Let’s have some fun! Can you guess at who Errol is
looking? In each picture, he is looking at another famous person. The pictures are not out of his movies. Good luck and Enjoy!
— Tina
Quiz – Test your knowledge about Errol!
13
Dec
100th Centennial Momento's
11
Dec
I believe that your readers would like a glimpse of the tickets, etc. that I was given to attend the 100th centennial Errol Flynn celebration. These are “priceless” as far as I am concerned. You will notice that the corner was snipped off for securities sake. Talk about “Rare”. That is an understatement as far as Errol fans are concerned. I think I'll keep them. JON
— john
The Errol Flynn/ Noel Coward/ Ian Fleming Connection
10
Dec
Some people might be surprised that these three men, with their wildly different backgrounds were ever even acquainted, much less close friends, but friends they were and were part of the “British Mafia” as they were often jokingly referred to in Jamaica at that time. They made a habit of visiting each other for drinks and stimulating conversation.
Usually, Errol and Patrice would make the drive from their base in Port Antonio to The sleepy town of Port Maria to Noels “Firefly” bungalow or Ian's “Goldeneye” beach house in Oracabessa. Other times, Errol and Pat would host the get together on the ZACA, which was moored at his Navy Island pier. Noel was better suited for visitors and owned the Blue Harbour hotel just down the hill from Firefly to accommodate his many famous guests.
By all accounts, the get togethers were memorable, with Noel and Ian having diametrically different viewpoints on almost everything. i.e. Noel being unabashedly liberal and animated, and Ian just as apologetically conservative, stoic, and possessing a razor-sharp biting wit. Add Errol, who's views were someplace in the middle acting as defacto referee.(with Pat and Ian's longtime lover Annie Rothermere, whom Ian referred to as “Pussy Galore” in the cheering section) and you had the recipe for dynamite.
Errol being Errol, would play one off on the other and it was “off to the races”. The squabbling would begin and just when it was whipped up to a fever pitch, Errol would burst into raucous laughter, fall out of his chair and roll on the floor while Noel and Ian would look on dumbfounded, and the situation was defused.
Although the three truly loved and respected one another, it almost didn't happen. Noel wrote,”I was very hesitant about meeting Errol as I had heard many things about him, and not all of them were good, but I found him to be most gracious and pleasant, one of the most charming individuals I've ever met, So it worked out fine”
Sometimes Noel and his long-time partner Graham Payne would make the trip to see Errol and Pat. An entry in Noel's diary dated Tuesday 27 March, 1951: “Left for Port Antonio 7:30 A- arrived 9:30 A. Rafted down the Rio Grande. Lovely weather. In the evening dined with Errol Flynn and his wife Pat. Drinks on his yacht, which is beautiful, then barbecue dinner on his island – palm trees – lit by torches. Both of them extremely nice; a really lovely evening.”
Today, much has changed but a few things have luckily been preserved. Firefly is a virtual time capsule, looking for all the world as if Noel has just stepped out for a moment. Twin baby grand piano's in the living room, Noel's typewriter with paper still inside and unfinished correspondence, towels with Noel's monogram “NC” hanging in the bath, and even shirts still hanging in the closet, waiting for an owner who will never return. Ian's Goldeneye is much the same, with letters and memento's under glass in the living room, typewriter ever handy and my favorite: Ian's outdoor bathtub gracing the back yard.
Navy Island and Port Antonio haven't fared as well, with the island overgrown and deserted. (Although the 100+ Royal palms that Errol had planted are doing fine) and the grand old Titchfield Hotel, long gone by a devastating fire in 1969. To visit those places is to visit history and memories that I, when going there today, could easily imagine and feel, even 50+ yrs. later.
— john
December Newsletter of the Errol Flynn Marina!
10
Dec
Please check out the December Newsletter edited by Dale Westin of the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, JA… See the attachment below!
— David DeWitt
The December ROCK-itt is online…
09
Dec
Please go check out Peter Johnson's December Rock-itt… now online! www.therockittmagazine.com….au Once you get to the web page click on the magazine cover to view the magazine's content… and look for young Flynn's smiling face on page 5, for the second part of the Rock-itt's series “From Hobart to Hollywood” and on page 40, “Our Famous Mr. Flynn”…
— David DeWitt
Hello Everyone
07
Dec
Dear fellow Errol enthusiasts, I want to say I'm honored to be one of your authors. I have traveled to Jamaica off and on since 1978 and like Errol, My favorite place is the stunningly beautiful Port Antonio area. In my two dozen or so trips, I have accumulated a fair amount of knowledge and insight on both Errol and the area by way of first hand experience and interviews with surviving friends and acquaintances of Errol. On my last trip, I was fortunate enough to attend Errol's 100th centennial, and have a good long chat with Patrice Wymore Flynn. I was at once struck by her approachability and charm. I must say that her mind is sharp as a tack and seemingly untouched by her 83 years.
I was introduced to Patrice by Robert Golding, the son of Jamaica's Prime Minister and a close friend of Patrice. The conversation at the table started on the subject of whether or no Errol had ever built a house on Navy Island. Pat said that as long as she and Errol owned the property, there was only a caretaker's shack that was crudely knocked together. I asked about the probability of commercial development on Navy Island, and she replied that due to a large depression in the middle of the Island, she was advised that developers would have a difficult time building a large structure there. We also talked about the ZACA, which was lovingly restored and currently resides in the Monaco marina basin. “Damn, Errol loved that boat and we would get into some of the worst fights over it” she said. “Every time the shipwrights wanted to replace a board, Errol wanted to double the size of it for 'safety's sake', as he put it”. I had a number of old enlarged photos of her and Errol, and one was of her, Errol and Sean. In that photo she had glasses on and Robert remarked about it. “I was born with glasses on”. she laughed.
The party itself was a virtual “Who's Who” of the Jamaican upper crust with a majority of guests driving over from Kingston, but the local regulars were in attendance also. Margeurite Guarone was a feature and I estimate that there were well over 500 guests. The heads of Jamaica's Government were there in force also. In fact, I shared a table with the head of Transportation Ministry and his family. Everyone was pleasant and friendly. I also notice a large number of thinly disguised bodyguards roaming about, although there were no incidents I could see.
After 30 minutes or so, Pat, Robert, and some other ladies took there place at their table in the front of the dance floor and Pat gave a short speech and lead the first dance. The band was fabulous and belted out those old classic songs like they invented them. When not dancing, Pat kept company at her table while enjoying a rum and coke, and a cigarette or two. I only got to dance with her once but she proved to be the better dancer, although I did not step on her feet. She was dressed in a red long sleeve blouse, black pants and high-heels. I was surprised at how tall she was. I am 6'1″ and she could almost look me in the eye when dancing. One other thing. Pat has the most beautiful, liquid blue eyes I've ever seen. Even though the lighting was very low at the party, Her eyes were the first thing I noticed about her. Errol sure knew how to pick em!
I stayed on for about 3 hr.s and had a great time. The weather was warm and humid and I was surprised at how most of the guests, while dressed to the nines in suit and tie could dance away in never seem to break a sweat, while I, in my “tropical whites”, was trying remain un-soggy. Acclimatization will tell I guess. The next morning, I ventured down to the Marina beach again for my morning swim and as I passed the pier, nothing remained but a few wind blown scraps of paper and my memories of a once in a lifetime experience for this old Errol fan. Jon
— john
Errol Flynn Society of Tasmania Inc.
06
Dec
Hello. Just wanted to show off my certificate that I received from the Errol Flynn Society. It is gorgeous, fun and a kick in the pants. I had fun displaying it at work and received quite a few comments and a few “raised eyebrows”. If you haven't joined yet, maybe this will entice you to do so!
— Kathleen
We Welcome New Author John Teitloff to the Errol Flynn Blog!
06
Dec
We are very please to announce our newest Author, John Teitloff, to the Errol Flynn Blog! John, we look forward to your comments and thoughts – and hopefully some postings about your many travels to Jamaica over the years, the Land of Errol Flynn!
Photo curtesy Michael Pieper
— David DeWitt
The “Errol Flynn Reserve”
05
Dec
Hello Everyone!
I just placed two pictures on Photos/Young Errol Flynn, which may be of interest to you! One depicting the Sandy Bay beach where Errol learned to swim and later made a proficiency out of it as he was considered “The Human Fish”. The other one showing that the area of the beach in Sandy Bay was named the “Errol Flynn Reserve”, a very nice gesture of the people of Tasmania. Most likely due to the Ambassador Rory Flynn.
— Tina
Errol Flynn Reserve – Sandy Bay – Hobart
05
Dec
Quoted on the plaque: “His first associations with water and boats were likely to have been in this vicinity.” It is so sad that
graciousness is such a rear commodity!
Yes, people of Hobart it was! Never-the-less it is a very nice gesture to name the beach or an area of it after our beloved Australian! After all this Australian was not just loved by one nation he was loved around this globe of ours! This privilege is only reserved for few people, but then he was a Sunday's child! Best ever export of Tasmania!
— Tina
