RSS
 

Archive for the ‘Behind the Scenes’ Category

Road to Mulholland

24 Apr

On Sunday, February 13, 1949, Flynn Flung a Party Up at the Farm on Mulholland.

See, Flynn Flings a Party on the EFB

On the list of luminaries invited to that A-list soiree was the fum and gorgeous Dorothy Lamour. Here she is that party, just her and Errol.

It’s been said that Errol and Dorothy dated. They certainly appear to have enjoyed each other’s company very much and could have been an extremely attractive couple. Circa their being together in ’49, Dorothy recorded ‘Moonlight Becomes You’, a sensational song that became an instant classic when Bing Crosby sang it to her years earlier in Road to Morocco.

Seen in a different light, the title ‘Moonlight Becomes You’ could also be interpreted as ironically applying to the rape trial turning point in Errol’s life, though I’m sure Dorothy never had that in mind. …Here she is singing the song that (rightfully) helped make her famous. (I know I’ve had a major crush on her since the day I first her in that Hope-Crosby classic.) Background vocals by the great Crew Chiefs, known mostly for singing during the War with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.


CONNECTIONS

Errol was going through a very difficult time in his marriage with Nora, one that sadly resulted in divorce. Nora was a beautiful and desirable woman, so much so that Dick Hames and John Ireland were both trying to win her affections in 1949. So much so that one of the world’s greatest songwriters – Jimmy Van Heusen – also fell in love with her, making his feelings known for all time in the ‘But Beautiful’ – a now-standard jazz gem which Bing also sang to Dorothy in a Road picture – the Road to Rio! – And which was also sung at Nora’s funeral ❤.

Here’s the beautiful ‘But Beautiful’, written for Nora, sang here to Dorothy Lamour:

— Tim

 

Cheerio Yawl!

24 Apr

April 24, 2019

A Dash of Cheer

“Cheerio II was built in 1931 by Fellows & Stewart in San Pedro, California and was designed by Edson B. Shock. The 85 year old classic sailboat was designated in 1992 as the State of California’s 66th historic vessel and landmark, a designation that only wooden boats built before 1940 can be given.”


She was the play toy of Errol Flynn, the swashbuckling actor from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Back in the day, folks would see Flynn and his friend, actor David Niven, sailing tye yawl to Catalina.”

— Tim

 

“FLYNN FLINGS A PARTY”

23 Apr

As reported in the April 23, 1949, issue of PIX Magazine, shown below, Errol threw a party at Mulholland full of “his filmland friends”. During this A-list event: Errol conducted “white mice races”; Shelley Winters was arrested by a bogus police officer, and a guest was caught and evicted for stealing a revolver. For the record, I find the photos captions rather stupid and insulting. Despite so, the article is valuable because its candid photos capture Flynn with other Hollywood celebrities he was rarely, if ever, photographed with before or after.

— Tim

 

Erben’s Myth — A Million Dollar Srory

22 Apr

By United Press
Hollywood, April 21, 1937

ACTOR DENIES SAYING STARS RAISED FUNDS

Report That $1,500,000 Given By Certain Film Players to Loyalists Claimed False

An Interview with Errol Flynn In Barcelona Spain, in which the film actor and soldier of fortune purportedly told of helping raise a $1,500,000 fund in the Hollywood film colony to aid the loyalist forces, came under the scrutiny of the Knight of Columbus today. Thomas B. Flanagan, secretary of the Los Angeles council of the Knights of Columbus, said he was sending a report on Flynn to John J. Rossborough, state deputy of the order at Oakland, California, and to the national headquarters of the organization’s newly launched “antiradical” campaign at New Haven, Conn.

The purported interview was published in the Hollywood Reporter, a film trade paper. The Reporter stated the interview was filed to them by “our regular Barcelona correspondent.” The part to which the Knights of Columbus reportedly found most objection to follows:

SAYS FUND RAISED

“Is it true that money has been collected in Hollywood to help the Spanish government?’ asked the Reporter. “‘Yes,’ said the actor, ‘Fredrick March, James Cagney and I were the initiators and $1,500,000 has been raised so far”.” Flynn, husky film leading man and husband of Lili Damita, French actress, has been in Spain as a roving correspondent He was reported wounded by a machine gun bullet in dispatches from Madrid which later developed to be erroneous.

The Hollywood Reporter’s dispatch upon his arrival at Barcelona, strong loyalist headquarters, further stated: “When Errol Flynn arrived in Barcelona he was greeted by the “commissioner of public spectacles, J. Carner Rlbalta, who introduced him to the “commissioner of propaganda” of the Catalonian government, Jaime Miravitles, and the heart of the cinema section the same department, Juan Castanyer.

While in Barcelona, Flynn was considered a guest of honor of the Catalonian government and all facilities were accorded him. “In an interview with the press, Flynn said his visit to Spain was prompted by a desire to ascertain the truth regarding conditions here. “Asked by the press boys what was the general impression in the United States about the war, he replied: “That’s it, the confusing news and the fact that all the American press is in the hands of powerful trusts made me decide to take this trip to see with my own eves what is really happening and write a series of articles for publication.”

The dispatch ended:

“Flynn was accompanied by his old friend, Dr. Hermann F. Erben, a well known member of the American Communist party.”

— Tim

 

Who Better Than Errol?

18 Apr

April 18, 1944

— Tim

 

Gentleman Flynn

18 Apr


GENTLEMAN FLYNN
THE FRONT ROW
NEW YORKER MAGAZINE | 2011

Transcript of “Richard Brody on Raoul Walsh’s “Gentleman Jim” (See Video in red link above.)

[Gentleman Jim’s manager, Billy Delaney/William Frawley] Hey, what’s the idea Choynski, where’s your boxing gloves?

[Joe Choynski’s Manager] He lost ’em, that’s what he did, He lost ’em

[Referee] Yeah, well he can’t fight with those.

[Billy Delaney] Aw, nix on that. We won’t fight you without regulation gloves.

[Errol/Gentleman Jim] Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Billy. He can use gloves, no gloves, bare knuckles. He can use a baseball bat if he wants. Let’s get started.

[Richard Brody] I’m Richard Brody and this clip is from Gentleman Jim, a 1942 film directed by Raoul Walsh. It’s a biopic about James J. Corbett, a late 19th century boxer who came
from a rough Irish immigrant family in San Francisco, and yet brought a new level of refinement and gentility to the sport of boxing.

[whistling]

It stars Errol Flynn as a young man with an exuberant excessive swagger. He starts out as a bank teller who had cultivated his pugilistic skills through family brawls and hasn’t yet had a chance to put them on public display. At the same time, he has social climbing ambitions and makes use of an unanticipated connection with an heiress to get himself introduced into the Olympic Club. There, he finally gets to show off his skills and become something of a local celebrity.

Walsh takes pleasure in the rough-hewn media
of illegal prize fighting. The movie is filled with a jaunty and exuberant rowdiness.

[John L. Sullivan] I’ll meet any man who will stand on his own two feet, and if you had about 30 pounds more on you, you’d be the first one sir.

[Errol] I’ll return the compliment Mr. Sullivan, if you’d fight me, I’d just wish you were five years younger.

[Sullivan] What do you mean by that?

[Errol]Not much fun winning the championship from a guy who’s practically tripping over his beard.

[Richard Brody] In this scene, Corbett is trying to get himself a match for the heavyweight title
with the great fighter, John L. Sullivan,a harsh, aggressive, somewhat crude Boston man
who was intensely proud and nearing the end of his career and had no intention of fighting the young peacock. ..But Corbett applies his non-boxing skills to find his way into the ring with him.

[Sullivan] Call the newspaper boys in. I’ll fight that blabbermouth anytime, anywhere.

[crowd cheers]

[Richard Brody] There’s something special about the character of Corbett. He seems peculiarly modern, in fact, even more modern than Walsh imagined. Unlike the other boxers he faces,
he isn’t just a brawler, he’s a dancer, he’s a master of fancy footwork. And with his fancy footwork comes high-flowing verbiage, the ability to use taunting to get under his opponent’s skin and, with his confection of his public image and his careful attention to his appearance, Corbett seems nothing less
than a precursor to Mohammad Ali.

[boxing bell rings]

[crowd cheers]

— Tim

 

Virtual Visit to the Garden of Allah! — Tomorrow! Saturday, April 17, 2021

17 Apr

TALES FROM THE GARDEN OF ALLAH

Saturday, April 17, 2021
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern/10:30 – 2:00 PM Pacific.

$20

— Tim

 

Hollywood — April 16, 1944

16 Apr

Photo above taken in 1936 at the Los Angeles Tennis Club

— Tim

 

Tax Time

15 Apr

April 15th being the traditional last day for filing income tax forms, here are Errol’s from 1953

Quoting WorthPoint:

“Errol Flynn signed tax payers copy of his 1953 Federal Income Tax return form 1040 with supporting schedules. This incredible document has significant content as the schedules gives us a glimpse into the life and finances of Errol Flynn during this period. It refers to his wife and lists his dependent children as well as his address in Italy. The included schedules also refer to the profit and loss on his investments such as his Titchfield Hotel , Navy Island , cattle, plantation and his acting expenses . He also deducts $ 20,666 for theft by his business manager. He reports a large sum of income from sale of stock of Thompson Productions as well as sale of his plane.”

— Tim

 

Thank You, Comrade [S.O.B.]!

12 Apr

Photo below published April 11, 1937:

“Errol Flynn is pictured in a photography accompanying an ABC article lauding Hollywood actors and cinematographers for collecting money in support of Republican Spain (ABC, April 11, 1937, p. 4-5)”

Thank you, Comrade [S.O.B]!

“At a lunch with high-ranking military officers, one of them talked about “the heartfelt emotions and happiness the Spanish people felt that their hero of the screen and upholder of justice, Errol Flynn, was with them. The Spanish people would never forget this … I sat there in amazement, trying not to show surprise to be cast in such a role.” (Errol Flynn, “My Wicked, Wicked Ways.” New York: Cooper Square Press: Distributed by National Book Network, 2003. Orig. pub. in 1959, p. 230. Flynn eventually found out why he was being given the royal treatment and why people had such high expectations about his visit. On his last day in Spain his driver asked him when he was going to donate the money that he and his Hollywood friends had raised. It was then, according to Flynn’s autobiography, that Erben explained that the best way to go places was to say they were bringing $1 million dollars to help the cause. Again, according to Flynn, Erben said that all he wanted was a chance to work as a doctor, performing surgeries. “The only way I could do it and get by in style here was to use you.” To which Flynn responded, “Thank you, Comrade [S.O.B.]!” (Ibid., p. 235)”

Quoted from: blogs.loc.gov…

— Tim