October 11, 1883 – October 24, 1968
Tasmania’s First Professor of Biology
Thank you very much to Philip for his previous posting of the audio above on the EFB.
— Gentleman Tim
October 11, 1883 – October 24, 1968
Tasmania’s First Professor of Biology
Thank you very much to Philip for his previous posting of the audio above on the EFB.
— Gentleman Tim
August 9, 1939
The Wireless Weekly
Errol Flynn Wants Australian Pets
Cockatoos and Wallabies For Hollywood Home
Hollywood, the land of milk and honey, the home of plenty. Just everything in the world can be purchased there — except a pair of wallabies and a pair of those good old Australian cockatoos.
Errol Flynn, dashing Australian star, lately seen here in “Dodge City,” has been rushing round lately building and furnishing his new home, which now seems to be complete — but still not to the satisfaction of Errol.
In a letter to Sydney, Errol states that, while his home is all that could be desired, it misses out on just two things, and those things – shades of Australia! — are wallabies and cockatoos.
One would expect Mr. Flynn to favor perhaps a lion cub or a polar bear. But no; a pair of hoppers are his prime interest, with a pair of old yellow crests as second favorite.
Last week, Dorothy Flukes, of the Warner Bros.’ Australian office, told country listeners of the interest the Flynns are taking in their lovely new home, and she went on to give a few highlights of Errol’s life since reaching Hollywood.
Can Anybody Oblige?
Pearl fishing, prospecting, island trading, and even a little black-birding all supplied the earlier background for this colorful character.
If anybody has a pair of wallabies or cockatoos, or even one of these animals or birds that they would like to send to Mr. and Mrs. Flynn as a present for their new home, then a line to Miss Flukes, care of Warner Bros. Pictures, Sydney, will take care of everything.
Miss Flukes will arrange for cartage, transport, customs, feeding, etc., and at the same time arrange for Errol Flynn and his beautiful wife (Lili Damita) to send to the giver a personal letter of thanks and a photograph of the pets in their new home.
— Gentleman Tim
Errol was born at 2:25 in the morning, on June 20, 1909, at Queen Alexandria Hospital, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. This being a world-wide celebration, all should feel free to raise their glasses at anytime on June 20 in their time zone. Hopefully, the first toast can be made in Hobart at exactly 2:25 a.m.*
* Thank you to Tina Nyary for the precise time of Errol’s birth!
— Gentleman Tim
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 Global Toast to Errol Flynn on June 20, 2020:
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
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
Your favorite or choice for saluting Errol
Zombie – a la Don the Beachcomber
Zubrowka Polish Vodka
— Gentleman Tim
March 15, 1920 – Hobart, Tasmania
__________________________________
No, not Errol Flynn! His Dad – Professor Flynn!
On March 15, 1920, Errol’s father, Theodore T. Flynn wrote a letter to the Academic Council of Tasmania University where he taught and was their star professor of biology. Despite his undisputed talents and preeminent achievements, the Academic Council viewed him as unconventional, difficult to control, even rebellious, and was investigating him for allegedly taking university property (home), neglecting his duties, and mismanaging his personal finances (i.e. owing taxes.) Sound familiar? Perhaps like Errol and Warner Brothers?
Rather than cower in his response to TU’s Academic Council, Professor Flynn emphatically protested that he was overworked, underpaid, not properly appreciated, and deserved a significant raise. Sound familiar? Like Father like Son?
Ultimately, Professor Flynn was censured by the University’s Council of Inquiry for “unprofessional behavior”. As a consequence, he decided to return to his alma mater on the mainland, Sydney University, where he earned his Ph.D. and went on to even greater heights and fame as a scientific researcher, writer, and instructor.
— Gentleman Tim
Welcome to Errol’s “circa 1915” childhood home at 60 Duke Street in Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tasmania,
‘A beach, Sandy Bay, was not far away and I was often there, swimming from the age of three. The beach was of hard brown sand, the water freezing cold. Mother was a good swimmer, and she took me there very often.’
– My Wicked, Wicked Ways
Here is the park/preserve at Short Beach in Sandy Bay named in Errol’s honor:
— Gentleman Tim