Thursday, June 18, 2015

Errol, What a Hunk You Were!

Errol Flynn was born on June 20, 1909.  My, but he was a handsome young man.  There weren't many stars in the 1930s who could look as good in a sleeveless top as Mr. Flynn.  He was a man who never lacked the company of adoring, beautiful women.  Or another drink.  Totally worn out and dead at the age of 50, understandably so. 


My favorite Flynn story is found in Ray Milland's autobiography, "Wide-Eyed in Babylon."  Milland enjoyed getting away from things by spending nights on his boat, which happened to be docked next to Errol's boat, Sirocco.  Jimmy Cagney owned the boat on the other side of Flynn's and would spend evenings with Milland talking about boats, or when Flynn was around, watching the activities of Errol and his lady friends.  They were able to look directly into the portholes of Errol's boat.  Errol kept them entertained and probably a bit envious.  Many of you have probably heard this one, but it's an appropriate read for the man's birthday!

"I remember one time when Errol was being sued for the deflowering of a tall, ravishing showgirl who had been one of a group invited down to the Sirocco for the weekend.  According to her complaint Errol had enticed her down to his cabin below decks to view the moon through one of the portholes, and while she was doing this --- and to her great surprise  --- he upped and did it.  Now all I can say is, the portholes of the Sirocco were about seven inches in diameter and only two feet above the waterline, and if this Aphrodite had been looking through the porthole as alleged, she would have been staring eyeball to eyeball at me.  Or Cagney, Or Ward Bond.  Or any one of a half dozen other voyeurs.  This was no penny arcade, this was a window on the world.  No doubt about it, Flynn was quite a boyo.  He must have had the most overworked prostate gland in the universe.  What a way to go." 

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