Cutting the Cake in Monaco
International News Coverage
The Hotel de Paris
— Tim
Archive for the ‘Wives’ Category
The Case of the Curious Pneumonia
07
Oct
EIGHTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK – OCTOBER 1938
Los Angeles Examiner – Louella Parsons, October 4, 1938
Errol Flynn heard yesterday for the first time that he had pneumonia when he was so critically ill last week. So remarkable was his recovery that he is expected to go home today, and Lili Damita will sail Thursday on the Queen Mary. Errol’s doctors have ordered him to rest for two weeks, after which he is to report to Warner studio for Dodge City.
Don’t say “That’s where we came in,” for Hal Wallis really tried to borrow Ronald Coleman and Cary Grant for the remittance man who goes western. But when neither English accent was available, he went back to the original idea of putting Flynn in the role, postponing The Sea Hawk until early next year. Michael Curtiz, the director, who always favored Flynn, was rejoicing yesterday, for both Flynn and Olivia de Havilland were in Robin Hood Curtiz’ biggest hit.
Dodge City could-have-been cowboys, Coleman and Cary:
— — —
Los Angeles Evening Herald Express – Harrison Carroll
October 5, 1938
Errol Flynn went from the hospital to Edmund Goulding’s house at Palm Springs. He wanted to take a trip to Mexico City, but doctors vetoed it.
movielanddirectory.com…
— — —
Los Angeles Evening Herald Express – Jimmy Starr
October 10, 1938
Lili Damita shushed those Paris divorce rumors by nixing her trip to Gay Paree with the Jack Warners and flying back to hubby Errol Flynn in Palm Springs.
Here they are in Palm Springs:
— Tim
Inflynnity
25
Sep
Was Albert Einstein one of Errol’s amazing universe of friends? Absolutely, relates this relatively unknown account. Is this just Hollywood spin? An unproven theory?
Periodically, Einstein did circulate with a cluster of mega-stars from LA LA Land. But, in the orbit of Errol? For the reasons postulated? Improbable perhaps, but, as with all things Flynn, not astronomically impossible. Here’s A.E. with J.W., four years before Errol arrived from another world:
And he was a high-flying star in a film at Warner Brothers …
— Tim
Un Quiz
15
Aug
What famous funeral event did Errol & Lili attend together in France?
It was in a Suburb of Paris, on the First Day of Spring.
This Actor Starred in a Film Very Closely Connected to the Event:
Here’s a Photo of the Event:
— Tim
Gamblin’ Like Flynn — Part 1 — Gamblin’ In the Desert
03
Aug
In Cathedral City – At The Dunes
amp-desertsun-com.cdn.ampproject.org…
And,commencing with marriage in the Arizona desert, perhaps his biggest gamble of all …
— Tim
The Flynns Were In
20
Jul
In Southern California from Northern Ireland, sailing on the Sirocco, 79 years ago, ~ July 20, 1939.
Rosemary, Errol, Lili, Professor Flynn, and Marelle. The Professor was on summer break as Dean of Sciences Faculty at Queens University in Belfast.
— Tim
Diamonds are a Damita’s Best Friend
17
Jul
July 19, 1935
Filmland learned for the first time today the romantic history of the diamond that Errol Flynn, dark-headed Irish actor, put upon the finger of Lili Damita, who is now his bride.
It was five years ago that Flynn came into possession.
A young adventurer, he was working as a British agent in New Guinea to help preserve peace among the native tribes. One day, he made a gold strike in the jungle.
Trekking back to civilization, Flynn sold his discovery for $10,000 in gold. He decided to leave New Guinea, but couldn’t carry his new found riches. So he put the money into rough-cut diamonds.
It was one of these diamonds that the young actor, soon to play the starring role in the Warner film, Captain Blood, had made into the engagement ring his bride now wears.
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Errol, Lili, and Man’s Best Friend, on the very-appropriately named Lookout Mountain – with a glimpse it appears at Diva Damita’s new diamond:
— Tim
67 Years Ago Today
30
May
May 30, 1951 – The Canberra Times
ERROL FLYNN TO
ENTERTAIN KOREAN TROOPS
HOLLYWOOD – Tuesday.
Jack Benny and Errol Flynn
will head troupe to ‘entertain
soldiers in Japan and Korea,
the Hollywood Co-ordinating-
Committee of the United Services
Organisation announced yesterday’
— Tim
If Not for Joe Kennedy?
26
May
Questions are raised by the extract below from “Gloria Swanson: Ready for Her Closeup” regarding a possible affair between Lili and the Marquis Henri de la Felaise (James Henry Le Bailly de La Falaise, Marquis de La Coudraye) Gloria Swanson’s husband:
Reports are that the Marquis was homesick for France and may have been looking for a French speaking mistress and wife. Perhaps that’s why he was interested in Lili. After a few years, he did divorce Gloria and immediately marry (his mistress) Constance Bennett, who, having lived in Paris many years, was fluent in French and all things French. He was quite famous in France, a WWI hero and heir to the Hennessey Brandy fortune.
Photo of Kennedy with the Marquis at Biarritz, France:
www.alamy.com…
So, was it Joe Kennedy who induced Lili to work in Hollywood?
If so, should Joe Kennedy receive any credit for paving the way for Errol to become a Hollywood star, albeit indirectly and unwittingly?
Adding to the intrigue is that Joe Kennedy may have employed Lili in Palm Beach (she lived a very short walking distance from the Kennedy Compound) to care for Lt. JFK after he was injured on PT 109. It would not be a bit surprising to me if Joe tried to get a touch or two of nursing himself from Lili. (I’d be surprised if he had not. Lili was quite a money-hunter, schemer and temptress, and JP could brag that he had Errol Flynn’s girl working under him.
Here’s a photo of WWII Nurse-in-Training Damita, with Myrna Loy:
— Tim
