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Flynn, by a Knockout! Perfect Specimen!

10 Jun

Flynn’s opponent later became a personal assistant in Hollywood to Daryl Zanuck …

DAILY ADVERTISER NSW

Friday 16 December 1938Page 6

Tasmanlan-born film star, knocked out Captain Aidan Roark, the international polo player. A brawl occurred at a cocktail party at the home of socially prominent Mrs Jock Whitney. Spectators say that
after the knockout a friend of Roark’s rushed forward and punched Flynn in the jaw, loosening a tooth. Flynn is 6ft 2in in height, and weighs 12st 12lb. He was discovered by Mr. Charles
Chauvel, and his first screen appearance was as Fletcher Christian in the Australian production, ‘In the Wake of the Bounty.’ The last two films in which Australia has seen him were the Hollywood productions of ‘The Perfect Specimen’ and ‘Robin Hood.’ Captain Roark’s height and weight are
not on record locally. A Captain Roark played No. 3 at polo for England against the United States in 1927 and again in 1930.

The Perfect Specimen

The Lux Radio Theatre. January 2, 1939. CBS net. “The Perfect Speciman”. Sponsored by: Lux Soap. A multi-millionaire bred to be “a perfect speciman,” takes off to be his own man and avoid his dominating grandmother. Dr. Floyd L. Ruch, an associate professor of psychology is interviewed. Joan Blondell has trouble reading her script during the post-story interview.

Errol Flynn, Joan Blondell, May Robson, Cecil B. DeMille, Lou Merrill (performer, commercial spokesman), Frank Nelson (performer, program opening announcer), Byron K. Foulger, Lindsay MacHarrie, Alma Lloyd, Clem Bevins, Eddie Waller (doubles), Ross Forrester, Gay Seabrook, Billy Bletcher, Bob Burleson (doubles), Earle Ross (doubles), Lou Fulton, Edward Marr (doubles), Louis Silvers (music director), Samuel Hopkins Adams (author), Melville Ruick (announcer), Norman Reilly Raine (screenwriter), Lawrence Riley (screenwriter), Brewster Morse (screenwriter), Fritz Falkenstein (screenwriter), Caroline Frasher, Raoul DeLeon, Gil Patric, David Kerman, Margaret Brayton, Floyd L. Ruch (intermission guest), Frank Woodruff (director), George Wells (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 59:37.

“A constable in the New Guinea police at 17, an overseer of a copra plantation, then collumnist for a Sydney Australian newspaper, master of a trading boat, gold prospector, memner of the Australian Boxing Team in the 1928 Olympics- he’s never stopped roving.” Dawn Patrol has just been released. Flynn planning trip to Cat Cay in Bahamas for giant tuna fishing in the early spring. He also plans to sail Sirocco II in the annual race from California to Hawaii in the summer.

_____________________________________________

— David DeWitt

 

Errol Flynn on Gutenberg Press!

05 Jun

— David DeWitt

 
 

Tributes to the Troops

31 May

Memorial Day, 2021

Because of poor health, Errol’s multiple attempts to serve in uniform were not accepted by the Armed Forces, so he supported America and the Allies in numerous other ways, beginning with his anti-Nazi tour of South America, his numerous appearances for the Red Cross and on war bond tours, and his anti-Axis war films – from Sea Hawk to Objective Burma.

Errol also supported the troops and Allies very significantly as a star on USO tours, including north to Alaska in WWII, and west to Korea during the Korean War.

North to Alaska, 1943

West to Korea, 1953

— Tim

 

An A to Z List of Potential Libations for the 2021 Global Toast to Errol 🍸🍺🍹🍮🥃🍾

29 May

Based on drinks and beverages Errol is known to have drank, believed to have drank, likely drank, rumored to have drank, and has had created and named in tribute to him, here is an A through Z list of possible libations for the June 20, 2021 Global Birthday Toast to Errol<a

Almost 21 days away

First Announcement of the 2021 Global Birthday Toast to Errol

Absinthe – in Europe and New Orleans

Bacardi – in Cuba and elsewhere

Bavarian Beer – in Germany

Bloody Mary – the drink he introduced at the Smokehouse in LA

Bourbon – during Desperate Journey (the movie, not the marriage to Lili)

Brandy and Soda – a favored drink in New Guinea during his days there

British Beers from his days in Britain and at the Cock'n Bull in LA

Bundaberg Beer – in Australia and New Guinea

Bundy (Bundaberg Rum) – in Australia and New Guinea

Captain's Blood – a daiquiri created in tribute to Errol

Cascade Brewery Beer – from Tasmania, per tassiedevil (Steve & Genene)

Champagne – throughout his celebrity years, and a la Olivia's annual birthday toast to Errol

Chianti – drank at various locations and occasions

Coca-Cola

Coffee – throughout adulthood

Courvoisier cognac – during years of celebrity

Cuba Libre – from his first visits to Cuba in the mid-Thirties

Cuba Story – a drink created for Errol by Dennis Mullen

Daiquiri – during his visits to Havana, a la El Floridita

Dry Martini – throughout years of celebrity

Errol Flynn's Pick-Me-Up – a drink named after him

Fine French Wines – brought with him to locations without, per Difford's Guide for Discriminating Drinkers

Gin, bathtub-style – a la Errol at the Roosevelt Hotel

Gin – in many drinks, with mixes from tonic to O.J., sometimes with a splash of Squirt

Guinness Stout – in Britain and Ireland and elsewhere

Hennessy Cognac – a likely Flynn cognac

Herradura – the tequila owned by his friend Bing Crosby

Italian Wines – during his days in Italy and filming of William Tell (with sardines), et al

Irish Beers – from his days in Ireland and Britain

Irish whiskeys

Jack Rose – at the 21 Club (and maybe the Mocombo)

Jamaican Reef – created for Errol Dennis Mullen

Johnnie Walker – per Difford's Guide for Discriminating Drinkers

Kentucky whiskey – straight, in a Mint Julep, or in a Kentucky Coffee

Louis XIII Cognac – a possible Flynn cognac

Maid Marian – created and bottled by Chesterfield Whisky

Mai Tai – see the "Q.B. Cooler" below

Mojito – a la Bodeguita del Medio

Moselle – a la 21 Club

Moscow Mule – a la the Cock 'n Bull in LA

Napolean Cognac – a likely Flynn cognac

Navy Grog – in tribute to Errol's In the Wake of the Bounty

Old Fashioned – a likely cocktail for Errol throughout adulthood

Pi Yi – a la Don the Beachcomber, LA

Q.B. Cooler – predecessor of the Mai Tai, created by tiki-drink pioneer, Donn Beach

Queen Elizabeth

Queen’s Pineapple Punch – a la Don the Beachcomber’s, LA

Remy Martin

Robin Hood cocktail

Rum and Coca-Cola – a la Caribbean, California and Courmayeur, et al

Sangria – a la Errol’s days in Spain

Sangro de Cristo

Sazerac – a la New Orleans

Scotch

Tasmanian Devil

Tea – throughout his life, sometimes with orange blossom honey

Tequilas – during his days in Mexico

The Errol Flynn – created by Errol, resurrected a la Petronella Wyatt

The Martini Special – a la Fabio Delgado Fuentes

The Tasmanian – a la Dennis Mullen

The Vancouver – a la Sylvia Hotel, Vancouver

U.S. Bar Beers – a la Boardner’s in LA and many other locations in. U.S.

Various Vodkas – straight, with tonic, with O.J., inter alia

Vicious Virgin – a la Don the Beachcomber

Veuve Clicquot

Vodka with Red Pepper – a la The Hotel Savoy’s American Bar in London

Water – both sparkling and natural

Whiskey Sour – a likely for Errol throughout adulthood

XXXX Gold beer- from Queensland and Tasmania

York Gin – Old Tom and Outlaw

Zombie – a la Don the Beachcomber

Zubrowka Polish Vodka

— Tim

 

28 May

“The Movie Adventures Of Eva Jordan” by Jan Hill.

Eva is thirteen (going on fourteen) and intensely curious. And she wonders why Mr. Owens is talking about Spain, and those “fighting their leader, General Franco, and his fascist ideology.” He adds, “big-time Hollywood actors, like Errol Flynn, the same fellow who will be here soon to play Robin Hood, have already gone to Spain to see what they could do to help the Loyalists.”

— David DeWitt

 

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

 

The Errol Flynn Blog Live Book Chat!

23 May

— David DeWitt

 
 

Linda Christian– Interview… on “meeting” Flynn

18 May

from 2:33-3:36

— Karl

 
3 Comments

Posted in Main Page

 

One, Two, Three – Kick!

15 May

“Beginning in the late 1930s and booming in the 1940s, conga dancing became wildly popular in the US.” Errol occasionally joined in the Congamania – in Cuba, in Hollywood, and in New York. Here is some evidence, beginning with a news report of a wire from Cuba, where Errol had just been, or was very soon to be, involved in a “free-for-all” Dodge City-like fracas at a famous nightclub in Havana, details of which I will post tomorrow.

May 16, 1938

Harrison Carroll
Evening Herald Express ba

Errol Flynn has wired for reservations at La Conga for the night of May 21.

The La Conga in Hollywood


Errol was still kicking more than a year later. Here he is sitting with his sister Rosemary (and Randy Burke) and in a conga line led by Desi Arnaz on tumbadora at the La Conga in Manhattan, on August 5, 1939:



La Conga, Manhattan

The conga craze continued in Hollywood (and around the world) into the Forties. Here’s Desi Arnaz leading a huge line in Too Many Girls (1940) during which he and Lucy fell in love, leading to groundbreaking television history, in the form of I Love Lucy and Desilu Productions, etc. Look for Lucy near the end of this wildly fun conga clip.

— Tim

 

Louella Tells No Tales Out of School 🙄

14 May


May 15, 1939

Louella O. Parsons

I don’t like to tell tales out of school but the real reason Warners is changing the title The Knight and the Lady to Elizabeth and Essex is a compromise gesture to both Bette Davis and Errol Flynn.. It seems there was considerable soothing to do since Bette thought The Knight and the Lady didn’t get over the Elizabeth idea and Errol didn’t like the idea of just plain Queen Elizabeth. I understand there’s been some discussion about the willing – whether it is to be Bette or Errol first.

When the dust clears I imagine Flynn will be the gallant Irishman and give in to the lady. By the way, the title Elizabeth and Essex will have to be specially purchased since it belongs to another story not owned by Warners.

— Tim