We welcome New Author Russ to the blog and look forward to his comments and thoughts!
— David DeWitt
We Welcome New Author Russ… to The Errol Flynn Blog!
06
Oct
64 Comments
Posted in Blog Authors, Main Page, RmMcclay
Hello, Russ, and welcome! Hope you have a great time here.
Best,
Robert
Hello Russ, Welcome!
Thanks for the warm welcome folks! Very happy to have found this place where I can share my enthusiasm and interest in our friend Errol (who would be 100 years old next year!).
Here's an early photo of Flynn (hosted on my Image Shack account btw)
Russ
Thanks for the rare and fascinating pic, Russ; but I must say that this is, hands-down, the worst photo of Flynn I've ever seen! Does anyone else here agree?
Robert
He does not look his attractive self, that's for sure. He does look goofy, maybe he was trying to clown around. Didn't his teeth look that way on the stairs of the Queen Mary? I vote to keep it as it documents his development. Terrible side view of the man with him as well. An ugly snapshot for sure. Speaking of moles, Sarah Jessica Parker had a serious looking one on her chin that is finally missing. HD and Blue Ray really show every line and detail and pit. (David: I took out the extra re's just for you :)!)
I vote we keep the photo up, so as not to seem like an idealistic group of teeny-bopper fans!
As for his facial flaws, I have studied that face long and hard over the decades (probably my artist's vice) and noticed his teeth progressively improving over time. In “Captain Blood” he still had a problem with one incisor, continuing through at least “The Adventures Of Robin Hood”. By the early to mid forties all had been taken care of, resulting in a perfect and respectable set of Hollywood smilers.
I've also noticed that he had two suspicious facial moles that were removed–or I should say, “hacked”–from his face. One, on the cheek just below his left eye, was removed just after “The Adventures Of Don Juan”. It had become more prominent over the years and I presumably it was pre-cancerous. It was excised with what looks to have been a nine iron, leaving a nasty divot! The other mole, quite noticeable throughout “The Adventures Of Robin Hood”, was between his eyebrows, and when this was later removed it left what looked like an “x marks the spot”! He also had less noticeable moles on the left side of his neck, and just beneath his breastbone, but these remained for the rest of his life.
I fear these observations of mine display a level of idolizing quite embarrassing outside the confines of this blog. And I cautioned us about being teeny-bopper fans?!!
Regards,
Robert
Wow….and I thought I was obsessed.
Haven't noticed the mole between the eyebrows, but definitely noticed the mole under his left eye…. whoever removed it “scooped” it out. The pit is noticeable in all later pics.
I get the impression Errol didn't have any problem with such modifications….but I wonder how much was his own concern
as opposed to those foisted upon him by the opinions of others.
Russ
Based on subtle statements of Errol's, I've always had the impression he didn't give a damn about his looks, other than the success they afforded him. I think we all appreciated more than he his combination of classic beauty balanced by solid masculinity of looks, a one-two punch you rarely find in male actors; it's usually a case of one or the other.
Robert
Russ, my family and friends all think I am obsessed with EF!
Hi Kathleen;
Good to see you back on site!
I am with you – obsessed is the right word!
All the best to you,
Tina
Robert, like you, I always noticed the two moles on his face. especially the one between his eyes. It is extremely noticeable in the close-up of him in the Robin Hood banquet scene when he leans forward and tells Prince John what he's going to do to oppose him (“I'll organize a revolt . . . “). A similar thing was true of Charlton Heston. For much of his film career he had a very large mole on his right nostril which is now more obvious than ever with HDTV and Blu-Ray. In some close-ups in El Cid, for instance, it is hard not to take your eyes off of it. And then in the mid-70s it was suddenly gone . . .
I've wanted to ask the “mole question” for a while but felt like it was too crazy – now I see that it has been discussed long before. Robert, have you got any idea when the one between his eyebrows was removed? I could trace it as far as “Virginia City”? But then I found that the lines between his eyebrows were slowly deepening, so I thought it might be due to this fact that the mole is not discernible any more??? Confusion…
Hi Inga;
I read your post and examined some of my early pictures of Errol, but I can't see any moles. What picture do you have that one could see the moles between the eyebrows and on the left cheek below the eye?
I have one where you could see a very, very tiny skin eruption under the eye – left side, which I would not call a mole, it is the color picture I posted when we discussed his hair and beard color!
Could you post a picture to see these two moles?
All the best,
Tina
Tina, the problem with these moles is that you have problems finding them on PICTURES as they were mostly manipulated afterwards. I first noticed the one between his eyebrows while watching Robin Hood – as did others too, they discussed it above. I took a screen capture for you, next time you watch it, you will notice it all over:
As for the ones below his eye, there are only two pictures I could find – again, the other studio portraits must have been manipulated:
See them? In the picture on the right, there is also a hint of the one between his eyebrows. I wondered when it disapeared, as I said, in “Virginia City”, I think it was still visible… OMG, how trivial can one be??
Hi Inga;
Thank you for posting the pictures!
These are just very little skin tags not moles. Moles are light brown to dark brown and quite visible. With Errol's one needs practically a magnifying glass!
Poor Errol – being dissected!
The best to you,
Tina
According to te definitions I found, they can be of any colour. Also of “no” colour… anyway, I just jumped on the wagon because I had noticed it and never dared to ask and then I saw that our great ones had discussed it three years ago… So I thought, 'Good, I'm not the only crazy one here.'
Here's the latest research tidbit: In analyzing this photo for The Chronology, I made the quite amazing discovery that this is not Flynn pre-Hollywood, but, in fact, 1937 in Paris on his way to the Spanish Civil War front! In fact, the photos of Lili in Willy Michel's booth are from the same day, March 24, 1937 (
) that Michel took those of Flynn. In the Fegerl book, one can compare the Flynn/Damita/Paris photos with these and see that they are wearing the same outfits, including her leopard skin coat and his over-sized coat.
So, the the matinee idol looks of the recent star of “The Prince And The Pauper” was quite capable of looking less than “idolic”. I tell ya!
Hi Robert;
You are right this picture is sure something to wish for!
I am sure he was just fooling around like a kid!
Quite possible his first time in Europe and enjoying himself thoroughly, he looks it. He must have been ecstatic to go on an adventure again, but never thought for a minute that this picture would be still around 74 years later.
Who is Willy Michel and his booth – in Paris?
Wish for??
This was Flynn's third time in Europe, after living in England from 1921-24 and visiting his mother and sister in the South of France, and again when passing through to England on his way from the South Pacific with Hermann Erben.
Hi Robert;
To wish for? I meant it in a mocking way!
I should have said Paris, which I meant – not Europe – silly me.
I know he was in England at school and later to start his acting carrier.
When did he visited his mother and sister in the South of France?
I don't know that.
Even Paris: this was his third time. He was in France to visit his family in 1924, and he first met Lili there in June of 1933.
That story I do not believe at all, he never met Lili in Paris, that is somebodies figment of their imagination!
Yeah, it just happened that Lili was standing on the corner and he picked her up with his tattered suitcase under his arm – right! Hahaha – i am really laughing!
She was a star and he was an ordinary person then – one does not meet movie stars out of the blue! So he just happens to meet a movie star arriving in Paris with no money in his pocket and knowing nobody in town – how??? That miracle I would love to see! Best joke I ever heard!
Before I believe that story somebody would need to proof that to me with solid facts.
He met her on Board of the “Paris” the ocean liner, that “Paris” I agree, but not in the city of Paris. It is written in books that he went after his arrival in Marseilles straight to London.
My dear Robert, you tell wonderful stories! I know you are having me ON!
The best to you,
Tina
You may not believe it but it is likely true, considering it was verified by Lili herself.
Flynn traveled with a Mr. Jesperson from Marseilles to Paris, before heading off to Belfast to visit his family. He and Lili also met backstage in London in February of '34 when she was headlining the play, “Here's How”.
When they next crossed paths on the SS Paris, it was for the third time.
Hi Robert;
As you say – it is likely true! Verified by Lili herself? When and where?
Errol traveled with a Mr. Jesperson from Marseilles to Paris? Where is that written?
He and Lili also met backstage in London in February of '34? Where can I look that up?
Why would Errol describe their first meeting on the SS Paris in such details and his feelings about it i.e. it took me four days to find enough courage to approach her and ask her for a dance?
Sorry my dear, you know I take just about everything you say for gospel, but this time I have a little problem to do so. To believe in these earlier meetings of Errol and Lili I would need to see proof of where this is all written.
Have a great weekend,
Tina
Lili confirmed this information to Gerry Connelly, noted in his fine book, “Errol Flynn In Northampton”; Mr. Jesperson's travels (and photo) with Flynn are chronicled in Josef Fegerl's book, “Errol Flyn and Dr. Hermann F. Erben–A friendship Of Two Adventurers 1933-1940”
Hi Robert;
You are just unbeatable! You are right! Kudos to you!
I have both books and neither one I really read, just took glances at them with the intention to read them properly one day. (time is the problem) I looked up your information and it is stated, which leaves me now with great doubts about what is written in MWWW. There is no reason for Errol not to state the various encounters with Lili. She couldn't have objected to that information. I have the first edition with all the deleted paragraphs in tact. I wonder whom one could believe?
Take care,
Tina
I'd like to know what was just said between them – Errol has the goofiest expression on his face!
I happen to know. But I'm not saying.
Keeping secrets – ok – I will read it in your book – right!
I hope it is ready soon!
Like when you knew the secret about the Sirocco Club and would not tell?
Exactly
Am I the only one again who is not able to see the photo in your comment, neither in i-explorer nor mozilla??
That was my fault, I'm sorry to say. I hit “post” before cleaning up the text. Try this:
Hmmmm……..David?!
thanks… under mozilla, I could finally right clikc on the first image and then got redirected to flickr. Are there also some others of Flynn from this photomaton?
Just these original three:
Hard to believe that when we'd next see Flynn on screen, it would be in “Perfect Specimen”!
I don't know what problem everybody is having here with Errol's looks? Really… It's not such a bad photo after all. ???
Inga, I agree. After I viewed the three and then went back up to the post it isn't that horrible. Just a shock at first and now I “see” Errol when I view it.
Thanks, Kathleen. It's just that his hair is a bit bizarre. but he does not look sooooo very bad after all.
Thanks, Inga–That gives hope to us men here on the blog!
How wonderful – Inga as someone who gives hope. That's new to her. Erm… any hope for her that you comment on the “mole question” above? Or is this over and out?
It's never over and out, Inga. It's just that I'm preparing a thorough answer for you and I have to do that in pieces while other work takes priority. Patience!
Looking forward to it, and I certainly didn't mean to hurry you, I was just wondering because this discussion was started so long ago and I felt a little stupid to re-address it… That's why I thought it might be… you know… So please do first things first and don't worry about me! Going to sleep now, have a good day over there and thanks!
Wow, looking at the three pictures together the one above is the worst! I think EF looks adorable in the third picture–all of his best features appear except for his hair and of course those terrible teeth.
ah, I found it, Russ posted the link before! Stupid me. Now about that mole question above…
I have seen this pic before. It is indeed one of the worst pics of young Flynn I have ever seen. Bad teeth, bad hair, and even his clothes don't seem to fit! I have seen the fellow he is in the photo with before, too – can't think of his name but he apparently had his picture taken with celebrities and near celebrities – or just ordinary people – for the hell of it? Anyway, this is indeed an butt ugly photo and a rare one!
That's not Errol! It's his second cousin, Melvin Flynn, from Brisbane. (Note: do we have to HAVE this horrible pic on the blog?)
Heh. Well, I'd like to know more about Melvin Flynn and if the photo above really is of him or Errol. If you truly want me to remove the photo I will, or David can.
Cheers,
Russ
Taking this a bit further, the source is Flickr.
The caption is: Le photographe Willy Michel (à droite) et Errol Flynn (1909-1959), acteur de cinéma (Captain Blood, The adventures of Robin Hood, They died with their boots on…).
Marié à Lily Damita
We learn more about the photographer, Willy Michel on this page:
tinyurl.com…
Famous French Film Faces in the Photomaton
June 26, 2008
We continue Photomaton Week here at Photobooth.net… (don’t worry, it’s unofficial, you didn’t miss the announcement) with a spectacular trove of French photographic history. Thanks to a Google Alert pointing out a post on Dinosaurs and Robots, we found this group of photos that fits right in with the renaissance (nice) of the Parisian photobooth: an amazing set of more than 150 photobooth shots from the 1930s – 1950s, all featuring the friendly face of Willy Michel, Photomaton’s man in Paris during that time.
Titled “Aux origines du Photomaton,” the set of photos features faces that will be familiar to fans of the films of Melville, Clouzot, and Renoir, as well as some other recognizable faces, including a young Errol Flynn, Bing Crosby, Erich von Stroheim (wow!) and Arthur Rubenstein. Almost more fascinating than the faces of the actors are the faces of Michel, sometimes eerily consistent from photo to photo, but also greatly changed over the decades the photos were taken. It’s worth the time it takes to flip through all of these priceless photos, each a testament to the enduring power of the photobooth to capture a genuine, spontaneous moment in time.
Willy Michel and Charles Boyer from Aux origines du Photomaton.
—
I don't think it is likely that Errol's second cousin from Brisbane would have been a subject of Michel's work.
Welcome, Russ! Interesting photo. Obviously, Errol had his teeth fixed after this was taken. That's something I never knew. The early boyhood pictures that were at Flynn's house while I lived there didn't portray these gaps between his front upper teeth. Best, Steve