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Archive for the ‘New Articles’ Category

Memories of Gillian Lynne

03 Jul

REMEMBERING GILLIAN
www.dancemagazine.com…

ERROL AND GILLIAN

Dame Gillian travelled to Sicily in 1953 to film The Master Of Ballantrae. In the credits Gillian Lynne’s part is listed as “Marianne, a dancer favoured by Captain Mendoza” but it wasn’t long before it became clear that she was favoured by the Hollywood legend who had the leading role, one Errol Flynn.

Asked how their affair came about, she says: “It was very difficult for it not to come about! He was a gorgeous man and he was very witty, very funny and well educated actually. It wasn’t all about sex, it was all about fun. We liked each other.

“I would never have been chosen for the role if he hadn’t liked me because they were looking for a blonde woman with big boobs and then they saw me dancing at the Palladium. I was thin with tiny boobs and dark hair but I was sexy. I’m a sexy dancer. Most dancers are sexy. We had a lot of quite steamy scenes, nothing in the bedroom, thank God. All out in the sun.”

Their on-set fling lasted for two months, with the couple enjoying drinks in the bar of Palermo’s exclusive Villa Igiea and taking boat trips up and down the Sicilian coast. In the decades that followed, Dame Gillian went on to become one of the country’s most successful choreographers (Cats, Phantom Of The Opera) and has directed more than 50 shows in the West End and on Broadway as well as a number of TV productions

www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/470862/Dame-Gillian-Lynne-Nights-with-Errol-Flynn-dancing-for-the-Queen-and-keeping-fit-at…

— Tim

 

Long Live Olivia!

01 Jul

“After more than a century lived in and out of the spotlight, the Oscar-winning actress is still going strong,
serving as an inspiration to millions around the world.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM AROUND THE GLOBE, OLIVIA!

ARGENTINA: Cumpleaños Olivia de Havilland sopla hoy 102 velitas

m-lacapital-com-ar.cdn.ampproject.org…

DEUTSCHLAND: Promi-Geburtstag vom 1. Juli 2018: Olivia de Havilland

mobil-stern-de.cdn.ampproject.org…

www-augsburger–allgemeine-de.cdn.ampproject.org…

ESPANA: A punto de cumplir 102 años, Olivia de Havilland sigue conservando su espíritu combativo

www-lanacion-com-ar.cdn.ampproject.org…

www.eldigitaldeasturias.com…

ITALIA: Olivia de Havilland, l’ultima diva della golden age di Hollywood compie 102 anni

Tanti auguri a Olivia de Havilland! 102 anni della diva di Via col vento I

Olivia de Havilland, l’ultima diva della golden age di Hollywood compie 102 anni

POLSKA: Olivia de Havilland, Melania z “Przeminęło z wiatrem”, kończy 102 lata

kultura-onet-pl.cdn.ampproject.org…

UNITED STATES:

kmir-com.cdn.ampproject.org…

www.everythingzoomer.com…

www.guideposts.org…

— Tim

 

More Swagger Than Flynn?

24 Jun

Being that it’s World Cup time, here’s the story of Kevin Keegan and his Newcastle United Football Club – the team that said to have “more swagger than Errol Flynn”.

“King Kev” Keegan and Newcastle.United

“Kevin Keegan and Newcastle United football club were a marriage made in heaven in the mid-1990s. Magpies fans and the club generally craved attacking football and in Keegan they had a man to give it to them. Indeed, Keegan’s Newcastle had more swagger than Errol Flynn crashing through a window on a rope, sliding down a banister and sword-fencing his way past half-a-dozen armed guards to rescue a damsel in distress.”

More on King Kevin Keegan:

Doin’ It in Deutchland:

Playin’ In the ‘Pool:

— Tim

 

Hollywood Hero in La Heroica

21 Jun

“ERROL FLYNN EN CARTEGENA”

Errol Flynn en Cartagena

What would you do if the most popular actor in the world arrives at the door of your house at that time, greets you with your name and asks for permission to enter?

The first thing would be to be amazed and that is what happened to Don Antonio Fuentes, founder of the first record company in Colombia, the one with the yellow seal, the one with the Clock Tower of Cartagena.

Don Toño, as he was familiarly called by his employees and neighbors in La Heroica, was born in Cartagena on May 18, 1907, had toured several countries and even fell in love with the Hawaiian guitar. Upon returning to [Columbia] he set up the Emisora ​​Fuentes and determined to rescue the autochthonous rhythms of the Caribbean. In 1934 he made the first productions of figures such as Guillermo Buitrago, Esther Forero, Los Trovadores de Barú, Lucho Bermúdez, Los Corraleros de Majagual, Pedro Laza, Rodolfo Aicardi, Los Hispanos, Gustavo Quintero and dozens of other groups.

La Heroica, Cartagena:

I always asked the artists if they had “some verses” out there and with that, I was able to do a whole song and a success. Sometimes the musicians would tune or give one more note and Don Toño would simply say, “leave that so that’s what you’re going to like”, as indeed it happened.

Thanks to the contacts of Don Toño Fuentes, the recordings were reproduced in countries such as Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela and the United States. He had a recognition in many countries and was the great ambassador of Colombian music.

For his part, Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn, known as Errol Flynn, was the most popular actor in the decades of the 30s, 40s and 50s and was born in Hobart, Australia on June 20, 1909. He was nationalized as an American and became a star for his characters of heroes, where he combined great kisses with his adventurous movements.

One of those roles was the first version of Robin Hood, where despite appearing in green tights, a hat with feather and leather gloves, conquered the hearts of thousands of young people who melted to see the way they twisted the lips of the protagonists of the stories.

He is remembered for his roles in films such as “The Light Brigade’s Charge”, “Robin of the Woods”, “The Private Life of Elizabeth and Essex”, “Camino de Santa Fe”, “They Died with Their Boots on”, “The Island of the Corsairs”, “Swords Crossed”, of a roll of more than 50 films.

As a fan of yachting he sailed to Cartagena, according to Don Gabriel Pulido, promoter of Discos Fuentes in Bogotá. When he arrived at the walled city, he did not have a hard time finding the house of Don Toño Fuentes, where he was well received, tasted good rums, ate up the head of a cat, dined on the beaches and danced the best of coastal music.

It was an unforgettable visit [after which] he continued with films, romance, and adventure.

On October 9, 1959 he traveled to Canada in order to sell his yacht and when he was going to ride the plane back he felt bad, a doctor gave him a few days off and on October 15 he died a heart attack. The idol of the cinema left, after scarcely 50 years, [but not until after] enjoying the rum and rumba of Cartagena.

____________

Here’s a Sound on Sound account of Don Tono and Disco Fuentes:

www-soundonsound-com.cdn.ampproject.org…

— Tim

 

Father’s Day for Flynn Fans

13 Jun

At the Northern California Pirate Festival

This weekend in Vallejo

Ahoy, ye salty sea dogs! Keep a weather eye on the horizon – especially toward the Carquinez Strait. Pirates are coming to invade the Vallejo Waterfront Park Father’s Day weekend, June 16 and 17.

And those sea rogues and privateers have been doing just that for a dozen years, giving fathers and families the chance to run away from home and be pirates for two days.

The event has plenty of swashbuckling for the most ardent of Errol Flynn fans, from theater groups such as the Court of the Pirate Lords and Brotherhood of Oceanic Mercenaries – B.O.O.M. for short.

And boom they’ll go as they fire up the cannons and take aim on a new invading ship, The Sea Eagle. The ship will be returning fire during daily ship to shore battles. B.O.O.M keeps bringing more cannons and fire power with every appearance, but also have educational displays with cast members available to explain the various historic items.

The Sea Eagle is a privateer-model sailing vessel with boldly colored sails, one of which bears a grinning skull and crossed swords. Its shallower draft means it will be able to come closer to shore for more dramatic views and sounds, said Anna Benincasa-Morales, one of festival’s organizers and performers. “You can hear the crowd gasp when the ship comes in close.”

Other sounds at the festival will be pleasant, such as Skip Henderson and the Starboard Watch, singing traditional maritime songs, the Seadogs and their sea shanties, the Penny Opry duo and their blend of maritime and Tin Pan Alley music, the Brass Farthing and their British and American folk and tavern songs, and the pirate, Celtic and rock band, O’Craven.

The “ladies” of the House of the Rising Sun also provide entertaining songs, but they’re also likely to introduce festival goers to games of chance or entertain them with improvisation presentations or tell them stories about historical New Orleans.

Pirates descending on Vallejo for Father’s Day weekend

— Tim

 

Good Samaritan-Like Flynn

10 Jun

Only Errol Flynn could pick up, I mean rescue, seven swimming nymphs in the middle of a desert.

Here’s a photo of the 1940 “Aquacade Motorcade” after they arrived at Treasure Island for the Golden Gate International Exposition (aka World’s Fair). Not sure if any of these swimming nymphs were the exact ones “rescued” by Errol, but the timing appears to fit, and, as happy as they look, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised.

Billy Rose Aquacade Motorcade Nymphs
San Francisco, 1940

A  good, brief account in a Michael Curtiz biography:

books.google.com…

A GREAT, more detailed account from Tom McNulty:

books.google.com…

One or more of these seven damsels in distress were likely in this Wirkd’s Fair film before they traveled west through the Painted Desert of Arizona, where they were detoured by Virginia City Flynn:

— Tim

 

“The Experts have Spoken”

04 Jun

“It’s officious”, I mean “official”! According to experts of Rottingham, (probably descendants of their shire’s infamous Sheriff of Rottingham), Errol Flynn was NOT the Best Robin Hood. Connery was, Sean Connery.

Yes, you read correctly. Next, we may also learn that Errol was also not the best Captain Blood, George Armstrong Custer, Geoffrey Thorpe, or Gentleman Jim. The Experts have Spoken.

www-nottinghampost-com.cdn.ampproject.org…

“The Best Robin Hood”:

Also-Ran Errol Flynn:

youtu.be/4MqmpL6X_8w…

— Tim

 

“Restored to its Past Glory”

03 Jun

“On October 15th, 1938, Warner Brothers opened The State Theatre as a test market for new films. The state-of-the-art cinema was built in record-time — just four months — for a whopping $70,000. “The Sisters” starring Errol Flynn and Bette Davis was the film on opening day. Adult admission was 30 cents for matinees, 35 cents after 5 p.m. Children’s tickets cost just 15 pennies.”

“As it approaches the 80th anniversary of its opening, the State Theatre has been recognized as a State College historic site.”

onwardstate-com.cdn.ampproject.org…

— Tim

 

Opening Night – In Like Flynn!

27 May

“OPENING NIGHT FILM & PARTY (IN LIKE FLYNN) 29 June 6.30pm”

@ The Royal Open Air Theater, in Winton, Queensland, Australia

The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival in ­Winton, central-west Queensland, from June 29-July 7.

www.outbackqueensland.com…

“The main venue is the Royal Open Air Theatre (pictured), celebrating its 100th birthday and the pride of a town that claims Waltzing Matilda and Qantas among its creations.”


“Kicking off the program will be In Like Flynn, a new film by Russell Mulcahy (Razorback, Highlander) about Errol Flynn’s adventures in Australia before he left for Hollywood in the 1930s and became a movie swashbuckler. Thomas ­Cocquerel stars as Flynn.” ­

“The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival, Winton, Queensland.

9 days / 30 films / A zillion stars”

“Winton’s Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival is a film festival like no other. It celebrates Australian film and culture under the stars of Winton in Outback Queensland. The Festival combines an incomparable program of classic and contemporary Australian films with special events, conversations and masterclasses with film makers, directors, actors and actresses, kids club and special events.

Join the stars on the red carpet for the Opening Night, or tour to the sites where major feature films were made.”

— Tim

 

All Time No. 1 Swashbuckler

26 May

www-independent-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org…

THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD

“Has there ever been a movie so perfectly cast and executed with so much conviction, professionalism, and joie de vivre? Shot in ravishing Technicolor, with magnificently authentic sets, The Adventures of Robin Hood encapsulates the magic of cinema, bringing 12th-century England to Hollywood with sunny California glades standing in for Sherwood Forest in a wonderful blend of action, drama, romance and humour that has rarely been bettered.

Errol Flynn is at the peak of his roguish charm as the silver screen’s greatest Robin Hood and is once more paired with Olivia de Havilland as an impossibly beautiful Maid Marian.

Claude Rains purrs insidiously as Prince John, and Basil Rathbone as his sidekick is fated yet again to fall to the hero in the wonderfully choreographed and brilliantly executed swordfight with Flynn on the castle staircase, their shadows dancing on the walls – and yes, that is Roy Rogers’ horse Trigger in an early supporting role as Maid Marian’s mount.

A winner of three Oscars, including one for the majestic score from Erich Wolfgang Korngold, which sets the tone of the film from the rousing opening fanfare and then vividly illustrates every thrust and parry of Flynn’s sword, every arrow thudding into its target, every winsome glance from de Havilland.

The Adventures of Robin Hood at 80 years old, remains the perfect example of Hollywood’s supreme artistry in the days of the much maligned studio system, not just the best of its kind, but one of the greatest films ever made.”

— Tim