July 24, 1950
Los Angeles Herald Examiner
“Deposition filed by Screen Hero Errol Flynn (second from left) charged today he is permitted to few visits to his son by his ex-wife-actress Lili Damita, and that he is forced to pay ‘taxes on taxes’ on both income and money he gives his wife. He has petitioned for reduction in alimony payments. WIth him after court appearance are Attorney Sid Dorfman (left), for Miss Damita, and Flynn’s attorneys, Jerry Giesler (right) and Bob Ford.”
— Tim
July 21, 1946 – New York Times
“Errol Flynn’s Father Here For Expedition”
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“Theodore Thomson Flynn, Professor of Zoology at Queens College, Belfast, Ireland, and the father of Errol Flynn, screen actor, arrived yesterday on the United States liner Washington, which docked at Pier 62, North River, from Le Havre, Southampton and Cobh.”
Cruisin’ on United States liner Washington
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Pier 62 – Now the Northernmost of the Chelsea Piers
July 29, 1946 – Los Angeles Times.
“Errol Flynn’s Father Arrives to Join Cruise”
The Flynn Family to Research the Tuna Family
Cruise of the Zaca
— Tim
July 19, 1935
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Filmland learned for the first time today the romantic history of the diamond that Errol Flynn, dark-haired 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 new bride now wears.
— Tim
Lili Damita was born Liliane Marie Madeleine Carré on July 10, 1904, in Blaye, France. As a child she studied ballet and attended school in several different countries, including France, Portugal and Spain. She enrolled at the Opera de Paris and by the age of sixteen was working as a professional model and dancer. In 1921 she won a beauty contest and was offered her first acting role. She appeared in the Casino de Paris and starred in about a half dozen French films.Then she met Mihály Kertész
In 1928 she was brought to Hollywood by Samuel Goldwyn, she appeared in films with leading men such as Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, James Cagney and Maurice Chevalier.
As her film career was beginning to wind down, she met Errol Flynn, for the first time in Paris apparently, then more famously on the SS Paris, on Errol’s first trip to America. Lili fell for Errol and used her connections in Hollywood to get him a chance at Captain Blood, which her old fling, now known as Michael Curtiz, waa directing. The rest is history.
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— Tim
July 8, 1938
Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner
Talked with both Errol Flynn and Lili Damita together and both deny that Lili is planning to take a holiday in Europe. These two kids have been married four years now and while occasionally they may have a little spat as do all married people, they both tell me there has never been any thought of divorce between them. Errol is bringing his boat to California, the very one which caused Warners so much worry while the adventurous Errol was sailing the Bounding Main and couldn’t be located and he and Lili will probably take their vacation together. Lili probably has the right idea. When Errol wants to go away with his men friends fishing or on a holiday, she gives him her blessing.
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Sailing along circa the Spring ’38
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July 8, 1938
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Lili Damita and Errol Flynn are touring the late spots together again, so their troubles must be patched up.
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Speeding along a year or so later
— Tim
July 8, 1935
Reine Davies
Hollywood Parade
The Vogue Theater will be the bright spot on the Boulevard tomorrow night, when Winnie Sheehan’s brother, Howard, opens the ultra-modernistic theater with Ladies Crave Excitement and the thriller, The Phantom Fiend.
Howard opened his first theater in 1916 in San Francisco, has since been vice president of Fox West Coast Theaters, and there is little he doesn’t know about “packing ’em in.”
Felicitating friends who will be on hand tomorrow night are Winnie Sheehan, Jesse Lasky, Sam Briskin, Louis B. Mayer, Carl Laemmle, Norman Foster, Evelyn Knapp, H.B. Warner, Thelma Todd, Hardie Albright and Martha Sleeper, Esther Ralston, Jack Oakie, Jack La Rure, Charles Ray, I. Wolfe Gilbedrt, Bill Robinson, Bert Wheeler, Monte Blue, Patricia Ellis, Alice Faye Lily Damita and Errol Flynn, and loads of others.
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Images from the excellent Los Angeles Theatres website.
Original Architectural Drawings for the Ultra-Modern Facade
Fifty-two or so years later with another famous Hollywood American Australian
— Tim
June 28, 1938
Evening Herald Express
ERROL FLYNN, WIFE ‘SCENE’ EXPLAINED
Errol Flynn and his wife, Lili Damita, explained today it was a “slight misunderstanding” that sent Lili running half the length of an airport runway chasing him and a transport plane.
The Irish actor, so-called “glamour boy” of the movies, needed to grow a beard for a picture, it seems, and decided to be alone while he did it. He went to San Diego, for two days but neglected to tell his wife. She was waiting at Union Air Terminal when he flew in.
Everybody got out of the plane but Flynn. He saw the flash in Lili’s dark eyes and an angry foot-tapping. Waving the pilots to go ahead, he ducked down in the seat while the plane taxied toward a hangar.
Lili burst through the gate and pattered down the runway at a dead run, clothes fluttering in the propeller’s breeze, an angry airport guard chasing after her.
“Come on, come out, honey,” she cried. Flynn looked out and shook his head. The airport guard ordered Lili off the field. She started off and then the plane started again, and away she went after it.
An airport car and two more guards caught up with Lili and bundled her out the gates.
Flynn popped in to studio car and sped off.
A studio spokesman said that both are happily at home and Flynn had explained away a “slight understanding.”
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Union Air Terminal is now known as “Hollywood Burbank Airport”. It’s been said that “Union Air Terminal was always a better place to see movie stars that any place in Hollywood.”
— Tim
June 20, 1935
Yuma Nuptials
Los Angeles Examiner
To Judge Earl A. Freeman, the marrying judge of Yuma, Ariz., it was just another wedding yesterday when he married Lili Damita, vivacious French actress, and Errol Flynn, Irish actor.
But to the eloping, excited young couple it was the thrilling finale of a romantic trail started six months ago when they met and fell in love on a New York bound ocean liner.
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June 21, 1935
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Honeymooners Lily Damita and Errol Flynn showed up at the Trocadero only a few hours after their marriage in Yuma and got a royal reception from the stay-up-laters.
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June 22, 1935
Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner
Lili Damita and Errol Flynn entertaining twelve of their intimates at a wedding dinner.
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June 23, 1935
Flim Flam with Sidney Skolsky
Hollywood Citizen News
Lily Damita has told intimates that the reason she got married is that she wants a baby.
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June 24, 1935
Reine Davies
Hollywood Parade
Lily Damita and Errol Flynn’s honeymoon house atop Lookout Mountain was the “location” for high revelry last Thursday night, when the entertained at a formal dinner, not only to celebrate their marriage the previous day, but Errol’s birthday as well.
The vivacious Lili had the attractive home bounding with valley lilies, white roses and gardenias, and the party was high-spotted when the butler, with befitting fanfare, brought on a huge wedding cake, followed by another for Errol.
Those who wished the Frenchy Lili and her Irish husband great happiness were Dolores Del Rio and Cedric Gibbons, the Countess de Maigret, Peggy Fears, George Cukor, Al Kaufman, Lloyd Pantages, Rene Hubert, and those hospitable romancers, Lyda Roberti and Bud Ernst.
To carry on the celebrating, Al Kaufman later took the entire party to the Miramar Hotel, where they greeted “Colonel” Gus Arnheim, and danced to his very danceable music.
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June 25, 1935
Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner
Lili Damita and her bridegroom, Errol Flynn, who have been much entertained since their trip to Yuma, are being given a dinner by Dolores Del Rio Wednesday.
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June 26, 1935
Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner
Keep your eye on Errol Flynn,the publicity he received when he married Lili Damita didn’t do him any harm and Warners are now getting ready to give him a break.
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June 27, 1935
Hollywood Citizen News
Tests for Captain Blood will be no make-shift. So anxious is director Michael Curtiz to have everything right for the selection of the cast, that he has persuaded the studio to construct realistic sets for various scenes in the script from which tests can be made. One of the sets constructed for testing purposes only is a South Seas island locale. Robert Barratt is being tested for the important role of the French pirate. And Errol Flynn is again being given more elaborate tests for the title role.
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June 28, 1935
Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express
Lili Damita’s new groom, Errol Flynn, is versatile to no end. In addition to acting for Warner pictures (he has a good chance for the lead in Captain Blood) the young Irishman is writing a book about his experiences in the interior of New Guinea.
And he’s an ace at tennis, too, which is Hollywood’s favorite game.
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June 29, 1935
Warner Bros. Begin Intricate Tests for Captain Blood, Raphael Sabatini’s swashbuckling novel of adventure on the Spanish Main. The film will enter actual production a month hence as one of Warner Brothers most tremendous screen undertakings.
Scores of actors have passed before the all-seeing eye of the testing cameras.
Errol Flynn is receiving the most careful consideration for the romantic role of Captain Peter Blood.
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June 30, 1935
Bridal Toasts Delay Dinner for Newlyweds
So hearty and sincere was the toasting to wish enduring happiness for the newkyweds, Lili Damita and Errol Flynn, that it was 10 o’clock before the party went into dinner last Wednesday night, when Dolores Del Rio and Cedric Gibbons entertained for the couple at a formal dinner party.
Lili wore a printed evening gown of corn yellow. And with her exquisite ruby ring as her only adornment, Dolores’ dark beauty was strikingly effective in a white crepe gown of Grecian lines.
— Tim
June 1, 2020: Fishin Like Flynn – on the Ranger
History of the Tuna Club of Avalon
Here’s a wonderful 1938 Catalina Travelogue, featuring fishing as Flynn would have fished. (~ Fishing segment is from ~ 15:20 to 18:20)
— Tim
