Friday, June 25, 2010

THE FIRST SWASHBUCKLER TO STEAL MY HEART ...





Yes ... There was a swashbuckler I swooned for before Johnny Depp ever donned a pirate swagger ..... ERROL FLYNN .... I knew Errol Flynn's birthday was Father's Day and I meant to post it! Better late blah blah ....................

In my Happy B-day post to Johnny, I noted that over the shoulder pose that made my heart go pitty pat. I now know why! ..... I'm a sucker for a swashbuckler you see ...... I was at least 10 years old when I saw Errol ... as Robin Hood .... swing across my TV set and say: "Welcome to Sherwood!" in that jovial sarcastic wit. He instantly became my first movie idol but unfortunately I would need a time machine to meet him ... Ho Hum ............ maybe its why I don't drool much over the living idols, my true star struck meeting will never be!

"I do what I like."

I read his autobiography, "My Wicked Wicked Ways", in my late teens and found his was born in Tasmania ... I always thought it was a made up place where cartooned devils were said to live. Damm those Buggs Bunny cartoons were more educational than I thought! ........ oh and he was a little wicked too!

One of his first roles was Fletcher Christian whom Flynn is ironically the great-great-great-great-grandson of.

"It isn't what they say about you it's what they whisper."

The saying "In like Flynn" was coined after him referring to his acquittal in a statutory rape trial.
"Women won't let me stay single, and I won't let myself stay married."
His favorite and most often cast with actress in early movies .... 9 times .... was Olivia de Havilland ... who also admits to having been in love with him and he admits he with her by their second movie ....... but love never went beyond the screen.
His favorite side kick was Alan Hale. Yes, that would be the father of Alan "the skipper" Hale of Gillian's Island fame.
Flynn was rumored to be nominated ... and had been initially announced where he was interviewed on his nomination ...... for an Academy Award for his role in "The Sun Also Rises". The nomination simply just disappeared.

"My job is to defy normal."

Errol Flynn was a self described adventurer before stardom, did most of his own stunts in movies, a womanizer, had malaria, tuberculous, Buerger's disease, an alcholic in liver failure, a chain smoker with thrombosis, 4F because of his weak heart, considered Fidel Castro a close friend and when he died in 1959 at age 50 he had a 17 year old mistress that traveled the world with him on his beloved yacht. The autopsy revealed he had the insides of a 75 year old.

last words: "I've had a hell of a lot of fun and I enjoyed every minute of it."

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I am not a prudey girl but, keep it somewhat clean. Of course, stay on topic unless, "DUH", it is an OPEN post. No threats or disparaging remarks to those that disagree with you. Silly and redundant comments going to a place where the post was not intended will be deleted. Good old "Common Sense" is always welcome! If you are having trouble defining Common Sense then maybe this is not the place for YOU!