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In Like Lynn — In for Flynn

24 Apr

April 26, 1938

Elizabeth Yeaman
Hollywood Citizen News

Warners are remaining absolutely mum on the subject of Errol Flynn, whose picture, Robin Hood, was enthusiastically greeted at a preview last night. Flynn, so far as known, is still aboard his yacht in waters off the Bahama Islands. Frank Heacock, a member of the publicity department who is with Flynn, has communicated several times with the studio, but apparently Heacock cannot get Flynn to say yes or no about returning for Sister Act.

It may be that Flynn thinks his absence speaks for itself. However, with the picture ready to start and the rest of the cast all lined up, a delay in production will be an expensive matter. If Flynn should return promptly, he probably would be forgiven and put right into the picture. But in view of the silence and his absence, naturally the studio is moving to protect itself against delay.

As a result, Jeffrey Lynn has been given extensive tests for the past few days, for the role that Flynn was set to play in Sister Act. Lynn is 27, and those who saw him on the local road show of “Brother Rat” will remember him as a member of that company. Warners were immediately interested in him and sought his release from George Abbott. He was brought into the studio last January, and has been going through a grooming process. His first movie role of any size was When Were You Born?, which has not been released. And he had the role of romantic interest opposite Kay Francis in In Every Woman’s Life.

If Lynn suddenly steps into the lead opposite the Lane sisters in Sister Act, it will be a very sudden leap up the ladder of opportunity.

***
The Jeffrey Lynn story:
www.outofthepastblog.com…

In Lynn, each girl sees the attainment of her desires… See, beginning at 1:01 in the official trailer below:

www.youtube.com…

Haven’t seen it anywhere, but methinketh the name “Jeffrey Lynn” was likely created to sound like “Errol Flynn”. His real name was Ragnar Godfrey Lind.

— Tim

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Posted in Behind the Scenes, Films, Flynn and..., Gentleman Tim, Main Page, Newspaper & Headlines, Ships & the Sea, Sirocco

Not Just Any Port — “Dodge City of the Caribbean”

24 Apr

April 12, 1938

Jimmy Starr
Evening Herald Express

In the year of 1692 the quiet little village of Port Royal, Jamaica, was startled by a loud rumble, followed by a violent earthquake that slid the entire town into the ocean. On days when the water is clear, sightseerers hire a small boat to visit the site of the tragedy and to view the remains of a city underwater.

There are superstitious natives in that region who claim they can still hear the bells ringing in the sunken church. Intriqued by the fame of the bells, adventure-some Errol Flynn, Warner star, who is cruising with his new yacht in that section, informs me that he is going to make a deep-sea dive in an effort to recover the bells. If successful, the ancient chimes will be brought to Hollywood for exhibition.

***

www.atlasobscura.com…

Captain Blood’s Port Royal, Warner Bros. Publicity Still 1935

— Tim

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Posted in Behind the Scenes, Errol Flynn's Jamaica, Gentleman Tim, Main Page, Newspaper & Headlines, Ships & the Sea, Sirocco, Travels

Dozens of Dirty Rumors

23 Apr

April 23, 1938

Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner

Dozens of dizzy rumors floating about Warners efforts to get Errol back in town in a hurry for Because of a Man. One yarn is that Errol is quite ill and unable to return and another is that Warners are unable to contact him because his boat has no wireless. However, the studio says he is expected to put in at Bahamas tomorrow where Warners will have a telephone line held open to tell him to fly home. The studio has shot around him just as long as they can and there’s still another rumor that if he isn’t reached, they’ll start casting about for another hero.

***

Would it be Warners’ own Dick Powell?

Or perhaps MGM’s Melvyn Douglas?

Or would they pick someone whose name sounded more like Errol Flynn’s?

— Tim

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Posted in Behind the Scenes, Gentleman Tim, Newspaper & Headlines, Sirocco, Travels

Olivia in Ireland

22 Apr

April 22, 1938

Harrison Carroll

From Belfast, Olivia de Havilland writes that her trip has been taken up partly by commissions for her Hollywood friends. In the village of Shanonbridge, she looked up George Brent’s old nurse who, at 79, is still earning her living as a dress-maker. The star’s visit almost caused a riot in the community.

In Belfast, Olivia spent a day with Errol Flynn’s parents. His father, a professor of biology at Queen’s university, still isn’t sold on Flynn’s acting career.

He told Olivia he wishes that Errol would give up the cinema, return to Ireland, and take up a more serious vocation.

Warners would be satisfied if he’d even get off his yacht and return to Hollywood.

***

Following the filming of The Adventures of Robin Hood, before its release on May 14, 1938:

Meanwhile, back across the pond, with Warners in hot pursuit:

— Tim

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Posted in Behind the Scenes, Co-Stars, Dates & Girlfriends, Gentleman Tim, Main Page, Newspaper & Headlines, Sirocco, Travels

Thanks for the Memory — — A Poetastic Quiz

16 Apr

Who was the following for, whose films we adore, but is with us no more?

(Even more fun if the verses are sung, to the music below, a tune you all know)

Thanks for the memory.
For that dolly shot,
The tears that menthol brought,
We went to see the rushes,
… and the rushes weren’t so hot.
But thank you so much.

Thanks for the memory,
Why is Gale so slow?
Why does Lola blow?
Why aren’t Rose and Pat on time?
… and Felix gotta go?
But thank you so much.

You said hell with the mixer.
Then Flynn said hell with the picture.
But you’re a Hungarian Fixer.
We’ve had so much fun – you five bell bum!
Thanks for the memory.

We really think you’re tops.
You never turn out flops.
… and Limey says your only fault
is that you eat the props.
So thank you very much.

Cheerio, Toodle-oo

— Tim

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Posted in Behind the Scenes, Co-Stars, Flynn and..., Gentleman Tim, Newspaper & Headlines

No Blood. No Charge.

13 Apr

June 13, 1935
Hollywood Citizen News
by Elizabeth Yeaman

Apropos of The Three Musketeers, and the quest for a dashing D’Artagnan, Warners are looking for a captain Blood to replace Robert Donat in the picture of that title. Captain Blood was Irish and had all the emotional verve typical of the Irish, so Warners hacve decided to test George Brent for this role. Errol Flynn, another Irishman under contract to Warners, probably would be tested also if he had been established with the film public, but since his name is unknown outside of Hollywood, he will not qualify. Dwight Franklin, a great authority on pirates, who has been working on technical aspects of Captain Blood, feels that Brent should qualify for the role.
***
It is possible that Leslie Howard will be the star of The Charge of the Light Brigade, which Warners are going to produce as a big special during the coming year. The story, written by Abe Jacoby, was suggested by the Tennyson poem, “Charge of the Light Brigade.” Action will center around the Crimean War and Florence Nightingale will be one of the principal characters.
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Before Blood, Before Flynn was in the Big Money: