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Who?

30 Nov

In late November 1934 a leading Hollywood writer reported that the new Irish actor, Errol Flynn, somewhat resembled another Hollywood actor, only younger. Who was the actor they referred to?

— Tim

 
27 Comments

Posted in Flynn and..., Gentleman Tim, Newspaper & Headlines, The Early Errol

 
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Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

Shirley surely knew him.

He was associated with the All-American type.

Had a rather fascinating history before becoming an actor.

He was a very talented and popular actor. Nominated several times for an Oscar.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

He had/has a connection to two of the greatest sports icons in world history.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

The same writer and article reported that Errol would have a leading role opposite Kay Francis in A Present from Margate which ultimately evolved into A Widow from Monte Carlo – not to be confused with Murder in Monte Carlo!* ..That might be viewed by many as accurate as saying Errol looked like our mystery actor.
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* But, WOW, wouldn’t have Dolores Del Rio and Errol been a beautiful couple in this movie! She is absolutely stunning!!

[imgcomment image?auto=webp&s=f982f4e9edcbb9207c8b541f2fe37afec1442506[/img]

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

He was once tried for murder, and once attacked by a lion.

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barb
4 years ago

Tim, was this actor’s murder trial in real life or in the movies?

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  barb

The murder trial was real life stuff, barb – before he was an actor. In fact, before he was even a teenager!

The lion attack was both in real life and as an actor!! ..After the lion attack he looked (to me) even less like Errol!

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  barb

And – at least as an actor :-) – he was no stranger to miracles. ..Perhaps because he on at least two occasions played notable religious roles – as an actor, that is :-)

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barb
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

I’m definitely back to square one, Tim. I’d been thinking Gary Cooper, who matches a lot of your clues, altho I don’t see any resemblance at all!

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  barb

Not G.C., barb, but Super Duper Cooper did once act in a movie with a Super Dooper slugger who our mystery man taught how to play baseball (as an actor, not in real life :-)

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

And he taught, too, a Super Dooper athlete how to play football (also in a movie, not in real life!)

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

Plus, he performed with that other G. Cooper, quite a Dame, in one of his famous films – Gladys Cooper.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

Eighteen miracles, I believe.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

One of the movies our mystery man most notably appeared in was a biopic about a person who was in several big Flynn films, including Captain Blood and They Died With Their Boots On.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

[imgcomment image?h=240[/img]

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

[imgcomment image?resize=604%2C453&ssl=1[/img]

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

All three times he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, the film’s leading lady won as Best Actress.

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Claudia
4 years ago

Tough one, Tim, and I wouldn‘t have stood a chance without Google and Wikipedia here. When checking the list of actors with two or more nominations for best supporting actor, I came across Charles Bickford who was tried and acquitted of attempted murder at age nine. Interesting enough, his maternal grandfather was a sea captain, and Wikipedia calls him an intelligent but unruly and independent child. Does this remind us of someone?

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Claudia

Charlie Bickford it is, Claudia! Who would have thunk?! That lion attack at MGM must have done a lot of damage! :-)

In any case, he was a heck of an actor, one of my favorite character actors when I was a kid. Rough and gruff, but lovable. Film clues above included The Song of Bernadette (as the local Catholic Priest), The Babe Ruth Story (as Brother Mathias), and Jim Thorpe: All American. (as Pop Warner.)( Coincidentally, Jim Thorpe appeared as an extra in several films of Errol’s.) Also, the great photo of Shirley Temple above was from a film he was in (but I don’t recall ever seeing.)

CONGRATULATIONS, CLAUDIA. And a big thanks and congratulations to barb, too, for her gallant valiance participating (and I suspect probably coming close to correctly answering) this very tricky Charlie Bickford quiz!

I will put up the news article alleging that Errol resembled Charlie, as soon as I can this afternoon!

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

Here’s a good sample of Charlie acting and narrating in Jim Thorpe All-American:

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barb
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

Major congrats, Claudia! You outdid yourself with this one, Tim. Everyone I came up with matched some clues but not others. I read Bickford’s Wikipedia entry and had no idea he had led such a life. Thank you for another great quiz .

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Claudia
4 years ago
Reply to  barb

I‘ll second that, Barb. I love a good challenge but this was one of the toughest ever. Hats off to Quizmaster Tim for this one.
And Barb, I am sure you would eventually have arrived at the same conclusion, I was just a tiny bit faster.

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barb
4 years ago
Reply to  Claudia

You still have bragging rights, Claudia! :-) I agree, I think this was Tim’s toughest yet, and Tim, how you knew that last clue is utterly beyond me. That of course is why you’re the Quiz Master!

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago

November 29, 1934

Elizabeth Yeaman

Ever since Errol Flynn, Irish actor, arrived at Warners’ two months before he was expected, studio employees who have met him have been lavish in their enthusiasm over the screen possibilities of this newcomer. He is the rugged type, I am told, resembling Charles Bickford a little, only a young man. He is said to be a matinee idol on the English stage, and Warners evidently gave him an important contract, since he has been assigned to be one of the leading roles opposite Kay Francis in A Present from Margate. Ian Hunter, another British player recently placed under contract by Warners has been cast for the other male lead in the picture.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

Here he is with Greta Garbo, a Swede playing a Swede in her famous first talkie, Anna Christie:

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And here he is about 17 years later with Jennifer Jones, an American playing a Swede, in Farmer’s Daughter – along with Joseph Cotton and Ethel Barrymore:

[imgcomment image[/img]

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barb
4 years ago
Reply to  Gentleman Tim

That’s actually Loretta Young, who won a best actress Oscar for that role, and, yes, Bickford was nominated for best supporting actor.

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  barb

Oops, thanks barb. meant to say Loretta Young, and was going to add Jennifer Jones for The Song of Bernadette.

[imgcomment image?w=300&h=231&zoom=2[/img]

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Author
Gentleman Tim
4 years ago
Reply to  barb

And here he is in Johnny Belinda earning a third nomination, while the leading lady won Best Actress. …He must have been good luck for Best Actress Awards – Jennifer Jones, Jane Wyman, and Loretta Young.

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