The Errol Flynn Blog

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

Hey, gang
More of my shots from Lasky Mesa lining up with scenes from They Died With Their Boots On. I'll have more later, but for now……..
rƒ

— Robert

You will see this in the bar of the Hotel Nacional Havana:

January 2008

                     A closer look!

And if you wander further…

Photos courtesy of David our Canadian Reader who visited Havana and was pleasantly surprised to find these items in the Hotel bar…

David writes:

Some of what I wrote about my trip to cuba and the visit to Hemingway's mansion…

Hemingway's mansion 15 Km south of Havana has beeen recently restored and its beautiful. Errol Flynn, and Ava Gardner were among the many visitors to Hemingways' home in the country which has been a museum since shortly after he died when everythng was left as it was when he walked out the door. We were told that he had wanted it to become a library and that it was Fidel's idea to make it into a Museum. Hem's widow, Mary Walsh, consented.

Visitors to the museum – amazing to see even if you have outgrown him or don't like him – are not allowed inside but the doors and windows are open except when it rains. Female attendents keep watch one or two to a room. If you stick even your chin over the sill or brocade barrier, you will be politley scolded. 'Chin' one said to me. They don't speak much English but know body parts!

The one-story colonial house sits on a small hill. There is a pool and they now have Hem's restored sports fishing boat, Pillar. Hemingway had left it to his captain when he died and who only died himself a few years ago.

One story has it that Ava Gardner went down to the pool and swam naked. Hemingway, up in the tower he built, spied her through his telescope. Hemingways wife, Mary Walsh, did not think much of that spectacle, poor woman, and when she got wind of it, went down and gathered up Ava's Robe, forcing her to walk back to the house naked.

Looking in through the guest room window you can see two twin beds, a phonograph, a tall book case. I tried to imange some of his guests, Gary Cooper, for example, sleeping in what for them would have been humble digs. (Most probably did not stay but chauffered back to the Hotel Nacional? The bar at the Hotel nacional, is like a hall of fame with photos and posters by decade of the illustrious visitors.

There is not much that is glamorous in the streets of Havana so this place is a nice retreat. The Hotel is on the architectural tour we took. It was popular with movie stars Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, Johny Wiesmueller, and Buster Keaton to name a few. Seaside there is a lawn with an ocean view and breeze and comfortable dark wicker chairs.

I had some time to write in my diary on the bus trip from Havana to Trinidad, on the opposite side of the Island. I tried my hand at writing linked Haiku which you will recall is a three-line poem where the first and third lines have 5 syllables and the middle 7.

I added to the nude bathing story other details I had heard. For example, when guests arrived Hem rang a bell and fired a small cannon which sits just inside the front door now. I rang the bell but did not include it in the Haiku.

I also imagined that Errol visited Hemingway on his last visit to the Island in 1959 shortly after the revolutution and when Errol, and probably Hemingway too, would have been suffering from Scirrocis of the liver. Hemingway may also have been sufferreing from paranoia by then as well.                

— David DeWitt