Original caption: A Couple of Outdoor Guys. Las Vegas, Nev.: Prior to going on his trip to Korea with the Jack Benny entertainment troupe, screen actor Errol Flynn takes his son, Sean on a fishing trip on Lake Mead, near Las Vegas, Nev. Both bagged the limit of large mouth black bass. July 1, 1951 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
— Tim
Dear David DeWitt
I am working on some early Australian film history and wondered if you or your blog associates might have some information particularly concerning Lily Mary (Marelle) Flynn.
According to another source she was an extra in a 1925 silent film, filmed at the Savage River in Tasmania and in Melbourne, entitled “Jewelled Nights” produced by Louise Lovely and based on a novel by Tasmanian writer Marie Bjelke Petersen. I have only found one mention of Marelle Flynn as an extra and would really like to know if there is more substantive evidence and whether she was filmed in the Tasmanian setting or in the Melbourne society setting.
Given that it was 1925, Errol Flynn would still have been in school at the Hobart High School. Further given that his father, Professor Theo Flynn was a great hiker, also wonder whether he and Errol might have ventured to Waratah, Savage River in NW Tasmania for the filming.
I’ve ordered up the books on Flynn to see if there is any mention, however, thought that you and your associates might have information.
Kind regards
Anne Sanders
Braidwood NSW Australia
Jewelled Nights starring Louise Lovely
— David DeWitt
The Mailbag brings us a great photo and story from Errol Reichow:
Greetings Mr. DeWitt,
Another contribution to your blog as I sift through the memories of my father. Flynn once quoted “We fritter our lives away in endless details but I plan to live it” and he did. My dad once said to me that Flynn had just come back from visiting a doctor, he had various ailments later in life, and the doctor said if you quit drinking you could have a few more years to which Errol said “I take the drinking and another good 6 months”. My father also mentioned that Flynn kind of burned out on live and said to him “I’ve seen everything twice so what does it matter”. We all have our highs and lows so with it goes our attitudes but better to test the ends of the spectrum then ride the middle of the fence because for many that just doesn’t get it done.
One last note, this past Friday I visited an old family friend (Gloria Zomar) and as we talked she had an interesting story. She meet Flynn, through my father, down at the Garden of Allah and Errol just had a chiropractor work on his back as my mom, dad, and Gloria waited in the other room and they could hear the groans as Errol got adjusted. Then Errol came out in a terry cloth rope and engaged in conversation and proceeded to ask Gloria out for a date. Gloria accepted and was very nervous and she let Flynn drive her old Pink Cadillac to some spread in the Valley for a party where Errol spent most of the time talking to a producer about an upcoming film. Gloria was so nervous she didn’t say two words the whole evening and when they went home Flynn invited her in for a tottie and she said no, guess he had a reputation. My dad ask Errol the next day how it went and Errol said she doesn’t like me as she didn’t talk all evening. The fact is she was so nervous she didn’t know what to do or how to act. So, I gather the moral of the story is speak up and live a little because if you don’t do it now there may never be a next time.
This picture is from the old Frascati restaurant that was on the Northwest corner of Crescent Heights and Sunset Bl, across the street from the Garden of Allah. In it is Errol ( back of head), Mickey Rooney, Nora Eddington, Beverly Aadland, and Otto Reichow (my father) – I do not know the folks in the upper right hand corner.
Hope the shot is worthy of a post on your site and if so send me the link or save it for another day but then again better to live for today then wait for tomorrow.
Thanks’ Errol!
— David DeWitt
One Month from Today for Showing of Captain Blood!
At the Legendary 1920s Landmark ‘Siskel & Ebert’ Theater Outside Chicago.
— Tim
Michael Herr’s “Dispatches” – featuring Sean in it’s “Colleagues” section – is ranked the 9th best Autobiographical/Memoir book of all time!
Sample passages referring to Sean:
Photos of Herr & Sean:
— Tim
