On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, 1959, it was reported around the globe that Errol Flynn had been wounded in Cuba while covering the combat of Fidel Castro’s rebel forces. This was spectacular and very surprising news: Robin Flynn of Hollywood was swashbuckling around in the Sierra Madre Forest with the future Hood of Havana and his Not-So-Merry Rebel Men (and Rebel Girls.) A blockbuster story custom-made for (and by) the one-and-only Errol Flynn.
— Tim
“Not too tight, and not too loose.”
In The Courage to Love, renowned psychologist and hypnotherapist Stephen Gilligan recounts Errol’s response to a question regarding how best to hold a sword when fencing. Dr. Gilligan observed that Errol’s answer can be adapted as a guiding philosophy to many facets of life. He coined it “The Errol Flynn Principle”.
Errol said that when holding a sword, one should imagine holding a bird. If you hold the bird too tightly, you will crush it and lose it forever. However, if you hold it too loosely, it will fly away. “Not too loose and not too tight” was Flynn’s advice. And sage advice it was. After all, who knew both swords and birds better than Errol?
— Tim
“The Light Brigade Rides Again”
“The Making of the Charge of the Light Brigade”
— Tim
New Year’s Day, 1938
Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner
Happy New Year!
Very little whoopie in Hollywood this year to herald in the New Year. Many of the stars went to the desert for a quiet New Year’s Eve and those who didn’t went to bed early to attend the races at Santa Anita or the football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Our sport-loving stars had a difficult time choosing between the game and the races, but a poll taken disclosed that the races won by a large majority.
Socially the most important events were a dinner given by Grace Moore and Gladys Swarthout, a small gathering of Marion Davies’ close friends at her beach house to celebrate her birthday, and a celebration at the Charlie Chaplin mansion.
The Bing Crosbys partied with a few congenial friends, including Andy Devine. But Bing had big business at Santa Anita, so he didn’t stay up late.
Marlene Dietrich, Myrna Loy and Arthur Hornblow Jr., Bette Davis and Harmon Nelson, George Brent, the Robert Youngs, Jeanette MacDonald and Gene Raymond saw the New Year in at Palm Springs, while the Charles Boyers, the Errol Flynns, and Brian Aherne chose the restful La Quinta for their holiday.
amp-desertsun-com.cdn.ampproject.org…
— Tim
December 20, 1941
The Hollywood Parade
Bill Wickersham
Los Angeles Examiner
Celebrating their engagement, Mickey Rooney and Ava Gardner were a beatific duo at “Sugie” Sugarman’s Beverly Tropics with Dick Paxton as their guests. And among those who pulledup alongside to rejoice with them were Betty Jaynes, the Douglas McPhails, Gwyne and Bud Ernst, and Errol Flynn.
A great place to get Errol Flynned.
— Tim
December 24, 1937
Jimmy Starr
LA Evening Herald Express
For a thrilling scene in Robin Hood, Errol Flynn threw a 15 pound spear through a window and is supposed to make it stick in the opposite wall. Flynn threw the spear, but his name was poor.
Lucky for director Michael Curtiz that he ducked in time. The spear nipped off his hat, pinning it to the floor of the stage. “Are you hurt?” screamed the frantic Flynn.
“No, I am all right,” replied Mike, “but look at my hat — she is dead!”
— Tim
December 23, 1949
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Pals of Errol Flynn say that the Maharajah of Bundi invoted the star to join an elephant hunt on New Year’s Day. Meanwhile, Errol’s former mother-in-law Marge Eddington, sent out 50 Christmas bundles in Flynn’s name to underprivileged children.
Errol was in India filming Kim in November and December of 1949.
— Tim
America calling, PW …
Just in time for Christmastime – Our Lady in London – publishes Errol’s secret recipe!
“The Spectator magazine’s Christmas special is doubly festive this year, [including] an entry from journalist and high-society member Petronella Wyatt revealing details … of her favourite seasonal cocktail, “The Errol”, named after its inventor Errol Flynn.” [The Irish Times]
The Spectator Christmas Special
“My favoured cocktail for the Christmas alcoholiday is an invention of Errol Flynn’s. Flynn taught it to my late friend Diana, Countess of Wilton, back in the 1950s. Diana was a perfected presence, a swan among swans, and Flynn, who was living in Rome at the time, used to take her to lunch. Far from being a vulgar seducer, he liked to talk about Socrates and had wanted to become a writer. He was a tragic man, trapped by his own physical beauty. His eyes, the colour of Anatolian waters, had a terrible sadness. But he taught her to make a cocktail of such subtlety that it is like drinking moonbeams.”
“‘The Errol’ is a variation on a White Lady and I publish the recipe here for the first time. Into a cocktail shaker, pour 1 part gin, 1 part Cointreau and 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add a teaspoon of white rum. Shake with ice and serve in martini glasses.”
Thank you, Petronella, and Erroltime tidings!
— Tim
Who is he? Who is he?
Here are some roundabout clues:
¤ He played drums for Beatles.
¤ Yes he did.
¤ Imagine that.
¤ Was in with a Flynn
¤ All Things Must Pass
¤ Played one of the coolest drum parts in rock hstory:
— Tim
