Eighty-Five Years Ago Today (Sydney Time), on March 15, 1933, Errol Appeared Live AND On Film at the Prince Edward Theater in Sydney.
Errol was paid £2 to stand on stage in what he later described as a bad wig and bizarre naval uniform, appearing more like “an elderly keeper at a [Sydney brothel] than Fletcher Christian. The Ides of March ended bad for Caesar, but great for Flynn. It signaled the birth of Errol’s acting career.
A superb assembly of contemporaneous news articles by EFB Author “Isabel Australis”:
And here’s the cinematic Flynn himself, just as he appeared at the Prince Edward Theater, eighty-five years ago today, March 15, 1933 – On the Ides of Flynn:
Americans of all walks of life were banded together to support the war effort, and Hollywood celebrities were no exception. This was the reason that on September 3, 1942, famed actor James Cagney, known for his energetic performances, and deadpan comic timing, visited Libertyville as part of an effort to sell war bonds. Drawing a crowd of some 4,000 at Cook Park (according to the 194o census the population of Libertyville was 3,930) Cagney gave a speech about the virtues of supporting the war effort by buying war bonds. It must have been a very inspiring speech since by the time he left the steps of the Cook Memorial Library, which was at the time located in Cook House, the town had pledged nearly $111,000.
As a reward for the town’s patriotism, Liberty was chosen to be the location of the world premiere of “Desperate Journey”, a film about a group of downed Allied airmen making their way out of Nazi Germany staring Errol Flynn and (Future President) Ronald Reagan. As part of the ceremonies, then Illinois Governor Dwight H. Green drove a horse-drawn carriage, loaned to him by publishing magnate John F. Cuneo, up Milwaukee Avenue.
An EFB Four Score News Report: The Anniversary of The Prince and the Pauper
Louella O. Parsons – Extract from the Los Angeles Illustrated Daily News – May 12, 1937
“Miles Herndon, dashing soldier of fortune, delivers the rightful prince.
Warners are indeed fortunate in having Errol Flynn in the family to play Herndon.
Where I ask you, is there a more suitable actor for a role that calls for
a handsome devil-may-care adventurer? Errol may have had bigger roles, but
never one that suited him better.”
Elizabeth Yeaman – Extract from the Hollywood Citizen News – May 13, 1937
With the coronation in England dominating the headlines for days, nothing
could have been more timely than Warners’ film version of The Prince and
the Pauper, which is climaxed by an elaborate coronation sequence.
Harrison Carrol – Extract from the Los Angeles Evening Herald Express – May 13, 1937
If Mark Twain had been alive today and had written The Prince and the Pauper
under Hollywood assignment, he could not have turned out a more perfect screen
story for this coronation year and for two extraordinary child actors, Billy
and Bobby Mauch.
In its spectacular and veracious coronation scenes this is as timely a picture
as could be asked.
It is Errol Flynn, playing a good natured soldier of fortune, who takes the young prince under his wing – not the least believing his story – and finally clears the way for a nick-of-time restoration of the royal youth, just as the unwilling beggar boy is about to be crowned king of England. In the role, Flynn is a dashing figure.
Warners have made the coronation ceremony one of the year’s spectacular screen episodes.
The Prince and the Pauper is an excitingly narrated, handsomely prodeuced, finely acted picture – an artistic achievement for producer Hal B. Wallis and all concerned – and a box-office natural.
Heading the supporting bill is a color short, A Day at Santa Anita.
Published on May 1, 1937 – Perfect because of the May Day connections to the legend of Robin Hood. Movie Released in May of 1938.
LOUELLA PARSONS – LOS ANGELES EXAMINER
How do you like the idea of the dashing young Errol Flynn as the adventurous Robin Hood?
We hope you do because you’re going to see him in one of his next pictures in the role,
of the legendary hero who stole from the rich that the poor might live. Interesting that
young Flynn, who has so often been called Douglas Fairbanks’ successor, should inherit one
of the most popular of the Fairbanks’ roles.
According to Jack Warner, who definitely settled on the Robin Hood idea just before he left
for New York, this will be an outdoor Technicolor special with an effective background for
Robin Hood’s romantic adventures. Since it is not a musical Reginald de Koven’s tuneful
operetta will not be included although Warners own the libretto by Harry Smith. Olivia
de Havilland, who has made her most successful pictures with Flynn, will be his starring
partner with Patric Knowles in a featured role.
IT WAS EIGHTY YEARS AGO TODAY
March 16, 1937, in the Los Angeles Evening Herald Express
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Green Light Hero Does His Cooking Best Outside
In the opinion of Errol Flynn, cooking is best in the great open spaces.
Flynn, the Irish actor, author, world-traveler and soldier-of-fortune now starring in the Cosmopolitan production of Green Light, which closes tonight at Warners’ Hollywood and Downtown, is a great admirer of culinary delicacies.
“You can’t do food real justice,” he contends “unless it’s cooked in the open. I’d trade the finest kitchen range anytime for a small plot under the trees by an open stream.”
Flynn learned the art of cookery beside roaring bonfires. His tutors were natives of New Guinea, Australia, and the uncharted islands in the South Seas.
He discovered that they know more about cooking and seasoning than most of the civilized races of the earth.
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Here’s Errol shopping on Catalina for one of his famous pig-on-a-spit backyard roasts:
Rory & Sean have been a Very Big Hit in Coronado this Weekend, at all the VIP Ceremonies, Rory’s sensational Show about Errol, Dive Bomber, introduced by Sean, and a “The Baron of Mulholland” Meet & Greet/Book Signing.
Chris Lemmon and Leonard Maltin were around. Legendary Flynn-Fan Richard Dreyfuss met with Rory & Sean before the show.
Several festival guests had great stories about Errol. One was a little girl at her aunt’s home in Holmby Hills when Errol came by and read all the kids Peter and the Wolf. One fellow’s father used to watch Errol play tennis at the Hotel Del and said he was incredible, one day nearly beating the top ranked player in California/one of best players in the world. Also heard about Errol socializing with Naval officers at North Island Officers Club, at the Hotel Del bar, and at their homes on Coronado.
P.S. Dive Bomber is extraordinary on the big screen.
Today and tomorrow will be the Flynn place to be, Flynncluding at the Coronado Library, which is hosting some of the many great events at the Coronado Island Film Festival.
As did Errol himself, numerous Flynn Crowd celebrities used to visit Coronado. One notable Flynnsider who lived on the island wrote the following tribute to the Coronado Library. Who was she or he?
