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Michael B. Druxman and FLYNN!

20 Nov
The Mail Bag brings us this good news!
Michael writes:

I just got word that the audio adaptation of FLYNN, my one-person stage play about Errol Flynn, is now available for download on Amazon, audible.com… and, within a day or so, iTunes. Sam Burns brings the screen’s most famous Robin Hood to life in this production, which has been enhanced with music and sound effects. Enjoy!

Michael B. Druxman
Please visit my author page at Amazon.com…
Thanks, Michael!

— David DeWitt

 

“It’s Time You Knew”

20 Nov

“From a 1944 book It’s Time You Knew – a sort of Ripley’s ‘Believe it or Not’ book produced by Bulova and, it seems, given to customers in American watch shops.”

— Tim

 

Michael Curtiz: a life in film!

19 Nov

— David DeWitt

 

Blood Connection

18 Nov

ERROL, PETER, AND THOMAS

www.newsletter.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/irishman-s-great-crown-robbery-is-top-of-the-list-in-the-annals-of-historic-heists-1-8250389…

www.bbc.com…

“In London, Thomas Blood, an Irish adventurer better known as “Captain Blood,” was captured attempting to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London.

Blood, a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War, was deprived of his estate in Ireland with the restoration of the English monarchy in 1660. In 1663, he put himself at the head of a plot to seize Dublin Castle from supporters of King Charles II, but the plot was discovered and his accomplices executed. He escaped capture. In 1671, he hatched a bizarre plan to steal the new Crown Jewels, which had been refashioned by Charles II because most of the original jewels were melted down after Charles I’s execution in 1649.

On May 9, 1671, Blood, disguised as a priest, managed to convince the Jewel House keeper to hand over his pistols. Blood’s three accomplices then emerged from the shadows, and together they forced their way into the Jewel House. However, they were caught in the act when the keeper’s son showed up unexpectedly, and an alarm went out to the Tower guard. One man shoved the Royal Orb down his breeches while Blood flattened the Crown with a mallet and tried to run off with it. The Tower guards apprehended and arrested all four of the perpetrators, and Blood was brought before the king. Charles was so impressed with Blood’s audacity that, far from punishing him, he restored his estates in Ireland and made him a member of his court with an annual pension.

Captain Blood became a colorful celebrity all across the kingdom, and when he died in 1680 his body had to be exhumed in order to persuade the public that he was actually dead.”

A Traditional History of Thomas Blood:

A Comical UK Documentary

Part One

Part Two

— Tim

 

A whole new picture

16 Nov

Dear fellow Flynn fans,

is anyone familiar with the paintress Gudrun Sibbons? Errol and David Niven respectively are said to have owned some of her paintings. Here`s her bio for starters like me: www.artnet.com…

Enjoy,

— shangheinz

 

Museum of Flight & The Dawn Patrol with Errol Flynn!

10 Nov

Eric Tillerson sends us this via the Mail Bag:

Down at the Museum of Flight in Renton, Wa., in the WWI section, they have the coat that Errol wore in The Dawn Patrol on what I believe is permanent display, shown next to the Academy Award that the earlier Fairbanks version of the film won. Sadly they spell his name “Erroll”, but coming across this was still a nice surprise. Some photos attached.
Regards,
Eric
Thanks, Eric!

— David DeWitt

 

Kissing the Coloured Virgin

04 Nov

“Meet the man who knew and drew Picasso in Paris, Einstein and Churchill in London, and even lived with Errol Flynn in Sydney”

“Kerwin Maegraith, caricaturist, journalist and true Aussie larrikin, encountered the most famous people of his time from the 1920’s to the Sixties.”

www.adelaidenow.com…

“Well, one night Errol came home drunk. The old girl (the landlady) had lit the plaster statue of the Virgin with a candle at its foot. The statue was about five feet high and coloured. A big bunch of flowers stood at the foot of the image and Errol, thinking it was just another pretty girl, made a lunge. Both he and the statue, in a thousand bits, hurled down two flights of stairs. The enraged landlady, awoken from her slumber, tossed Mr. Flynn and his belongings right out on the footpath. But with his winning ways, Errol was back next morning and forgiven. He was about 17 or 18 at this time, as wild a young man as Sydney ever saw.”

— Tim

 

Flynn, the Play coming soon to Audio!

31 Oct

Michael Druxman writes to us:

Hello,

I just discovered your blog.

I thought you’d like to know that an audio edition of my one-person stage play, FLYNN, is currently nearing the end of production and, if all goes well, should be available for download before the end of November via Audible, Amazon and iTunes.  Sam Burns plays the role of Errol Flynn.

In the meantime, paperback and Kindle editions of the play are available via the link below.

Michael B. Druxman

Thanks, Michael!

— David DeWitt

 

Hollywood and the Stars…

31 Oct

Back in 1963, there was the aforementioned series produced by David L Wolper. Those lucky enough, might catch a look at a particular program in the series titled “The Swashbucklers” (which featured Fairbanks Sr and…) sometimes MIGHT be found on a compilation tape of Flynn miscellaneous items (Pirate Party, etc.).

Always on the look out for a better copy in the hopes that the series would be commercially reissued.

With the passing of Wolper comes a change in that situation and its appearance on Youtube; narrated by Joseph Cotton and worth a look.

— Karl

 
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An Errol Flynn Dilemma?

28 Oct

I am submitting a couple of pictures of Flynn I have had in my collection for many years.

They both appear to be from the same event since they are noted with the WB numbering I system (GEN PUB8546).  But, there seems to be some confusion about my listing  for time and place. So I am asking for help in confirming just where and when they were taken.

 

 

I have this shot of Errol with Faye Emerson, in front of the My Gallery at 850l0 Wishire, during May 25th to 27th, 1945 at the Eleanor Powell pre-auction, open-exhibition. A similar photo also appeared in the August, ’45 issue of Movie Stars Parade magazine. By the way that is Michael Curtiz back to camera looking at another artwork.
2
 

This shot is of Flynn and Curtiz inside the building, chatting. There are also a few more of these two together, all WB numbered. My confusion is that I also have some old hand notes that this is an exhibition at the Decker and Flynn Gallery sometime in May or June, ’45, but I have no back-up. Since I can not locate any old photos of the front of either of the two galleries, I am not sure which description is correct … or if they are both wrong.  So … I appreciate any feedback that will straighten out my dilemma.

— David DeWitt