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Archive for the ‘Travels’ Category

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.

route66hotels.org…

— 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

 

Speaking of Chico …

15 Jun

Here’s the story of “The House That Flynn Built” (Not)

The plot in Chico thickens …

www.newsreview.com…

If you’ve ever tasted kiwis from Costco, or sneaked a peak of gorgeous Barbi Benton, this article and video may have extra appeal for you. videosellsrealestate.com…

— Tim

 

Meanwhile, Back in Korea

12 Jun

trove.nla.gov…

Korean War Project
Salute Of Entertainers

Jack Benny and Company

(w/ 5th RCT, 24th Div.)

It was around the middle of July, 1951. The peace talks began earlier and there was peace in the Kumhwa valley.
Instead of combat, everyone was talking about rotating home. There was also a rumor about a USO troupe coming to this forward camp. During combat, we would see entertainers of two or three hitching rides to the rest areas, rain or snow, to give their little shows. I gave them a lot of credit for their courage. Bob Hope was also here for the troops but he was 50 miles behind us somewhere.

On this July day, the entertainers in trucks and jeeps, came driving into this little clearing. A makeshift stage was built for the occasion. To our surprise, It was none other than Jack Benny and with him, in the group was Errol Flynn and Marjorie Reynolds.

This is the first time I’d ever seen movie stars in the flesh. For this country boy, I was fascinated and they looked so human and of course, they were. On the stage, Jack did his comedy of jokes and Errol and Marjorie acted their series of mostly funny skits, a lot of laughs for all of us.

Everyone was standing around intermingling after the show. I was standing close to Jack. He somehow looked smaller than in the movies. I slowly sneaked up behind him and sure
enough, I really was taller than he was!

Errol Flynn was walking by and I got this sudden impulse. I stuck out my hand and Mr. Flynn, can I shake your hand sir? He stopped, looked at me for a couple of seconds, smiled and said, My pleasure, lad, my pleasure. I think when he stopped and saw this oriental face, I can feel his uncertainty, but I think what won him over was this pure American slang coming from this face. He must have thought this guy has got to a real Yankee.

RICHARD ISERI wrote on January 29, 2018
Garden Grove California

— 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

 

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

 

My Wicked Wicked Ways — The Legend of Errol Flynn

20 May

www.tcm.com…

youtu.be/RLtJDNqgoBU…

— Tim

 

Errol’s Days at the Derbys

05 May

Kentucky Derby 1954: Where Errol is believed to have betted on King O’ Swords*

www.britishpathe.com…

The 1956 Epsom Derby: Where Errol attended (with Never Say Die “The Horse That Birthed The Beatles”!)

*See input from twinarchers (from last year);

Errol at the Derby?

— Tim

 

Are You Going to Scarborough?

28 Apr

The Tunny are Back!

“Strange but true: in the 1930s Atlantic bluefin tuna (also known as tunny) started to follow the herring shoals into the North Sea, and Yorkshire became the hub of an American-style big-game fishery. Professional hunter Lorenzo Mitchell-Henry set the record for a rod-caught fish in British waters when he landed a 386kg monster in 1933, and Scarborough was soon home to the Tunny Club of Great Britain. Visiting millionaires and movie stars – including John Wayne, Errol Flynn and David Niven – chartered local boats and vied with each other to smash the record.”

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/one-that-got-away-giant-bluefin-tuna-makes-return-to-british-seas-gm8xzz7b2…

www.lonelyplanet.com…

Video history of Scarborough Tunny Fishing
[Beginning at 7:14, where Errol is prominently mentioned.]

— 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.

kcbx.org…

www.latimes.com…

— Tim