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Author Archive

Out of their fathers’ shadows: In Vietnam with Flynn and Steinbeck

12 Jan

Former Vietnam War journalist Carl Robinson, a close friend of Sean Flynn, writes his recollections of time spent with both Sean and John Steinbeck’s son, also a journalist, in Vietnam.
‘The Bite of the Lotus: an intimate memoir of the Vietnam War’ by Carl Robinson. Published by Wilkinson Publishing. An American, Carl Robinson settled in Australia in 1978 with his Vietnamese wife Kim-Dung. An extract was published in The Australian Financial Review … makes for a great read … linked here:
www.afr.com…

And an interview with Carl about the book from the ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Commission) with the inimitable Philip Adams: www.abc.net…

— Philip

 
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Olivia and Errol – “No Trivial Matter”

28 Jul

Saddened by the passing recently of Olivia de Havilland, though thought I’d share an excerpt from her obituary in Variety which reveals the real gravity of her bond with Errol, which was clearly no trivial matter, feelings she no doubt took to her grave …

‘Warners screen-tested her with a promising young actor, Errol Flynn, and co-starred them in the 1935 “Captain Blood,” the first of a series of swashbucklers for the two. The most popular of these was the first Technicolor version of “The Adventures of Robin Hood” in 1938, but there were also “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1936), “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex” (1939) and “They Died With Their Boots On” (1941).

The chemistry between the two spawned years of rumors on the pair’s relationship, culminating in Flynn’s declaration of his love for de Havilland in his autobiography. De Havilland admitted to her attraction to Flynn in an interview to the Independent in 2009 but said she never allowed the pursuit to go further than the screen because of Flynn’s marriage with actress Lili Damita.

“What I felt for Errol Flynn was not a trivial matter at all. I felt terribly attracted to him. And do you know, I still feel it,” de Havilland said.’

Her full obituary can be read here:
variety.com…

— Philip

 
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Errol Leads the Way

25 Nov

Flynn’s Robin Hood the template for all the rest, and still the best …

fandom.wikia.com…

 

— Philip

 
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Becoming Bond

09 Jul

I’ve just seen a truly great and very clever documentary film directed by Josh Greenbaum ‘Becoming Bond’ about another Australian devil-may-care actor, George Lazenby. Infamous for being the forgotten 007 of a single Bond film, 1969’s ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’. I couldn’t help but draw parallels between Lazenby’s attitude, charm and charisma to that of fellow Aussie Errol Flynn. They both lived life their way, not pandering to Hollywood. After completing OHMSS Lazenby turned down a 6 picture deal and a $1 million bonus from the producers to continue playing Bond. For one he thought in the era of Make Love Not War the Bond franchise wouldn’t last (wrong!), secondly the ridiculously restrictive contract would have been a straight-jacket for him (good call!). He walked away, bought a yacht and sailed the Mediterranean thinking he’d get easy money doing Italian movies. That didn’t really turnout as he planned, but a rich and ultimately lucrative life followed never the less – 2 marriages, kids, B movies, TV movies and guest spots and amassing a fortune in real estate.

Not that Errol would have been a Bond, like Lazenby he was far too independent for that, and why would he need to act as Bond when in many ways he was already living the life.
Lazenby’s here in Perth as part of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival promoting the film. Becoming Bond has had a couple screenings accompanied by a Q&A with George, and he’ll again make an appearance today following a screening of OHMSS. Highly recommended.

Trailer:www.youtube.com…
Here’s a run down – it’s streaming on Hulu:
decider.com…

 

— Philip

 
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A Very Merry Christmas to EFB members

21 Dec

To all Errol Flynn Blog members, wishing you a Very Merry Christmas from Australia! Here’s my annual handmade Christmas Greeting Card creation.

My first time posting it on EFB, as this year I’ve included an ode to Errol … he being the Santa (from Escape Me Never) escaping the frame at stage left! Enjoy, I raise my glass!

Cheers, Philip

On the western fringe of the wheatbelt, outside of the regional centre of Northam. The Great Eastern Highway cuts a swath across the fields toward perth - only another 105 kms away, Northam, WA, Australia

— Philip

 
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Mel Gibson lists Flynn, ‘Objective, Burma’ as influences for his latest epic ‘Hacksaw Ridge’

09 Sep

In an interview following a standing ovation for his latest film as director ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ at the Venice Film Festival, Mel Gibson listed Raoul Walsh’s ‘Objective, Burma’ – and our man Flynn – as his war movie touchstone:
“I love that film [Objective, Burma] and its way of dealing with war in the Pacific, in hindsight. Things were heavily censored back then and you couldn’t show a lot of awful things, but it was kind of suggested. Raoul Walsh directed it and Errol Flynn parachutes into Japanese-occupied Burma in hopes of destroying a critical radar base. The mission is a success but the group reaches the air strip where they expect to find planes ready to fly them to safety. Walsh was one of the f*cking greats. He had an eye patch, like some kind of pirate. Walsh made some great movies. The choices he makes inObjective, Burma, they really horrify you about war, and this was in the ’50s.”

Read the full article here:
deadline.com…

— Philip

 
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Theodore Thomson Flynn: Not Just Errol’s Father

06 Aug

I’d like to share with you an engrossing radio podcast, first broadcast Saturday 3rd August across Australia on the ABC’s (Australian Broadcasting Commission) long running ‘Science Program’. You may think the topic of  Flynn wouldn’t be remotely scientific, but you’d be wrong. You see, the focus is mostly on Errol’s father TT Flynn. The programme titled “In With Flynn” , covers a few generations of Flynns starting with Errol’s grandfather in New South Wales … and it seems Errol wasn’t the first Flynn to have his wicked wicked ways … “Yes, Errol Flynn was a swashbuckling lothario, a 20th century film star of very mixed fame. But what about his dad? TT Flynn was a noted biologist in Hobart who looked at fossils, fish, Tasmanian Devils and much more. A new biography calls him ‘Not just Errol’s Father’ and details his considerable contributions to Australian science. But was he too ‘In like Flynn’?”

There are 2 segments – the first focusing on the recently refurbished TMAG (Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery) which incorporates the Maritime Museum once directed by Errol’s father TT. The second discussed a newly published book on TT, ‘Theodore Thomson Flynn: Not Just Errol’s Father’

An added bonus, there’s a nice little narration (taken from a doco on Flynn made in 2005 I believe) from Christopher Lee, who knew Errol and acted in 4 of his B Grade  European swashbucklers in the 50s.

Links to listen/download the programmes here:

‘New life for the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery‘

www.abc.net…

 

T.T. Flynn: Tasmania’s first professor of biology

Talking about the newly published book ‘Theodore Thomson Flynn: Not Just Errol’s Father’

www.abc.net…

— Philip

 
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Earl Conrad

23 Feb

Hi to all EF blog members. My first post. WordPress is a neat and effective blog template … I’m looking forward to being a part of the blog. I’ve long been fascinated by Flynn, more so by the complexities of the man and his adventurous ways than singularly by his films.

I’m currently developing a screenplay based on Mr Flynn. Earl Conrad will feature prominently. I’m familiar with Conrad’s wonderful Errol Flynn: A Memoir – which I believe is the best personal account of being with Flynn. Its richness is in revealing Flynn in day-to-day life – insightful idiosyncrasies and his turns-of-phrase and habits. What I’m in search of are these similar elements of Conrad’s character. In A Memoir we see Flynn, and learn of Conrad’s reactions to Flynn’s actions, though we don’t get to learn of Conrad’s general behaviour and idiosyncrasies. I’ve read a number of other Flynn biography’s (incl Thomas McNulty’s excellent  Errol Flynn: The Life and Career) but none that expand on Conrad beyond the facts of him ghostwriting and staying in Port Antonio with Flynn during the writing/research process of My Wicked Wicked Ways.

Would anyone be able to assist with guidance as to where or how I may find additional reading and references that expand on Earl Conrad? I’d be very grateful for any help.

It’s my hope to create a story that portrays Flynn without the cliches, revealing the inner psyche and insecurities behind the facade. Capturing this remarkable multi-faceted character in film is my passion.

Cheers, Philip

— Philip

 
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