The Errol Flynn Blog

RSS

Cuban Rebel Errol – Injured Like Flynn – January 6, 1959

06 Jan

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, 1959, it was reported around the globe that Errol Flynn had been wounded in Cuba while covering the combat of Fidel Castro’s rebel forces. This was spectacular and very surprising news: Robin Flynn of Hollywood was swashbuckling around in the Sierra Madre Forest with the future Hood of Havana and his Not-So-Merry Rebel Men (and Rebel Girls.) A blockbuster story custom-made for (and by) the one-and-only Errol Flynn.

— Tim

No Comments

Posted in Author Errol Flynn, Behind the Scenes, Gentleman Tim, Newspaper & Headlines, The Last Years, Travels

“The Errol Flynn Principle”

05 Jan

“Not too tight, and not too loose.”

In The Courage to Love, renowned psychologist and hypnotherapist Stephen Gilligan recounts Errol’s response to a question regarding how best to hold a sword when fencing. Dr. Gilligan observed that Errol’s answer can be adapted as a guiding philosophy to many facets of life. He coined it “The Errol Flynn Principle”.

Errol said that when holding a sword, one should imagine holding a bird. If you hold the bird too tightly, you will crush it and lose it forever. However, if you hold it too loosely, it will fly away. “Not too loose and not too tight” was Flynn’s advice. And sage advice it was. After all, who knew both swords and birds better than Errol?

— Tim

No Comments

Posted in Behind the Scenes, Gentleman Tim, Main Page

The Light Brigade Rides Again/Making of the Charge

02 Jan

“The Light Brigade Rides Again”

“The Making of the Charge of the Light Brigade”

— Tim

No Comments

Posted in Behind the Scenes, Candids, Directors, Films, Gentleman Tim

Feliz Año Nuevo, 1938

31 Dec

New Year’s Day, 1938

Louella O. Parsons
Los Angeles Examiner

Happy New Year!

Very little whoopie in Hollywood this year to herald in the New Year. Many of the stars went to the desert for a quiet New Year’s Eve and those who didn’t went to bed early to attend the races at Santa Anita or the football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Our sport-loving stars had a difficult time choosing between the game and the races, but a poll taken disclosed that the races won by a large majority.

Socially the most important events were a dinner given by Grace Moore and Gladys Swarthout, a small gathering of Marion Davies’ close friends at her beach house to celebrate her birthday, and a celebration at the Charlie Chaplin mansion.

The Bing Crosbys partied with a few congenial friends, including Andy Devine. But Bing had big business at Santa Anita, so he didn’t stay up late.

Marlene Dietrich, Myrna Loy and Arthur Hornblow Jr., Bette Davis and Harmon Nelson, George Brent, the Robert Youngs, Jeanette MacDonald and Gene Raymond saw the New Year in at Palm Springs, while the Charles Boyers, the Errol Flynns, and Brian Aherne chose the restful La Quinta for their holiday.

amp-desertsun-com.cdn.ampproject.org…

— Tim

2 Comments

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

“History is history”

30 Dec

December 28, 1937

Hollywood Citizen News

Sidney Skolsky Presents
Watching Them Make Pictures

Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains, and a crowd of extras are getting ready to play a scene for the picture, Robin Hood.

The setting is Nottingham Castle in England, and a feast is about to take place. Errol Flynn is Robin Hood, and Claude Rains is Prince John. The extras, dressed as knights, stand out in their shining armor. Director Mike Curtiz seems out of place, wearing trousers and a sweater.

Dirctor Curtiz gives the signal that he is ready. The cameras are turning. Robin Hood Flynn, lugging a deer, walks toward the banquet table. Here Prince John, with meats and wines before him, is entertaining. Robin Hood Flynn offers him the deer for the feast.

It is then that Prince John interrupts the scene and becomes Claude Rains.

He says to Curtiz, “Mike, I forgot to tell you something. I’ve been doing some research on the part. And according to history, Prince John was a vegetarian, and he never drank wine.”

Miss de Havilland and Mr. Rathbone, standing at the banquet table, are amazed, but say that history is history.

But this doesn’t stop director Curtiz. He says: “We need this big scene for the picture. In the movies we don’t make historical pictures, we make history.”