Dear Flynnstones,
who agrees with me that this picture captures the chemistry of Errolivia to an almost feelable degree?
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Author Archive
The Earl of Erroll
13
Apr
Dear Flynnstones,
the 1987 movie “White Mischief” based on a true crime story from Kenya in 1940 bears more than one reference to our Hollywood hero.
Not only would Flynn have been perfect for the lead of Josslyn Victor Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll, who in the film was portraited by actor Charles Dance, but the antics of the Happy Valley aristocrates can both be seen as mirroring Hollywood royality as well as mimmicking Errol in Northampton.
Flynnmate Trevor Howard picks up (mostly bottles and guns), where he left off in “Roots of Heaven” in one of his last roles-his excessive drinking almost got him fired.
Gorgeous Greta Scacchi, scarcly clad due to the fine weather, in type resembles Pat Wymore.
But it is a real life angle tying the unsolved murder mystery to our Man Flynn.
Matter of fact, in the book of the same title from James Fox, Freddie McEvoy is described as a person of interest in an investigation of the police in South France.
A pearl collier, which plays a special, if not the key role in the whole affair had been stolen from a car.
The heist appears as some sort of a steal and lease back scheme with Suicide Freddie in the midst of things.
In my book this is what really cost Joss his life later on…maybe even Freddie`s.
McEvoy and Errol had planned to take a safari trip together in that area, but the big game hunt was cancelled, because the shooting of “The Adventures of Don Juan” hadn`t finished in time.
“Hail to the Mischief!”,
— shangheinz
Later Lil‘
29
Mar
Dear Flynnstones,
in later years Lili Damita became a fixture in the social circles of Palm Beach. Always the diva no ray of sun was to alter her skin of porcelain.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Don’t Mansion it…
28
Mar
Dear Flynnstones,
socialite Countess Dorothy DiFrasso (here strolling with another millionaire heiress, a fox fur wearing Barbara Hutton) lent her Bel Air estate to Freddie McEvoy. Take a peak at the mansion, where Errol Flynn mingled with Betty Hansen and see the blue room, which caused much gloom.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Whale-iam Tell
13
Mar
Dear Flynnstones,
the Mummy Man is back again. Brendan Fraser won the Academy Award for best actor yesterday at the Oscars. He gave a “Whale” of a performance in the namesake movie. Back in 2008 his then name in lights was attached to a project Errol failed to finish: William Tell .
Are some movies doomed from the start? Flynn`s “The Story of William Tell” and Orson Welles`”Don Quijote” were persued for years, but never materialized, due to mostly monetary problems. Terry Gilliam picked up the mule where OW had left off and got lost in la Mancha. Erstwhile.
The adventures of Swiss hero William Tell had already hit the movie screen in the 1930s starring Conrad Veit. Then in 1948 again, this time in Italy, Gino Cervi known from the “Don Camillo & Peppone” series took aim at the apple. In 1960 Switzerland took it up on themselves to immoviealize Will Tell on the big screen- Wilhelm Tell/Burgen in Flammen (“Castles in flammes”) was released.
In 2011 finally William Tell: The Legend 3D (alternate: Crossbow) was announced to be filmed in Altdorf and Romania. Alongside Fraser we would see Anne Paquin (“The Piano”) as his wife Hedwig, Dakota Goyo (“Real Steel”) as his son Walter and German actor Til Schweiger would become Gessler the Hat, the Austrian baddie. Nick Hurran (“Sherlock”) was to direct at first, then Eric Brevig (“Journey to the Center of the Earth”) took over the helm-et. The script came from Scott Reynolds. Tagline of the movie: Farmer. Family Man. Hero. Outlaw.
When in 2013 no arrow had been fired, Brendan sued the producer and saw himself stripped of the lead in favor of another avid archer, Hawkeye Avenger-actor Jeremy Renner. “Hunger Games” director Gary Ross wanted to end the head splitting and start splitting apples. Audiences were left hungry. Again.
Maybe with the new found pouch, ahm punch, B. Fraser will get to do W. Tell at last. A golden statue will get you things prior not available.
Even the appleshot Robin Hood missed.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
The Other Oscar
12
Mar
Dear Flynnstones,
2023 marks the 100th birthday of outstanding Austrian actor Oskar Werner. Vienna celebrates this terrific thespian with an exhilarating exhibition in one of the oldest cinemas alive, the theatre boothed METRO KINO.
While Werner and Flynn very probably never met, I couldn’t help but notice parallels between the two men, who could draw an audience by name alone. Both were promoted to demi-god status early. Errol went from Blood to Hood, Oskar from Hamlet to leading lad. The two were hailed, held back, written off, resurrected and rediscovered by an industry which applies band aids to searching souls in the form of cheques, contracts and chateaus.
Hollywood will eventually give you an Academy Award for a life of misuse and abuse, provided one survives it.
Watch it again tonight,
— shangheinz
Five Quid Pro Quo
06
Mar
Dear Flynnstones,
on June 2nd 1954 a stovepiped Errol could be spotted at the annual Epsom Derby in Surrey County.
The Baron was not the only royalty in attendance.
[embedyt] www.youtube.com…
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
Son of Tell
25
Feb
Dear Flynnstones,
until recently very little was known about child actor Guido Martufi, who played Errol‘s son Jimmy/Gemmy in “The Story of William Tell“.
Little Guido won over Jack Cardiff in a casting, which saw him competing against Flynn‘s real life son Sean.
At 12 years he recently had completed “I Vitelloni“, the Fellini film prior to “La Strada“.
As it turns out this child prodigy had already done a tour to Hollywood before, starring in “Westward the Women“ by “Beau Geste“-director Willam A. Wellman and in Fred Zinnemann‘s “Teresa“.
He would go on after the missed appleshot to act in Selznick‘s remake of “Farewell to the Arms“ and appear in some comedies of Totó, the Italian Charlie Chaplin.
Then at age 20 he would abruptly stop and never act again.
In an Italian interview in 1999 he promised a biography by an American film journalist, which by the sheer size of his work would have made for the slimmest book east of the English Kamasutra.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
From London with Love
23
Feb
Dear Flynnstones,
Austrian magazine Film+Funk ran a home story on Family Flynn in February of 1957.
They visit an Errol in great form in Great Britain.
All eyes are on little Arnella as she visits her Pa on the set of his TV-series.
She tears at his fake czar like beard and shakes hands with the “most important person“ on the lot, producer Norman Williams- „…the man who‘s handing me my pay cheque…“
TV in the 60s meant less work than for a movie with equal pay and a nation wide exposure.
No wonder our Hollywood hero felt revived.
After work saw the perfect papa coming home to wife, kid, Swiss nanny and parrot Guapa.
Enjoy,
— shangheinz
