Great blog. First class. Great esoterica.
I had occasion to work with Luke Stoecker (sp?) Flynn, Errol’s grandson, about nine years ago while directing my first film, The Mercy Man. I cast Luke in a small role as “the boyfriend.” He was a great guy. As handsome as Errol, and just a laid back fun guy. And a talented actor, because he was smart and listened well (to the other actors in the scene), and those two things are hallmarks of acting talent in my opinion. Every now and then between set ups or driving to the set with the cast, I’d talk to Luke about surfing and the West Indies (two interests of mine), and we’d get talking about Jamaica and his grandmother Patrice Wymore’s estate where he’d grown up, and of course Errol. Luke was well aware of his legacy and famous grandfather, but that was ancient history to Luke. He was smart enough to live in the present and not parade around as the grandson. I remember we were shooting a scene in a terrible part of Trenton New Jersey one night, which we were doubling for NYC, and we got lost in the car in an area where the cops told us not to go, and it was late at night and everyone in the car was unnerved and waiting to get shot to death, and Luke gazed about casually and said, “This is exciting. We should shoot here,” and I remember laughing at his blithe calmness. I wish him well. Acting’s a shitty business driven by luck and connections, so who knows.
— TJR McDowell
Welcome, TJR! You have a wealth of experience and stories to tell! Glad you are aboard …
Looking at our blank comments below, TJR, it appears your fascinating post left both David and I speechless, …Or, it might be that the great migration wiped out all the great things we had to say. In any case, Welcome Aboard!
P.S. The Mercy Man looks muy, my bien!! Was any of it filmed in the Trenton war zone Luke took a liking to?
Ha! The Mercy Man! Almost forgot about this. Was a fun film to make. And yes we shot equal parts Trenton and NYC for the city stuff. Was a pretty good movie, not great. The actors were great fun, nice people, Luke particularly. Have a great Mickey Rooney and Mushy Callahan anecdote up my sleeve too. Check out ‘Fringe Deaths.’ Just directed this in June-July off-Broadway and one of 4 acts featured Barbara Payton, who I think knew Errol. Best, Rider