The Errol Flynn Blog

At the urging of his eminence, Captain David, I repost this “comment” as an “article”. And on any ship, one must always obey them- both the captain and his articles!

Steve (and Tom)-

I received my volume 1 yesterday and was going to drop a line to you today, but I see that The Magnificent McNulty, has already struck, and hit CENTER target- what a marksman!

And while I'm at it- so are you Steve!

As I am “giving” this to myself, through another- I couldn't help it. I took a peek, and then had to read the WHOLE chapter on Flynn. I then jumped back to the front and read the Saxon intro- and all I can say is McNulty tells no tales because it's simply a fact … that not only are you a WONDERFUL describer, joining the other eyewitnesses of the past (Wiles, Walsh, Quinn, Cody, Nora, and Rory- just to name a few) but offering your own unique glimpse into what it was like, to be in the company of this man. And from all that I can tell, so far- it will be among the VERY BEST!

As volume one deals with the early part of acquaintance, the promise of the second is of a closer view, and your skill in “atmospheric” writing, brings the reader there right beside you!

I can't wait for “our” next visit.

Best regards, and … thank you for WRITING THIS BOOK!

Karl

— Karl

Hi everyone:

I just left an answer to Shamrock regarding Tyrone Power.  I hope it's received.  It makes me so angry when I read stuff (his article referred to the suggestion that Ty Power was gay or bisexual) that is untrue about famous people after they're dead.

It's so easy to speak ill of the dead.  They're defenseless and not only that but it makes the person talking about them seem as if they were privy to special secrets none of us ordinary folks are.  It elevates them at the dead person's expense.

Having lunched with Power several times at Fox while I was under contract there, had dinner with him while he lived with Linda at Bel Air, and just talked to him on various movie sets — I can assure you that no finer or nicer guy existed.  And this is not just my opinion, it's the opinions of everyone who ever knew him.  Including his ex-wives.

I was close to Lana Turner in the mid fifties and she, as most film buffs know, was madly in love with him for a while.  They dated and saw each other in Mexico, even as he was supposedly dating Judy Garland.  And I mentioned Power to Lana (actually we all called her by her real name, Judy) and even though at the time she'd been bitter about getting dumped by Power, she still never spoke ill of him.  “Gracious” was one of the key words that come to mind when discussing Ty.

So let's all try to stop these rumors about past stars from circulating.  Maybe we can then remember these people, who still give us so much pleasure when watching them on the screen, as they really were – Hollywood version of royalty! 

Best, Steve

— ivan6gold

I wanted to offer our thanks to all those who are regular readers and those who have recently joined us! Your readership is appreciated!

David~

Admin/The Errol Flynn Blog

— David DeWitt

To Robert Florczak:

Bob, I got a kick out of the phone numbers in the late 50s you displayed.  By coincidence I still have four numbers that I obviously called constantly.  Googie's, Sherry's, Frascati's (Villa Frascati, actually) and Schwab's (for Sidney Skolsky).

All correspond to the ones in your blog. Talk about 52 years disappearing in a flash!

Keep up the good work, pal

Steve

— ivan6gold

From Tom McNulty

Steve Hayes serves up a deluxe memoir in two volumes with “Googies: Coffeeshop to the Stars” (Bear Manor Media, $24.95). Arriving in Hollywood in 1949 with dreams of becoming a movie star, young Ivan Hayes embarked upon an odyssey of self discovery and adventure that no screenwriter could have dreamed up.

            This remarkable memoir is loaded with anecdotes, none of which I’ll repeat here because I hope you’ll support this author and purchase both volumes. Suffice it to say, in these pages you’ll encounter Errol Flynn, Tyrone Power, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Alan Ladd, Lana Turner, Ernest Hemingway and even Aldous Huxley among many others.

            For a decade Steve supported himself as an actor, manager of the Googies coffeeshop adjacent to Schwab’s Pharmacy, and by taking jobs as they were offered. Along the way he met and often befriended many of Hollywood’s popular stars. His insight into these personalities goes against the grain of what you’ll normally encounter in books where the allure relates directly to the geek fan base salivating for more celebrity gossip. What Steve Hayes has accomplished is the creation of a memoir lacking in egotism and animosity. What I appreciate is this man’s honesty when talking about his successes and failures, and his unabashed look back at an era he knew was ending even as he experienced it. There is an underlying tone of sadness, but without being maudlin. I was particularly taken by his sensitivity when talking about his marriages, girlfriends and friendship with the stars he encountered. For example, his view on Clark Gable is right on, and ultimately heartbreaking. Ditto with Flynn, Ladd and others.

            He devotes ample space to Errol Flynn, a man that Hayes admits remains his idol, but he avoids the idolatry as well as the gossip. No truer portrait of Flynn has hitherto been published. Here is Flynn the writer, the caring father, the raging alcoholic, the talented actor, the man’s man who took care of his friends while sometimes also letting them down. First hand accurate accounts have always been scarce and that’s what makes “Googies: Coffeeshop to the Stars” such a valuable resource for fans and scholars alike. Steve Hayes wrote it down the way it happened and the result is a smorgasbord of insight, layered with a generous portion of compassion. That’s a rare and delectable combination.

            Steve Hayes has a big heart that complements his talent – he’s a successful novelist and screenwriter – and forgive the cliché, but I couldn’t put his book down. He was there at the tail end of a Golden Era, sparkling with talent, sex appeal, hard work, humorous escapades, tragic loss and epic voyages, but it’s no mistake that section three of volume two is titled “The Decline of Camelot.”

            The book is prefaced by a short but fascinating piece titled “I Remember Googies” by John Saxon. “Googies: Coffeeshop to the Stars” offers an authentic look back at a bygone era and we can be thankful the author is such a splendid raconteur. Kudos to Steve Hayes for taking the time to pen such a heartfelt and fascinating memoir.

— Thomas McNulty

— David DeWitt

Incredible lifetime works of Art from a true Master… visit our page for Robert at The Errol Flynn Blog at coffeewithdavid.com…… or his own site at Robert Florczak.com….

— David DeWitt

Actually, Flynn had few equals, if any, among the Hollywood crowd.  Bill Tilden, the Federer of his day, made it clear that if Errol had wanted to, put his mind to playing tennis seriously he would have been world class.

He tried to teach me but, as I mention in my books, I had an older brother I disliked intensely who played at Wimbledon Lawn and Tennis Club — as a member — and any thought that reminded me of him was a turn-off.  I did however go on to be a world class amateur archer who shot on US teams and in National tournaments.  I was married then to a woman named Constance whom was actually better than I was  and end up at one time breaking a lot of California records and ranking 4th in the world.  Together, with her high scores, we won the National Husband and Wife trophy (1963) held at UCLA.

I loved archery and went hunting and plinking (shooting at tin cans, etc) with Rory Calhoun and Guy Madison frequently, and did exhibitions with the famed Howard Hill — Errol's buddy.

Hope this answers your question, pal

— ivan6gold

Hi everyone:

I'm a long-time writer who has just finished my two volume memoirs “Googie's, Coffee Shop to the Stars, and in it have discussed my friendship with Errol.

I knew him well and was a guest at his house for almost a month early in 1950.  I never actually intedned to write an autobiography but then I got angrier and angrier at the heinous bios that came out describing Flynn as a spy and bisexual, etc.

Having spent many a night sitting around yakking in the living room in our bathrobes, with only Marge Eddington on the premises (in her room) I can assure you that if Errol had had bisexual tendencies he would have hit on me.  As the photos in my memoirs show I was attractive and certainly young enough to entice anyone to me.  Never ever once did he suggest, hint or make any moves toward me.

I also helped him home from nightspots many an evening when he was bombed and again he had the excuse of alcohol to get touchy-feely and never did.  And his wives would have attested to his virility.

As for his being a spy, that is so ludicrous it's hardly worth denying.  Errol was certainly generally thinking of Errol, that was his nature, but he had a high regard for the US and thought the world of Roosevelt.  I know, he told me so.

Anyway, I'm here and willing to answer any reasonable questions about The Colonel, so feel fre to ask.  With Buster and Nora gone, and his daughters “distant” to say the least, there ain't too many of us left who actually knew him.  I think his friend and a pal of mine, Patric Knowles is gone too.

That's it for now.  I hope you enjoy my memoirs as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Steve Hayes

— ivan6gold

We are proud to announce the latest author on the Errol Flynn Blog, Steve Hayes! Steve is the author of Googies: Coffee Shop to the Stars… and a personal friend of Errol Flynn!

— David DeWitt