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Archive for the ‘Flynn and…’ Category

Four Score Years Ago – Errol Goes A Partying — —Part 2

24 May

April 30, 1941

Hollywood Citizen News

Frolicsome Guests Enjoy Poolside

Custard pies, Keystone Kops, and a carefree spirit reigned Sunday when Milton Berle played host to 400 picture friends at his Mack Sennett bathing party at the Beverly Hills Hotel Sand and Pool Club.

Dressing in a bathing suit of the 1900s, Mr. Berle saw to it that his guests had the time of his life.

Custard pies throwing was judged by the guest of honor, Mack Sennett. On the throwing end were Misses Judy Garland, Joan Davis, Ann Miller, Bonita Granville, Patti McCarty, Carole Landis, and Linda Darnell. At the receiving end of their deadly aim were the host and Buster Keaton, Errol Flynn, Billy Gilbert, Parkyarkarkus, and Laird Cregar.

When the Keystone Kops, Dave Rose, Eddie Cronjagger, and Charles Hall, tried to “break up” the battle, they met with furious bombardment themselves.

Ping pong, tennis, badminton, and a variety show with clowns, dancing and comedy diving kept the party at top speed.

The famous Beverly Hills Hotel pool was very briefly known as the “Sand and Pool Club”.

— Tim

 

Four Score Years Ago — Errol Goes a Partying — — Part 1

24 May

April 23, 1941

Hollywood Parade

Los Angeles Times

By Ella Wickersham

Once again the door of the picturesque garden house of the Beverly Hills Hotel to receive a notable and festive medley of filmlanders,with Edmund Goulding in the hosting role and Doris Duke Cromwell enjoying the honor spot.

Apropos of the parties Doris has tossed for Eddie’s delectation at her sumptuous home in Hawaii during his Honolulu holidays, and to provide the visitor with a homelike atmosphere, the Garden House was adorned with palms, Polynesian blossoms and other Hawaiian detail.

A Hawaiian played a soft obbligato to the cocktail chatter, and among those bidden wer the Herbert Marshalls, the Gary Coopers, Reggie Gardiner, Ann (Mrs. Jack) Warner, Sonja Henie and Dan Topping, Harry Crocker, Minna Wallis, Lionel Atwell, Barbara Hutton, Cary Grant, Gloria Swanson, John McLane, Walter Brooks, Jack Warner, Rex Cole, the Errol Flynns, Edgar Selwyn, Kay Sutton, the Ben Finneys, Joan Bennett, Sam Hoffenstein, the Sam Raphaelsons, Philip Terry, Gene Markey, the Charles Boyers, Lothar Mendes, George Brent, Ann Sheridan, Tim Durant, the Charles Feldmas, Eddie Sutherland, Mary Rogers, Dudley MurphyCharles Chaplin, Mona Maris, Gregory LaCava, Andy Lawler, Jean Negulesco, and Roland Young.

Look for this photo of Errol at the B.H.H. in the video below – with Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Tiger Lil, Rocky Cooper, and Robert Taylor. The date of this photo is uncertain to me, but it was definitely taken at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and it appears to be relatively contemporaneous.

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youtu.be/0Lair5ZDSAI…

— Tim

 

Bonjour, Irene, Bonjour

18 May

May 17, 1950

Errol, Princess Ghica, Margaret Eddington and Marelle Flynn

— Tim

 

Mail Bag! Olivia Explains …

16 May

Our own Karl Holmberg sends this delightful interview from 1978 with Olivia de Havilland …

 

Thanks, Karl…

— David DeWitt

 

A Knock-Down Drag-Out Affair

13 May

Read the rest of this entry »

— Tim

 

A Trophy for Travilla

04 May

Western Union – May 4, 1948


“[Billie] “Travilla” arrived in Hollywood in 1941 and won an Academy Award for his designs in Adventures of Don Juan starring Errol Flynn. He is credited as the costume designer of over 90 films and television productions — nine of which starred Marilyn Monroe. He may be best known for creating Monroe’s iconic Seven Year Itch white halter dress which was forever associated with both of them. (See below)”


The scene that the not thrill Joe DiMaggio. Dress by Travilla.

— Tim

 

Never Say Die, The Beatles, and Errol Flynn

02 May


Errol at the 1954 Epsom Derby

“[This book] relates the story of original Beatles drummer Pete Best’s mother Mona pawning her jewelry to bet on the longshot Never Say Die to win the 1954 Epsom Derby. She cashed in her winnings to put a down payment on a house in Liverpool where she converted the basement into the Casbah Coffee Club with the opening, and soon to be regular, band, The Quarrymen (later renamed The Beatles), in residence.”

Per former Beatle Pete Best’s account, if Never Say Die had not won the Epsom Derby, there very likely would have never been a Casbah Coffee Club, nor therefore The Beatles. So, without his ever knowing so, Errol was at one of the most pivotal events in entertainment and cultural history.

— Tim

 

Night and Site of the Fight

30 Apr

April 29, 1945

Olivia in 1946 (WOW!) – Over whom Errol and Huston fought.

Site of the Fight! David O. Selznick’s “breathtaking” home and gardens Summit Drive in Beverly Hills. The fight took place in both the the famous gardens and the then gravel driveway.

— Tim

 

Mail Bag! Nice Bio of Eric Wolfgang Korngold …

26 Apr

Our pal Jan van der Vliet sends this nice link to a detailed bio of Erich Wolfgang Korngold related to a DVD recording of The Adventures of Robin Hood:

tinyurl.com… – Thanks, Jan!

— David DeWitt

 

Road to Mulholland

24 Apr

On Sunday, February 13, 1949, Flynn Flung a Party Up at the Farm on Mulholland.

See, Flynn Flings a Party on the EFB

On the list of luminaries invited to that A-list soiree was the fum and gorgeous Dorothy Lamour. Here she is that party, just her and Errol.

It’s been said that Errol and Dorothy dated. They certainly appear to have enjoyed each other’s company very much and could have been an extremely attractive couple. Circa their being together in ’49, Dorothy recorded ‘Moonlight Becomes You’, a sensational song that became an instant classic when Bing Crosby sang it to her years earlier in Road to Morocco.

Seen in a different light, the title ‘Moonlight Becomes You’ could also be interpreted as ironically applying to the rape trial turning point in Errol’s life, though I’m sure Dorothy never had that in mind. …Here she is singing the song that (rightfully) helped make her famous. (I know I’ve had a major crush on her since the day I first her in that Hope-Crosby classic.) Background vocals by the great Crew Chiefs, known mostly for singing during the War with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.


CONNECTIONS

Errol was going through a very difficult time in his marriage with Nora, one that sadly resulted in divorce. Nora was a beautiful and desirable woman, so much so that Dick Hames and John Ireland were both trying to win her affections in 1949. So much so that one of the world’s greatest songwriters – Jimmy Van Heusen – also fell in love with her, making his feelings known for all time in the ‘But Beautiful’ – a now-standard jazz gem which Bing also sang to Dorothy in a Road picture – the Road to Rio! – And which was also sung at Nora’s funeral ❤.

Here’s the beautiful ‘But Beautiful’, written for Nora, sang here to Dorothy Lamour:

— Tim