April 28, 1789
Three weeks into a journey from Tahiti to the West Indies, the HMS Bounty was seized in a mutiny led by Fletcher Christian, the master’s mate. Captain William Bligh and 18 of his loyal supporters were set adrift in a small, open boat, and the Bounty set course for Tubuai south of Tahiti.
— Tim
“April 25, 2008
Coming soon: Errol Flynn and the Sword of Fate
“The Amazing True Origins of Hollywood’s Swashbuckling Legend”
“This new book by Bob Casey, a founder of the Errol Flynn Society of Tasmania, puts paid to many scandalous myths about history’s greatest Hollywood swashbuckler — and raises some interesting questions about his ancestry.”
“Casey says ‘Earl Conrad’s book Errol Flynn: A Memoir (1978) gives some valuable insights into the actor’s life but like Flynn’s autobiography, My Wicked, Wicked Ways it is not always reliable.”
‘It is not surprising that Flynn’s recollections were clouded. By 1959, his memory was notoriously bad—not helped by years of hard drinking. Many believe he was a compulsive liar; at the very least, he firmly believed the truth should never get in the way of a good story.’
“So was Flynn a direct descendant of Midshipman Edward Young of HMS Bounty, as he and many others have claimed?”
“One possible bloodline involves one of Midshipman Young’s sons faking his death and spending time with the sexy young Queen of Tahiti. It’s a fascinating story, worthy of an Errol Flynn movie.”
“Due for release in June to mark the 99th anniversary of Flynn’s birth, the full-colour book has plenty of entertaining asides about Flynn’s turbulent life and times.”
_______
July 1, 2008
“Out now! Get yours here”
“Errol Flynn and the Sword of Fate is now available. At more than 130 pages with more than 130 illustrations — and a special Errol Flynn tour of Hobart, his home town — it’s the brightest book yet published about Tasmania’s most famous son.”
“Read about his mysterious ancestry, his colourful parents and his mischievous youth before he embarked on a life that became a legend both on and off the screen — and a family connection with the dramatic mutiny on the Bounty.”
— Tim
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
“A well loved and always amazing SoCal event is the legendary Newport Beach to Ensenada Mexico yacht race now in its 72nd year. This race was hatched by old school die hard sailors at the Balboa Yacht Club on Bayside Drive, and the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.”
“Humphrey Bogart was among the original instigators of the first official race in 1948, and sailed, along with Spencer Tracy and Errol Flynn (each in their own boats) into the local history books. As one of the largest sailboat races in the nation, ‘The Ensenada Race’ is a top event for a broad spectrum of yachts – classes from day sailors to world class maxi racers. Other notable racers have include: Walter Chronkite, movie producer Milton Bren, well-known actors Buddy Ebsen, comedian Vicki Lawrence, and Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Paul Conrad, It’s an awesome spectacle to see the coast immediately around the starting line as hundreds of boats jockey for position, and spectators on other boats and on shore line the coast.”
— Tim
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
Lafayette, Indiana – Four’s a Crowd Grand Opening
“The cream and black tiles glistened and the neon sign spelled out its welcome—it was September 1, 1938 and the new Lafayette Theater, with its modern Art Deco design, was opening! The line stretched down the block as people waited to see Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland in “Fours A Crowd.” Over 70 years later, people are still lining up for events at the Lafayette Theater.”
…
Lafayette Theater – Suffern, New York – Dodge City
— Tim
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
“Errol Flynn” by Winters Island
Released one year ago today, on April 20, 202
— Tim
