brigade”, “Robin Hood” launched them both into screen immortality. Seventy-five years later, “Errol & Olivia” are still widely regarded the most beautiful and romantic couple in film history.

Flynn visited Coronado frequently during the 30s, 40s & 50s, often on one of his two magnificent yachts, the Sirocco or Zaca. He was a world-class sailor, a famously talented tennis player, a renowned aquatic athlete and sportsman, and an early expert in the then- new sport of water skiing – the latter of which helped bring him to Coronado in the Summer of ’38.  Even so, there are very few photos of Errol Flynn in The Crown City. As a result of recent research by an international group of Flynn historians, however, including by former Coronado resident Tim Reid, the photo of Flynn attached has been positively identified as one taken at the Hotel Del pool during the star’s stay seventy-five years ago this summer. A sensational, long-unknown poolside photo of his first wife, French movie star, Lili Damita, has also been found, as well as a photo of DeHavilland sunbathing on what is believed to be Coronado Beach, circa 1938.

In 1941, Errol again stayed at the Hotel Del, with Sirocco docked at the Coronado Yacht Club, while he filmed “Dive Bomber”, written by heroic Navy aviator, Hollywood screenwriter, and Coronado resident, Frank “Spig” Wead, who himself was later tributed by John Ford & John Wayne in “The Wings of Eagles”.  Warner Brothers held its world premier of “Dive Bomber” on North Island in August of 1941.

Earl Conrad, co-writer of Errol Flynn’s autobiography, was also a resident of Coronado until his death in 1986.

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For further information and imagery, Tim Reid can be reached at the above phone number and/or email address. With his sons, he is researching and documenting the histories of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams & Errol Flynn in San Diego, Baja & beyond.  He has been significantly assisted in his Flynn research by David DeWitt and multiple Authors of the Errol Flynn Blog,  the Coronado Public Library, Coronado Historian Joe Ditler, the Coronado Yacht Club, San Diego State University Library Special Collections, and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.

— Tim

— Tim

Luke in Errol’s Old Stomping Grounds:

— Tim

Wherever he played, Errol was quite talented on the courts and popular in the clubs. Here are some photos of him at some of his favorite courts, with some of his fellow stars:

With Charlie Chaplin at the Los Angeles Tennis Club:

With Paulette Goddard:

With Silent Movie Star Charlie Farrell & Tennis Great Alice Marble (and I don’t know who on Errol’s left!)* at the Palm Springs Raquet Club, which Farrell and Ralph Bellamy founded:

*Kay Shackleton – The Movie Gal – informed us on March 22, 2014 – that the man on Errol’s left is none less than Donald Budge! Budge may have been the greatest tennis player that ever lived.

— Tim

Hello All Flynn Fans & Experts,

In researching Errol’s history on Coronado Island, California, I have been able to positively document that he regularly visited the island with the Sirocco.  And, of course, he’s known to have filmed “Dive Bomber” there during 1941.  However, historical records appear to be devoid of any (off-the-set/”out-in-town”) photographs.  I believe, though, that I may have made a possible connection between the great photo below and the Hotel Del Coronado.  If so, this would be wonderful for San Diego & Coronado historians.  … Before making a final conclusion, however, I would like to inquire with all the experts, fans and insiders out there whether they might have any information or insight concerning the history and/or provenance of this terrific photo!?!  And, if it’s from another location, that, too, would be great to document!

For the record, my initial belief is that this may have been taken in or around the Spring of ’41, while Errol was filming “Dive Bomber” on Coronado.

— Tim

Australian Prime Minister “Channels Errol”:

www.smh.com…

— Tim

Errol standing in for Walter Winchell.  “Things You Never Knew About Ships”  – published in the Summer of 1940, during the spectacularly popular (first) release of “Sea Hawk” – which was released a second time – again to great popularity – in 1947.  Errol references the movie several times in this article.  (Also interesting – in the separate article to the side –  Jimmie Fidler takes an apparent jab at Errol!)

“Never Before So Many Thrills … Never Such Adventure … The Robin Hood of the Sea”

— Tim

Right this moment at his very own Filmhouse – “Errol Rides Again” – with wonderful accounts of growing up a Flynn from Rory herself!  Thank you, Rory!!

www.errolflynnfilmhouse.com…

— Tim

Errol used to sometimes stay in Coronado – an island immediately west of Downtown San Diego.  Most often, he stayed at the magnificent  Hotel Del Coronado, including while he was filming “Dive Bomber” in 1941, much of it at the North Island Naval Air Station, walking distance down the beach.  When he sailed to Coronado, he would dock at the Coronado Boathouse/Yacht Club, on the bayside of  “The Del'”.  In addition to being a prominent and highly regarded sailor in the area, Errol was also a very highly regarded player at the resort’s famous tennis courts.

“Dive Bomber” was filmed before the attack on Pearl, but San Diego was already booming with military activity, not only with defense manufacturing for FDR’s Lend Lease programs, but also (very correctly) in expectation of a major naval war in the Pacific.  This, combined with the movie’s superb first-of-its-kind color aviation filming – not to mention mega-star Errol Flynn, of course! – made the movie a big success.  Here’s a clip from one of the great, pioneering aviation scenes from the movie – with Errol’s plane flying by “The Del”.   In the upper right is Glorietta Bay, location of the Coronado Boathouse/Yacht Club, where Errol ofttimes docked the Sirocco & Zaca when he sailed to San Diego.

And here’s a recent evening shot of the Coronado Boathouse, not unlike it would have looked in the days of Flynn:

Another, this one somewhat similar perhaps to how the Sirocco would have looked sailing out of Glorietta Bay:

Researching Errol’s history in San Diego, I found this very rarely seen (and, I believe, never before published) autographed image of the dapper young Errol – signed for a female admirer from Coronad0 in 1941.  With the original photo (in opposite orientation, as pointed out by Robert) and the cover of the May 38, 1938 Life Magazine I believe it was published in (without autograph, of course.)  I believe a copy of this Life Magazine is buried in a time capsule below the site of the 1938 World’s Fair, with the intent of being opened in 2938.

 

        

And you know who, filming on the beach at The Del:

Coronado’s La Avenida Cafe, much as it looked in Errol’s day.  A favorite place to dine for both Errol and Marilyn, with the magnificent “El Dia del Mercado” mural by Ramos Martinez.

As it looks today, as the “Bistro of Asia”:

— Tim