— David DeWitt
Archive for the ‘Main Page’ Category
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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— Tim
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
CROCODILE!
12
May
May 13, 1936
Evening Herald Examiner
He-Men of Filmdom Tell “Worst Fears”
Can you imagine those big “he-men” of the screen – Errol Flynn, Clsrk Gable, George Brent, and Victor McLaglen – having the jitters from fright.
Flynn’s great scare came six years ago in New Guinea when he was prospecting for gold. In the middle of a wide stream his raft fell to pieces. He and six natives started swimming for shore, when Flynn felt something bump his knee.
“Alligator!” cried one of the natives, and immediately disappeared with a blood-curdling scream. Flynn and the rest made the shore safely, but Flynn had to examiner his hair to examiner his hair in the mirror to convince himself it hasn’t turned wjite.
…
— Tim
