Well, is it?
— David DeWitt
Archive for the ‘Flynn-related’ Category
Sean Flynn in FIVE ASHORE IN SINGAPORE
18
Aug
In the Mail Bag we receive this nice inquiry from French film director Raphael Millet. Unfortunately, I do not have any hi res scans or photos of this poster and am wondering if any of you can help him out? He writes:
Bonjour,
I found your contact on the Errol Flynn blog.
I am a French film director, producer and critic.
I love Errol Flynn’s movies.
I also have a passion for Sean Flynn, and great interest in the later part of his life (from 1965 onwards).
I am currently writing a long article about the movie FIVE ASHORE IN SINGAPORE for a magazine published in Singapore.
I have many images of it, including French lobby cards, posters in various languages. But I have no poster of the film in English, and I think this would be most relevant for a publication in English.
I noticed that you have a very nice poster in your collection (see image here attached).
Would it be possible to ask you for a very good high res copy or photo of it, if you have any, in order to have it reproduced in the magazine, together with my article?
It would be a nice way to celebrate Sean Flynn and to pay tribute to his Singaporean adventure.
In exchange, I’d be very happy to have a copy of the magazine being mailed to you, upon publication (around October).
Looking forward to your kind reply.
— David DeWitt
Titchfield Hotel Menu circa 1959
01
Aug
I am fascinated by the old Titchfield Hotel when Errol owned it. We know it has long since gone into history but my late friend Dennis Mullen was able to get onto the restricted grounds where the hotel stood by charming a soldier there at the military training grounds the area subsequently became with a few cocktails they might drink together on what remained of the hotel and pools, and toast Flynn. Dale Westin, who was then manager of the Errol Flynn Marina had told him access to the site was impossible but Dale did not reckon with Dennis’s wit and guile and sheer Flynn style wicked ways …
Dennis Mullen at the Titchfield swim up bar, the first of its kind.
Titchfield Pool Remains
Dennis and his new soldier pal sat in what they figured was the same spot as Errol and Earl Conrad and drank to Flynn and our blog, he told me. So over the years, after Dennis passed away far, far too soon, the hotel still fascinates me and I look here and there for any tidbit about it I can find. Occasionally, I find a postcard. Or two.
And if lucky find an item I have not seen before. Here is something in that happy category: an eBay item featuring a menu from the hotel that looks like simple dinner fare …
A bit hard to read but the seller provides a date:
Titchfield Hotel Menu 1959 Jamaica
One page with cover on one side and dinner menu on backside. Dinner menu is dated 13th Aug. 1959. Does not have prices.
— David DeWitt
Mail Bag! A Flynn State of Mind!
26
Jul
This comes from our chum Claudia Raab and expresses a great idea:
Hi David,
Hope all is well.
A couple of days ago I had an interesting conversation with a friend who also loves to travel to the U.S. and she told me that she has succeeded in visiting all States at least once.
After this talk I started wondering how many States our man Errol might have been to, and whether this might even be a topic for the EFB.
I can think of some but I’m sure the Flynnthusiasts from the EFB know a lot more.
Alabama
Alaska – USO tour in 1943
Arizona – filming for Virginia City (Sedona, Painted Desert, visiting the Grand Canyon and probably quite a few bars in Flagstaff) and Without Incident at Old Tucson Studios
Arkansas
California – that’s a no-brainer ;-)
Colorado – premiere of Silver River in Denver
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas – premiere of Dodge City
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada – premiere of Virginia City, boating/fishing on Lake Mead with Sean
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico – filming of Rocky Mountain around Gallup, premiere of Santa Fe Trail
New York – he visited NYC quite a few times
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon – fishing on the Klamath River (although that might have been in Northern California)
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah – skiing at Alta
Vermont
Virginia/DC
Washington – stopover in Seattle on his way to Alaska (not sure about this; I think I read it somewhere but can’t find any evidence)
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Best,
Claudia
Thanks, Claudia!
— David DeWitt
SuperHood
22
Jul
“Take DC Comics’ ‘Green Arrow’ and drop him in medieval times and you have a fairly accurate description of what the newest Hollywood take on the bow-wielding legend looks like.”
““Robin Hood”, starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx and Jamie Dornan, makes the hero-robber into a high-adrenaline action flick.”
“This fall’s “Hood” coincides with the 80th anniversary of “The Adventures of Robin Hood” starring Errol Flynn, who provided classic swashbuckling derring-do in the fight against oppression.”
“This “Hood”, though, is more of an alter-ego to set up Lord Robin of Locksley as an medieval superhero: the precursor to DC Comics’ Green Arrow, the masked secret identity of Star City billionaire Oliver Queen.”
What would Robin do?
superheroesmodernmyths-wordpress-com.cdn.ampproject.org…
— Tim
Mail Bag! More from Audie! Hollywood Censorship!
13
Jul
Audie writes back!
Thank you David,
The movie, “The Sun Also Rises” was a great addition the current the running of the bulls and we watched the provided link last night. The contribution was assuredly welcomed.
Interestingly enough, my husband and myself have become fans of Portuguese bull “fighting” or rather harassing the bull rather than killing the beast. The main characters in the ring is not the bull but rather the magnificence Lusitania horses that are Haute Ecole trained and seemingly love their faire. The “Suicide squad” is something you don’t see in Spanish bull fighting and dangerous but quite entertaining.
I found this on Open Culture with a blurb about our Boy:
“Another speech, however, passed without a murmur. After Errol Flynn’s character discovers the bodies of his friends, mutilated after hideous tortures by the Japanese, a newspaper correspondent spits out, “They’re degenerate, immoral idiots. Stinking little savages. Wipe them out, I say. Wipe them off the face of the earth.” Flynn says nothing in response.*
*Screenwriter Alvah Bessie, of later Hollywood Ten fame, had written a reply for Flynn’s character that said the violence was fascist, not inherently Japanese. But producer Jerry Wald cut it.
For reference, it can be found here:
and below: then click the link “wrote a letter to a Jesuit priest”
Please use this of Open Culture information whatever you wish that might seem noteworthy to other Flynn fans (my very small contribution), if not already posted.
Enjoy,
Audie
— David DeWitt
Mail Bag! Errol Flynn Fan Since Age 11!
12
Jul
Received this wonderful mail bag item from Claudia Raab this morning and am sharing it with everybody!
Thanks, Claudia!
Hello David,
As an Errol Flynn fan since my 11th birthday when I saw „The Adventures of Robin Hood“ for the first time, I’ve been following your blog for quite a while now. I still can’t get over how much information and interesting tidbits you and the other authors have gathered and presented there.
I’m nowhere close to being a “Flynn scientist” like you guys, but I’ve managed to visit some locations connected to him in one way or the other, mainly during my trips to the Southwest and the West coast (my favorite places to go on vacation).
I visited the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup last year which was mentioned in your blog two weeks ago, and took a picture of the sign at the door of the Errol Flynn room. Feel free to add it to your blog if you think it’s interesting enough! What I really liked is that the room next to Errol’s is named after his friend Ida Lupino.
I also visited Lone Pine with the beautiful Alabama Hills where parts of “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Kim” were filmed. The small movie museum there has several posters of Flynn movies as well as a coat that he wore in “Kim”. Thought you might like the photos (although you’ve probably seen it yourself).
Keep up the great work!
Best regards
Claudia Raab
(Munich, Germany)
— David DeWitt
Mail Bag! Errol, Audie and the Bird Man!
05
Jul
Received a great email from Audie in Portugal who has a question and an interesting story about how Errol reaches so many people even today!
I read MWWW in the late 70’s/early 80’s in paperback edition, borrowed from a friend and was hooked!
It wasn’t until much later while at a St. Simons Island, GA, USA library I found a book about his son and himself and was hooked all over again.
My future (and now) husband (living as expats in Portugal) attended a Flynn celebration in St Augustine, Florida when Rory was supposed to be there at a “Sea Hawk” film in 2015.
Even tho she was not there, my future husband and myself enjoyed the festivities. We will always remember that time as “young” oldsters.
I have followed (lurked) this blog since a bit before then and have collected many books about ELTF.
My all time wish about MWWW’s is to know about the first edition copy, printed in England in which “Tiger Lil’s” comments were deleted for the USA edition. If anyone knows, I would be very much interested in what she had to say about him.
Does anyone know?
I have several first edition books about our favorite playboy and also have several first edition books by David Niven, who has several amusing (or not, in David’s case) anecdotes about his Hollywood friend.
From a somewhat long time lurker (only about 4 years, now), I very much like the daily edition of this great blog.
Keep up the good work David!
Warm regards,
Audie
And an addendum:
About giving books to interested Flynn fans, here is another personal Flynn story.
There happens to be a bird loving gentleman who frequents the park next to the pier on St. Simons Island, GA. He arrives in the morning with his lawn chair and several bags of day old bread. Once settled in, he tosses up bread tidbits and watches the starlings (and now sea gulls) play their swoop and grab game in mid air. The amazing thing is that the birds respect him and never leave their “calling cards” anywhere near where he is sitting. They light upon his head and his arm, when extended, for the treat. He can individually identify them and one he calls Niki because of the recognizable white brand on its wing. The locals call him “Bird Man” and he has been the focus of a couple of news worthy articles.
The first time I met him, somehow within the first 10 minutes of conversation settled on Flynn. Not a usual topic for a first meeting. He told me that his middle name was Errol and it seems as though he was conceived one night after his parents watched an amorous Flynn movie.
While making plans to visit the Flynn blowout at St. Augustine Florida with my future husband on our first date… I had noticed a duplicate first edition copy of MWWW in my library and gave it to him. He was very grateful and hesitated to take it but after knowing of the duplicate, he accepted the book, smiling.
I didn’t have a chance before we left to let “Bird Man” know that the man I introduced to him (and also this blog) is now my husband and we moved to Portugal a year ago. Maybe he will reading this and I am raising my hand from far away, wishing him well. I will call him by the name he wished his parents had used, “Ian Errol”.
I love this blog and it is the only one I read faithfully every day. Thank you everyone for your contributions.
Audie in PT
— David DeWitt
The Fourth of July Cove
04
Jul
In, Over, Under, and Over, One of Flynn’s Favorite Hideaways: Fourth of July Cove
Fourth of July Fireworks over The Fourth of July Cove, to the music of John Philip Sousa, plus a musical tribute to the Armed Forces.
— Tim
Gallup In Like Flynn
28
Jun
Get your kicks on Route 66 … at El Rancho’s 49er Lounge
“The 49er Lounge holds the unique claim of serving both Errol Flynn and his horse, as the two rode right into the establishment one summer afternoon.”
El Rancho was built by “Griff” Griffith, D. W. Griffith’s brother. D.W. helped his brother promote this as a premier place to go for filmmakers of Hollywood westerns.
“Like Errol Flynn who rode his horse into the bar when he wanted a drink, friendly service in a truly Western location is what the 49er Lounge serves up.”
Here’s a video of El Rancho, with a Flynn account of its bar, and a look at his photo upstairs. There’s an Errol Flynn Room, too, though not shown in this video.
— Tim
