Whether it was asthma, a preference for stage over film and Hollywood, and/or love of a woman in London, the great Robert Donat backed out of playing Captain Blood. The rest is history. This is his story:
— Tim
Archive for the ‘Flynn-related’ Category
The Sheriff of Savile Row? The Adventures of Modern Hood?
06
May
Evil I see, but Medieval? That haircut, and that outfit??
And what about Hood’s hoodie? Errol could be rolling over in stitches over this error.
— Tim
Hot Dog Diplomacy
30
Apr
“The Picnic That Won the War”
On Sunday, June 11, 1939, FDR & Eleanor hosted a picnic for the King and Queen of England at his summer “cottage” in Hyde Park. This was the legendary “Hot Dog Summit”, which is often credited with having very significantly increased America’s early support of England in World War II. As described by David Niven in the YouTube audio recording linked below, Errol was part of a “British Colony” radio program performed live in conjunction with the picnic.
“When Franklin Roosevelt invited Great Britain’s King George VI for a visit to the United States, the significance of the invitation did not go unnoticed. No reigning British Monarch had ever set foot on American soil, not even in colonial times. Ever since the Revolutionary War the United States and Great Britain oftentimes experienced tense relations, but Roosevelt’s invitation to the King carried great significance in the history of Anglo-American relations because it signified the dawn of a new era in American and British cooperation.”
“After two days in Washington, the tone of the royal couple’s visit transformed from formal to informal as they accompanied the Roosevelts to their home in Hyde Park, New York. The King and Queen’s stay in Hyde Park illustrated to the American people that although they were Royalty, they also enjoyed the simpler things in life. In contrast to the formal State Dinner at the White House, dinner at the Roosevelt’s Home “Springwood” was described to the press as a casual dinner between the two families; their evening entertainment was simple conversation, unfettered by formalities.”
“Even more relaxing and informal was the following day’s event – a picnic. FDR brought the couple to his new hilltop retreat, Top Cottage, on the eastern portion of his estate for an old-fashioned, American-style picnic. Much to the horror of FDR’s mother Sara Roosevelt, the King and Queen of England were served hot dogs on the front porch of the cottage. Although the press made a great deal about the hot dogs. (The picnic made the front page of the New York Times)”
“THE PICNIC THAT WON THE WAR”
David Niven describes the Hollywood British Colony radio show at 1:36:33 in this audio recording:
— Tim
Hearst’s Hacienda
27
Apr
Aka “Hearst’s Hunting Lodge”, though W.R. did not personally permit any hunting. “A day’s ride on horseback” from “La Cuesta Encantada” (Hearst’s Castle in San Simeon), to what since 1940 has been Army property on “Fort Hunter Liggett”.
Hearst took only select guests to The Hacienda, usually only top-strata Hollywood, newspaper and political figures. Errol was one of them. These special guests could either fly or ride on horseback from San Simeon – for rodeos, barbecues and dances, et al – often staying overnight in the Hacienda’s “Tower Rooms”. These same Tower Rooms are now available to the public at very reasonable prices, as are more spartan “Garden Rooms” and “Cowboy Rooms” at even lower prices.
— Tim
A Night at the Theater with Mel & Carl
24
Apr
April 23, 2018
LOS ANGELES — Mel Brooks is just two months shy of his 92nd birthday and he still carves out time for movie nights with his pal Carl Reiner. The two just recently got together to watch a restoration of the 1938 Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland classic “The Adventures of Robin Hood.”
This week, Brooks will be on hand to kick off the ninth annual TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theater Thursday night in Hollywood with a special screening of the first film he ever directed: “The Producers.”
— Tim
A Flynnian Slip
19
Apr
www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/kate-moss-slip-dress-timeline…
“I bought this dress in a vintage shop in Florida; the lady told me it had belonged to Errol Flynn’s wife.”
— Tim
Mail Bag! French Curtiz Bio & Film Book!
16
Apr
Dear Sir,
For all those who love Curtiz and read French, I found this book. He presents an excellent biography and analyzes each of his films including his pre-Hollywood production.
Best – Erik Anzi
Thanks, Erik!
— David DeWitt
Easter at Mulholland
01
Apr
Happy Easter to All!
I’m not sure how many eggs Errol hunted for up at Mulholland, but, after the great singing-songwriting evangelist Stuart Hamblem made it ‘His Ole House’, he held a locally-legendary annual Easter egg hunt that included, “at its height”, hundreds of children. The lucky kid who found the golden egg (and his or her unlucky parents) won a kid goat! Here, from ‘Errol Flynn Slept Here’, is a fun account of those hunts, with a cool photo of Easter egg-hunting children by Errol’s old pool:
— Tim
