Product Description
Scandalous film star Errol Flynn tells all in this autobiography, detailing his pre-Hollywood career as a mercenary, and his trial for rape in 1943. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

AN ASTONISHING LIFE

.....If only one half the episodes in Flynn's book are true then his adventures were as exciting as any fiction writer could conjure.

.....His journey from Tasmania to the King of Hollywood was as improbable as any rags to riches story ever told.

.....A Hollywood actress once said that Flynn's main problem was that he liked the ladies and the ladies liked him.Olivia DeHavilland, his co star in eight pictures, said that she had a crush on Errol but that their relationship was platonic and confined to the screen.She claimed that he asked her to marry him while he was still married to Lilly Damita but as loveable as Errol was she could never marry a man who was likely to be in another woman's bed whenever he got the chance.

.....She told a story of shooting a scene with Errol in "Robinhood" where they had to kiss and she didn't want the scene to end so she kept flubbing her lines so that they would have to shoot it over.She said that by the sixth take Errol began to have a problem with his tights.Olivia was in her eighties and white haired when she gave that interview and she delivered it deadpan.She was hillarious.

.....I am on my second reading and I think I could read this book at least once a year and still find it entertaining.Flynn was one of a kind and we are not likely to see another.I highly recommend this book.

By far the most entertaining autobiography I've ever read...and reread
4.8 stars

Easily my favorite memoir.

Flynn is an excellent writer and lived a truly epic, fascinating life. This book rarely flags, and only then towards the end. The rest is absolutely hilarious, and surprisingly insightful and self-effacing. I expected nothing when I found this on a library shelf some years back in Colorado, never having heard of it, and never have I been more pleasantly surprised by a book of any sort.

Flynn was a star like we can't imagine. He almost invented the devil-may-care movie star type, and no one has surpassed him since. Movies back then were everything; there was no tv, only books and radio, neither of which show a face, so when a perfect mug like Flynn's arrived on screen, attached to an athletic, daring scamp of an adventurer, he was, well, in like Flynn.

The only memoir I've found worth reading more than once (three times to date), Wicked Ways succeeds not only due to its great humor but Flynn's extraordinarily exciting early life. By far the best part is his adventures through the Orient with one of the wildest characters I've ever encountered in fact or fiction, Koots. This guy is something else, and deserves a movie and book of his own. I won't spoil this section, but suffice to say that few films pack the fun, humor and suspense that those chapters do. They're some of my favorite tales of all time, in fact.

The later years of Hollywood stardom and the fall therefrom get a bit wearing for both author and reader, and one feels that details may be missing but doesn't really care. Flynn may have a been a rogue in every sense of the word, but he also comes across as a decent man, with a sense of honor and fair play. He may have slept around with every starlet in Hollywood, many of them quite young, but it seems assured that none of them did so except very willingly. He's a charming bloke to the nth degree, and you'd be hard pressed not to smile and wave goodbye as your daughter gets into his Bentley and rolls away.

If you need humor and adventure in equal doses, both very large, this is your book.

Highly recommended.

In like Flynn
Great read, though his style of writing and lopsided story line is from a whole other world. Easily one of the best read's for a while. Helps to understand one of Australia's greatest hollywood star's of all time.

A Guide For Living...no...REALLY LIVING!
This is hands down the best autobiography I have ever read.I enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who wants to make the most of life.Sure, it may contain exaggerations, embellishments, and flat out lies.It doesn't matter.It is beyond inspirational, not to mention suspenseful, insightful, and shockingly intimate and revealing.Funny too!In short, I knew almost nothing of Errol Flynn before I read this book.Now, I love this guy!Pity him too, because there is an element of truth in this book that really puts the life of fame and fortune into perspective.Despite his so called 'shortcomings,' one cannot help admiring this guy's courage, wit, will, and yes, honesty.Whether he had a ghost writer or not, it was Flynn's voice I heard narrating.And I think its important to remember that some stories are true that never happened.Throughout the book, Errol demonstrates how the philosophy of 'acting as if' can take a man from obscurity to the extraordinary.A beautiful book to document a great life, and I dare say it should be a 'must read' for any young MAN setting out to live life to the fullest!Or, at the very least, a 'must-read' cautionary tale.

View on Errol
This is a great book, really gives insight into the real Errol Flynn, the scoundrel, the adventurer, the pirate, the swashbuckler, the human. He was everything in real life and more what he was in the movies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Man of the sea.
I have been a Flynn star for years and have read most of the books except the lousy rush to print books. I read Higham and his forte is to denigrate falsely major stars once they are dead. He is a self loathing old gay queen who lashes out his venom. Errol Flynn was not a Nazi. He was too much a hedonist to be a nazi. He thought in fun not politics. I once met Cary Grant and as he said numerous times re: Flynn - he was not a nazi traitor at all- he just enjoyed life. He also said Errol never had to rape any woman- they raped him!!!

This book is very good, detailed and correct. If his biographer Mr. Conrad was alive he would write the same thing. I talked with Mt. Conrad and he was adamant that Flynn was not a nazi spy.This started because actor George Brent was mad at Flynn for bedding down Ann Sheridan. He also was envious of Flynn for his career and his larger ship the Zaca.He was pissed that Flynn pulled strings to allow himself to use the ship and for it not to be confiscated for the war effort.

Its time that writers like Higham and his low ilk were drum out of the writing profession and publishers stop printing lies and crap.

Note- Flynn and Howard Hughes were not lovers - Hughes number one man said so.

Great book on Flynn by Mr. Thomas. Read a must.

Thomas attacks assertion that Flynn was a Nazi spy
Like a lot of other people, Tony Thomas grew up in the 1940s fixated on the dashing, magnetic screen idol Errol Flynn. In the 1950s -- when Thomas was a writer and Flynn a washed up, dissipated shadow of his former self -- Thomas got to know Flynn and conducted several interviews with him. One of those still exists in audio form, but it very hard to find. In the 1960s, Thomas co-authored the landmark work "The Complete Films of Errol Flynn," and went on to serve as a consultant on the actor's life for a number of documentaries. His last book, "Errol Flynn: The Spy Who Never Was," is one of the most fascinating looks at Errol Flynn ever committed to print -- it contains much never-published information on the actor -- and dismantles in detail Charles Higham's poorly-researched assertion that Flynn was a Nazi spy. Tony Thomas died last July after suffering a stroke; while those of us who had contact with him will miss him, we can be thankful of this last work, in which the great swashbuckler is finally defended. If you can find it, "Errol Flynn: The Spy Who Never Was," is a must-read. ... Read more

Product Description
With his stunning looks and swashbuckling onscreen panache Errol Flynn was by all appearances the quintessential movie star who had it all. But Flynn's manicured Hollywood persona did little to hide his insatiable appetites off-screen - the binge drinking, brawling and womanising that would forever cement his place as a film legend. In this hard-hitting study, bestselling show business biographer David Bret traces the life and loves of the actor and man. It was Flynn's natural charisma and athletic prowess that made him as the heartthrob star of Captain Blood and The Adventures Of Robin Hood. But Hollywood's prodigal son was never far from controversy and scandal. In a series of extraordinary revelations Bret explores the star's love of underage girls, young men, binge drinking and drug experimentation, as well as his controversial background as a slave-trader in New Guinea, involvement with the Spanish civil war and his support for Castro. This is compelling and engrossing portrait of the original action-adventure star, who packed more into his fifty years than his high-living contemporaries ever could.The gifted, complex and rakish rebel remains without equal as the film icon of the 20th century. 2009 marks the tragic death of Flynn and this book is an excellent tribute to an extraordinary actor. David Bret was born in Paris and is a leading celebrity biographer. His many acclaimed books include biographies of Marlene Dietrich, Gracie Fields, Freddie Mercury, Tallulah Bankhead, Maria Callas, Rudolph Valentino, Edith Piaf and Joan Crawford. He lives in Yorkshire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Just for some balance- one star
I'm appalled that this book got five stars from the other reviewer. To each his own, I guess. I would put David Bret in the same category as Charles Higham and Darwin Porter- authors who have little regard for the truth. Their agendas seem to be to trash famous stars, and to project their own perversions on them. Maybe they believe their own B.S., but it's hard to believe that they do. Pretty shameful all around.
The real Errol Flynn was much more interesting than the character portrayed in this book. He was a wild man, and didn't live a conventional life, but I don't believe he was as terrible as the person shown here, and in the equally slanderous Higham and Porter books. What's wrong with just telling the truth? It really is often stranger, and sometimes more interesting, than fiction. I think readers should beware of this author, and of those other authors, too. I think they play fast and loose with the truth.

Errol Flynn - the ultimate Libertine
Much has been written about Errol Flynn, both in his own lifetime and after his death, aged 50, in 1959. Fifty years later on, he is still being written about - such is the legend that Flynn created for himself.

'Errol Flynn - Gentleman Hellraiser' is not a glamorised, rose-tinted retrospective of the star and his lifestyle. Neither is it a sensationalized account of his many scandals and character flaws.

What is depicted here is a raw, restless Flynn. Flynn the adventurer, the conman, the chancer, the hedonist. Errol Flynn - the ultimate Libertine.

While the book does give a full account of his life and many of his films, the interest lies mainly in accounts of Flynn's interactions with those with which he worked, loved, hated, cheated and fought.

Although the old conspiracies that seem to surround Flynn - his alleged homosexuality, Nazi sympathies etc., - are briefly mentioned throughout, they never distract the reader for too long or in any depth to make them an unwelcome intrusion.

The delights of this portrayal of Flynn are his often crude turn of phrase, his quick wit, the tales of the practical jokes and of being literally caught with his pants down - but just not giving a damn. This is a Flynn that's always on the move, looking for the next adventure, the next pay cheque, the next sexual conquest.

Sadly, only eight black and stills are included in the book, but the legend of Errol Flynn continues to live on - and rightly so. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

CRAP!
If you're already an Errol Flynn fan you know the history of this book.If you're a new Flynn fan, looking for a biography about his life, avoid this load of crap by all means!It's just an author making shocking facts up to sell books with no truth to them whatsoever.'The Spy Who Never Was" discredit's pretty much all of the Higham book entirely.Check out, first, "My Wicked Wicked Ways" ,the autobiography, "Inherited Risk", and then"Real Life Rouge" that comes out in Feb.2010. (hopefully)

What a sick joke!
Like so many other books of this type, the blurbs fail 100% to reflect the trashy, slimey, fact-less, evidence-free dross that fills its pages.

I particularly liked the reference to Flynn visiting a Swedish millionaire on his Caribbean island where, according to Higham, the millionaire's huge luxury yacht was "crewed by hand-picked Nazis"and which sported a large 360 degrees searchlight, which was used to "guide Nazi U-boats to British merchantmen"


Higham is a liar and a grub. If he is sane, he could not believe this drivel himself.

for theErrol Flynn addict ...
I received the book like it was advertised: used.But that's ok I really wanted to have it.Received well inside the timelimit too.

True or False
There is much in this book that I must question.Where Errol Flynn is concerned, so much is fantasy.But it was an interesting read.

Garbage.
Charles Higham's so-called biographies are filled with rumors printed as truth (and many of the rumors seem to be created by Higham, himself).

The fact that his books sold well for a week when released, but are never republished speaks for their worth.

"The best ammunition against lies is the truth, there is no ammunition against gossip. It is like a fog and the clear wind blows it away and the sun burns it off." -Ernest Hemingway ... Read more

Product Description
Errol Flynn set the standard for the modern action hero in films like The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dodge City, and The Sea Hawk. This biography follows Flynn from his birth in Tasmania, Australia, in 1909, to his death in Vancouver, Canada, in 1959. Included is analysis of his films, discussion of the 1943 rape trial that changed his life, a survey of the FBI’s infamous surveillance, and the first detailed account of his television appearances in the 1950s. First-hand interviews with Flynn’s friends and colleagues are complemented by research from FBI files, correspondence, Flynn’s diary, and other sources. Illustrated with rare and previously unpublished photographs, the study also gives attention to the historical backgrounds and cultural influences that contributed to Flynn’s fame; the work takes an objective and analytical look at the actor’s adventurous life.

The study includes two appendices: the first is a collection of quotations from various celebrities, from memories of his talent and style to anecdotes about his wild pool parties. The second appendix is a filmography including all Flynn’s work for film, stage, and television, with cast and crew information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Great book-Finally a decent Flynn biography!
I have read a number of Errol Flynn books and most are full of innuendo, gossip and few hard facts. McNulty actually wrote a real biography based on actual sources-Go Figure! Very entertaining and informative. Flynn emerges as a sympathetic character-though not without flaws.I enjoyed it alot.

Errol Flynnthe life and career-- by Thomas McNulty .
I think Mcnultys' book on Errol Flynn is by far , the best of all the many books written on this charismatic man . Ihave at least 17 books on the subject , and several others related to him too . His attention to detail , and the research that has gone into it is very impressive . For example, most previous authors referred to the " rape " trial in general terms , wheras Mr McNulty has dug out documents and FBI memos to fully fit out the overall picture of the events . This is not a highlight of the book , by any means , but an example of his attention to detail . Again, his coverage of Flynns' career in television is fascinating and very detailed . Many of us knew about it, but McNulty has gone to the trouble to dig it out . None of the previous authors , as far as I can remember bothered , concentrating on the more headline worthy items . Whatever his private life was about , the quality of his best films is unsurpassed, to this day . Highley Recommended .

Something Fishy?
I find it oddly interesting that the five star reviews of this very expensive book all sound like they were done by the same person....or it is just me?

Flynn More than a Film Idol
I have nothing but praise for this work, and will spare readers a lot of repetition.

However, I will point out that Flynn was far more than a film idol.He was a philosopher whose life served to deliver the tenants of that philosophy.His messages are: Do not be afraid, be brave, have fun and screw convention.Spit in the eye of doubt.Don't be a cringer; life is to be full of high adventure.When it looks as though you're down and out, put on your best sport coat, trim your moustache, smile and charm the world.

One was never bored being around Eroll Flynn, he had a way of stirring the pot and creating events that no one has ever forgotten.

Back in 1962, I was trapped in a dead-end job and very timid about taking the risks entailed in finding a better one.My sister happened to loan me "My Wicked, Wicked Ways" with the off-hand recommendation that it was very entertaining.After reading it, I was so braced and buttressed, that the following Monday I -- a little too cheerfully -- called in sick and went looking for a better job -- heck, if Flynn could take all of his gambles and risks, I could take a few, too.I soon landed that better job and within a year was making over twice as much income.There are many, many other things I took on due to Flynn's example, and don't regret a one. I made sure my two sons read his book, and they, too, were duly influenced.

In my view, everyone should know the life of Flynn and have a picture of him hanging on the wall, and a collection of books about him.God bless Thomas McNulty for adding to the record.I give his book the highest recommendation.

Save your money
No additional information about Errol in this book.
I purchased this book after reading Errol's autobiography, the Earl Conrad Memoir book, Nora Eddington's Errol and Me book and Flynn's own fictional novels.

The info in this book seemed to be taken from volumes of other biographies, autobiographies any celebrities or authors who had anything to say about Flynn, true or false.This is clear in the huge bibliography which alone could have been a separate book on its own.

I found this writing "dry" and "boring".Like downloading any Flynn already regurgitated info from the web and documenting only the highlights.

The only thing that was of any value was the few photos included.
There's one of Errol and Olivia De Havilland chatting in street clothes, no period costumes.There are the few pictures of Errol in court for the statutory rape trial.Errol's wearing street clothes, a suit, and is quite handsome wearing glasses.

I don't believe these few pictures not even 81/2 x 11 sized and in black and white are worth $65.00. The book isn't even 81/2 x 11.It may be worth $30.00 or less.

If you already have read some Flynn documentation you may be disappointed with the price and the content of this book.

If your really interested in Mr. Flynn, I'd suggest reading his autobigrapy, "My Wicked Wicked Ways by Errol Flynn".If you've conquered that I can suggest "Errol and Me by Nora Eddington Flynn".
This book is written by one of his ex-wives, his second.
I find a lot of insight into this book as well.The drug use is cooberated by Conrads book.

The only thing that my upset you is Nora claims Flynn beat her on about 2 occasions.On 1 Nora writes Mr. Flynn senior was present(I beleive Flynn's father was a live at the release of this book").

The circimstances are that of taking drugs from a drug addict.Clearly she loved and I think still loved Flynn during the writting of this book. This book is only going for $20.00 bucks too.

... Read more

Product Description
Several years after the death of her famous father, the teenaged Rory Flynn was discovered by the modeling world and thereafter worked as a high fashion model in New York, London and Paris for nearly a decade. Afterward, she decided to try her talents on the other side of the camera and has since traveled the world as a still photographer for the film industry. Currently, she is happily based in the Hollywood Hills, where she lives with her film producer husband Gideon Amir and their teenaged son Sean, who is carrying on the Flynn name as a successful film and television actor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The Real Errol Flynn
This book is more unique than one can imagine.I couldn't put it
down.There are many personal photos and lots of hand-written
letters which shows the brilliant mind and humor of a loving dad.
It opens up a very personal side of the greatest actor this nation has ever known.Why aren't there any men out there like him today? Well, he was one-of-a-kind.This is not sugar-coated, but an honest telling of a gentle man who wanted a family and loved his children most of all. It definitely opened my eyes as letters show the real person.This man could have been equally notable as an author as well as an actor.He was quite remarkable.I hope that this becomes a best seller.It is very well written and a great tribute to a very special man.
It is a delight and the best book I've read in years.One feels as if you know the man from his writings and your observations.Too bad he was taken at such an early age.One can only imagine the great things he could have accomplished, if time allowed.Those wonderful movies are alive for generations yet to come to enjoy.Thank you so much, Rory.

Errol Flynn Baron
This book did exactly what it said on the tin so to speak,with wonderfulphotos, and copies of Flynn's letters and what I call little windows into a side of Flynn
you would never suspect, told from his daughter's perspective.
A lovely read for any Flynn fan. A book to be treasured.

All that waiting, for THIS?
I was on the waiting list for this book, and as one of the first 500, was supposed to get an autographed copy.

First, that never happened - I got the book like everyone else, several months past it's expected release date, and with no autograph.

But that is really a personal issue, and was by no means the worst of it.

After all that waiting, basically all we got was a bunch of photos - many of which are readily available elsewhere...and photocopied pictures of semi-legible letters.Not much at all in the way of analysis or personal commentary, which is what I was hoping for from one of Errol Flynn's daughters.

Additionally, a good chunk of the book (about 1/3) is related not to Errol, but to Sean Flynn, who was lost in the Cambodian jungle during the Vietnam War - long after Errol Flynn's death in 1959.While the issue of Sean Flynn is interesting, there is another whole book written on that topic, and really, the subject is not on-topic for this book, which was supposed to be about The Baron.

Maybe I got my hopes up for something grand, after I purchased and read Maria Cooper Janis's magnificent tribute to Gary Cooper.

This book pales in comparison, which is too bad because many of us were looking forward to it for a very long time.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that Olivia deHavilland gets a book completed...because frankly, based on the interviews with her on various DVD sets, she might shed some more compelling light on the subject of this fascinating man, who many of us adore.

NOT DADDY DEAREST
A coffee table book, this is Rory Flynn's homage to her father.There are interesting family photographs and she doesn't seem to dodge some of her family pain (e.g., her mother's alcoholism).Of particulat interest are the reproductions of letters written by her father, mostly to either her mother or her.You have to adjust to his handwriting, but he was very articulate (and a good speller and grammarian).And swashbuckler he may have been, but he was much more the loving, almost traditional father...against his reputation as somewhat of a scoundrel.Actually, I'd probably give it four stars if there wasn't so much focused on her half-brother Sean, whom she obviously idolized.His disappearance in Vietnam, while a photo journalist, is unfortunate, but I purchased the book for Errol, not Sean.[She has a good website and seems to be an outstanding photographer in her own right.]

disappointed
The book was a cute "I loved my Daddy" book.But I think Ms Flynn is using her father's name to make money.The book was most definitely not worth the price--more like $20, not $65.It is a poor quality paperback book with poor quality scanned pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
Errol Flynn Slept Here spans the life and death of Mulholland Farm, the elegant and infamous mountaintop showplace built by film star Errol Flynn at the height of his fame. Its story spans five continents and includes Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Fidel Castro, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, Clark Gable, Billy Graham, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, the Rolling Stones, and of course, the three owners of Mulholland Farm: wicked Errol Flynn; Christian singer, songwriter, and radio star Stuart Hamblen; and rock n roll legend Rick Nelson.

On the 100th anniversary of the birth of Errol Flynn, authors Robert Matzen and Michael Mazzone tell this remarkable story for the first time, revealing the peep holes, two-way mirrors, secret passageways, and wild parties...not to mention a bodysnatching. Errol Flynn lived in this house during his most prosperous years at Warner Brothers and through the course of the rape trial that would eventually ruin him.

Errol Flynn Slept Here also documents the haunting of Mulholland Farm as described by the people who lived in this, the most notorious house in Hollywood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

another side of Errol
A wonderful book with a side of Errol never been told. His home now sadly gone, was apparently very unrestful after his death as you will read accounts by Ricky Nelsons sons and family who had ghostly encounters with the paranromal while living there. It is a must have & great addition to your library for any movie buff or person who likes reading about unxplained paranormal experiences. I give this book and A+

Amazing chronicle of a movie star & his beloved home
This book is fascinating. It tells a different tale of the star Errol Flynn. Detailin the planning, building, height of its glory, scandal and final demise of Errol's home that he loved so much. including some ghost stories, of which I wish i could have heard even more of. The home sadly is gone now, Justin Timberlake now owns a new house built on the original sight. The photos alone of the house Errol built that were torn down sadly not so many years ago, are worth it alone. This is an amazing book, wonderful writing with mostly never before seen pictures. If you are a fan of Errol Flynn. this is a mustto have

TRULY A BOOK ABOUT THE HOUSE
If you are truly interested in the house where Errol Flynn sought refuge during his darkest days, and partied relentlessly with his celebrity friends, then buy this coffeetable-style book. It's beautifully done, with quality photos on glossy pages.A lot of Flynn's life is touched on, and there are quite a few family photos that I, being an avid Errol Flynn fan, had never seen before. There is however, more than I ever wanted or needed to know about this rambling, mishmash of a house, whioh is basically what the authors call it. Needless to say, I didn't even finish reading it -- I sold it.

Just Off Mulholland
This is the story of a house and its residents, but the main attraction here is its most famous resident and the builder of the home, Errol Flynn.
An FYI for those of you who don't like old movies and don't watch TCM: Errol Flynn was an extremely popular film actors in the 1930's and 1940's and probably one of the best looking males to have ever graced the silver screen. His actual talent is a point of contention for some people. I am not one of them. Errol was wonderful, but he had a lifestyle which eventually caught up with him. He liked drink, drugs, and women (and alledgedly per some of his biographers an occasional man). By the late '40's, Errol's career started a gradual freefall. High profile roles became fewer and he was relegated to minor parts more frequently and his income shrunk proportionately. During the peak of his fame, he was the subject of a stuatory rape case of which he was acquitted. Ironically, instead of being a career killer, Flynn was more popular than ever.
In the early '40's after his first marriage to an actress named Lily Damita was kaput, he had a home built in a remote location off of Mulholland Drive to his specifications. It was an elegant lodge style home, but featured two way mirrors, hidden stairways, sliding wall panels, and peep holes. His racy parties and his regular friends were the stuff of legend. Much of the legend revolved around his home. By the mid-1950's, Flynn's career was somewhat in a decline, he was into a third marriage, and deeply in debt to many people including his ex-wife Lily Damita. Flynn lost the house and moved on, but the house remained and became home to Stuart Hamblen and then singer/actor Rick Nelson.
The house itself had become legend by its very nature. I remember checking it out once in the early '80's from a respectful distance. Ricky Nelson was in residence then. By the late '80's I returned to get a picture of a grave adjacent to the property and the house had been razed.
This book is a wonderful account of the history of a unique home and its celebrated residents. The author did a marvelous job researching and assembling pictures, blue prints, and stories about the home and its residents. If you have an interest in Hollywood, architecture, Errol Flynn or any of its celebrated residents or guests you will probably enjoy this book as much as I have.

I was there......
For many years I wished that I had made the trip back to California to see Mulholland Farm.Being a steadfast Flynn fan, having read all that I could get my hands on, this was one thing that had escaped me.Torn down before I could get there, all that was left was an occasional picture, an authors remembrance.This book TAKES YOU THERE!!What a read.Everything I had thought and more, including copies of the original blueprints.The most interesting new information yet about Flynn, his home, and his life there!Bravo to the authors for this treasure trove of information.A well desereved, easily read and delightful tome to the Baron of Mulholland!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

filmography
Very indepth view of the flamboyant life and films of the greatest swashbuckler of all time. His personal life was as adventurous as his screen portrayals. Lots of great photos and information on this great star of the silver screen. ... Read more

Product Description
The star of such classics as The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Sea Hawk, and The Adventures of Robin Hood, Errol Flynn garnered notoriety for wild and reckless behavior, a reputation that wasn't always warranted. In Errol Flynn: The True Adventures of a Real-Life Rogue, Lincoln Hurst masterfully sorts fact from fiction behind the famous name.Relying upon never-before-published revelations by those closest to Flynn and by Flynn himself_including his explosive private diary during his visit to the Spanish Civil War in 1937_Hurst reveals a man and a story more extraordinary, complex, and fascinating than any role the actor ever portrayed on the silver screen. Hurst focuses on the least understood aspects of Flynn's life and exploits, such as the exact nature of his political beliefs and his largely-unknown private quest for life's meaning. The book concludes with a filmography, a collection of Flynn's unpublished letters, and personal testimony from those who knew him best. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Looking so forward to this release
Lincoln Hurst was a scholar and expert on Errol Flynn his whole life.I was afraid that his untimely death earlier this year would stop the publication of this biography, which has been a painstaking labor of love for many years, and I'm happy to see that this is not the case.If you are a fan of Errol Flynn's and want to read more about his fascinating life, this book is sure to satisfy.I've had my copy on pre-order since it first appeared here, and I can't wait to read it.Professor Hurst's writings over the years in different forums have demonstrated a breadth of understanding of Errol Flynn's life that no one else can match. ... Read more

Product Description

A brilliant father-son biography of the scandalous life of movie star Errol Flynn -- and of his son's equally glamorous yet doomed career as a war photographer in Vietnam

On April 6, 1970, the charismatic Sean Flynn rode his motorcycle into a roadblock, was captured by the Vietcong, and vanished into the jungle. Errol's son shared his father's good looks, charm, athleticism, courage, and artistic talent. But Sean also inherited his father's love of risk, compelling him to lead an equally romantic but tragically brief life.

The story of both men's chillingly similar lives begins with Errol. He was born in Australia, where his mother either beat him or ignored him. He spent his early adult life in the savage outposts of New Guinea as a tobacco planter, gold prospector, bird trapper, diamond smuggler, and slave trader. By the time fame arrived, drinking, drugs, and sex with underage girls assured him legendary status for recklessness, as well as an early death.

Sean was obsessed with his father, a remote and mythical figure. Never able to break free from Errol's overpowering legacy, Sean established his own heroic reputation. The father played a daredevil on screen, the son -- as brilliant and daring as his father -- was driven to increase the stakes. His final gallant and suicidal gesture carried the Flynn tradition to its inevitable conclusion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Inherited Risk
Mr. Meyers diplomacy was by far the most impressive component of this book, as he didn't take sides with Errol Flynn, and I found Meyers ability to stay neutral and informative helpful. One example of this was the description of Errol's at times violent outburst towards Nora Eddington. However, Meyers on some occasions didn't sufficiently corroborate his assertions. For example, he did not provide evidence to substantiate that Errol's reported theft of jewellery from a wealthy older lady in Sydney or the young lady who supposedly robbed him in Macau, to be false stories. Meyers stated that these events were untrue accounts as described in Flynn's "My Wicked, Wicked Ways." The fact that these assertions are not argued with evidence from Meyers leaves it open to the benefit of the doubt to Flynn. This booked was lopsidedly Errol. Sean Flynn was a sprinkling in this book, with approximately 60 pages dedicated to him, in a book containing 324 pages. Sean was close to MIA in this book, which was by far the biggest disappointment for me, and his final resting place still remains a mystery despite some theories. I am grateful to Meyers for some personal insights on Sean, in particular, his brief attendance at university, and that his actual meetings with his father Errol numbered less than twenty. Mr. Meyers has written and sold many more books than me. Notwithstanding this fact, I found his book only to be a thin layer of recycled old soil, rather than bedrock of new or compelling information on Errol and Sean Flynn. But in Mr. Meyers defence, the fact that Errol and Sean are deceased, and many decades have past since both died, with so many fictitious stories surrounding both, it is fair to state that this book was always going to be a difficult assignment. Nicholas R.W. Henning - Australian Author

Sean, the Man or Myth
I don't feel that this book did the "man" Sean Flynn any justice. The author was filled with his own need to create a myth connecting Errol Flynn and his son in some tableau of doom.The title "Inherited Risk" says it all, that Errol lived his life with a sense of danger and that Sean was trying to follow in his father's footsteps by living a life that put him in constant danger.The object of a journalist or writer is to be objective not subjective.Mr. Meyers seems like he is doing a lot of guesswork, and trying to put it together in a biography of two people that he does not even begin to understand.I don't know much about Errol, except that my father was a big fan of his movies.Sean was always the one who caught my interest, the combat photographer, like so many others in his field at the time, risked all for the truth.He was known as a generous, kind man to all his friends.

As far as Sean having a deathwish, I don't believe this.One would have to understand the times, to understand the insanity going on over in Vietnam and Cambodia.Thousands of people were being killed and Sean wanted to show this.He was burned out on the Vietnam war, on the atrocities being committed on both sides.Just before he disappeared, he had planned to buy land in Bali and live out his life there.Bali was where he went when he needed to find peace.If he was going on a suicide mission into Cambodia, why would he be making plans for the future? Sean wanted to go into Cambodia and talk to the people and get their side of the story.He already had done some film for the documentary that he wanted to do. Sean and Dana Stone figured that they could ride into the jungle and get the story.What they, like the other journalists that were captured, hadn't figured on was the Khmer Rouge.Sean and the other journalists were victims of circumstance, and if rumors are to be believed among the first victims of the "Killing Fields."

Sean Flynn was a man trying to do something he believed in, and he had the courage to go out and try to accomplish something that would get at the truth of what was really going on in Cambodia.Cambodia was a dangerous place, and the U.S. involvement there at the time, was little known.The Khmer Rouge was beginning to rise to power and the Cambodian government was beginning to fall.Sean knew that the Cambodian people were suffering.He wanted to get their story.If he and the other journalists had been able to do this, maybe something would have been revealed about the Khmer Rouge and all the genocide might have been prevented.Alas, that was not to be.I like to think of Sean being a man of principals and courage, who risked his life doing what he believed, not as someone with a deathwish.

Very good book!
To the best of my knowledge this is a well researched account of the life of Flynn. A person who seems to be one of those types who is either loved or despised intensely, Flynn is a tough subject for an unbiased account. Mr. Meyer's book, according to some Flynn experts is flawed in some details however the basic facts and incidents offered are well supported and provide a truly tragic and sad saga of a man whose influence on myself has been inescapable! I learned of Flynn as a young toddler watching his films from my daddies knee. I always enjoyed Bogart, Cagney, Cooper and Wayne however there was always something so much more compelling in Flynn's classic films. It was very painful for me to read of his life. This is something I'd purposely held back from doing in light of all the unsubstantiated negative stories surrounding Flynn's life. It was particularly hard to read of his son's tragic life. Perhaps it's not possible to have an entirely accurate representation of Flynn or that of his son given their nature and circumtances. Being a new father myself I plan on spending as much quality time as I possibly can with my son!

Two Stars for Sean
I have to agree with Mr. Hurst's eloquent review, and I'll put it more succinctly: this is a lousy book. Why write a biography of Errol Flynn, of all people, if you're going to do it with no humor and with lordly disdain? It's like a biography of Tom Sawyer written by his half-brother, the tattle-tale goody-goody Sid. Like many, I guess, I picked it up in order to read about Sean Flynn, since there is so little out there about him. But as noted, Sean is reduced to three chapters presented as endpapers. One might conclude there wasn't enough to his short life to make a full book... if there weren't so much other evidence of the biographer's tendency to stop researching once he has enough evidence to support his (rather ugly) pre-determined thesis.

A JOYLESS TREATMENT OF A JOYFUL, ROLLICKING LIFE
Jeffrey Meyers, best known for his works on such literary figures as D. H. Lawrence, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a gifted, at times brilliant biographer. Here he brings to his treatment of Errol and Sean Flynn his knowledge of the world's great literature. Meyers can take almost any figure and make him acceptable from a literary point of view. Who else could find a parallel between Errol Flynn and Edgar Allan Poe? One can imagine a future Meyers biography of Bugsy Siegel, with frequent allusions to Julius Caesar, Faust, and MacBeth.

Meyers's gift for finding parallels between disparate people's lives is especially impressive. I found those between the lives of John Barrymore and Flynn to be especially compelling and insightful - more so than those between Errol and Sean. With reference to Sean, few will feel competent to judge the validity of Meyers' sections which reincarnate his last days.Some of it I found persuasive, but other parts - especially some of the links in the chain of logic - seemed weak; the recreation of "the facts" may be a bit too confident when dealing with mainly hearsay evidence.

In the main section of this book Errol Flynn comes across as a tragic, forlorn, dejected, melancholic sociopath. The habitual choice to put Flynn in a darker rather than positive light surfaces in numerous ways, as in Meyers' handling of Basil Rathbone. All biography involves some shading of details, which usually goes under the heading of "literary license." But the deliberate reshaping of a quotation by rearrangement and omission, for the purpose of producing the desired result, is disingenuous - a distinct "no-no" for afront-rank biographer.At the top of p. 146, a long comment of Basil Rathbone is subtly rearranged so as to produce the desired result � to contribute to Meyers' overall scheme of the father-son shared death-wish. It creates a false impression of what Rathbone actually wrote about Flynn, and leaves one wondering how many other things have been cleverly reshaped in order to fit the thesis.

The question therefore lingers:Does Meyers actually get under Errol�s skin (or that of Sean for that matter)? The answer, I fear, must be no - despite what Meyers and his publicists say.Meyers, in my opinion, is far too detached in his literary mien to explore effectively a man like Flynn.His Flynn is a two-dimensional, black-and-white figure who set out to destroy himself. The real-life Flynn was an infuriatingly complex, three-dimensional, Technicolor personality. Meyers is a very careful writer, but he also tends to be a cold, dispassionate, joyless writer, with an occasional tendency toward shading and over simplification. One gets little sense of the joi-de-vivre of the Errol Flynn of this book. Flynn was at heart a very, very funny man.

On the other hand there is something un-humorous, at points even tiresome, about INHERITED RISK. The whole thing is written from the point of view of Greek tragedy. It is doubtful that after reading it the reader will have chuckled even once. This is a major failing in a biography of Errol Flynn. The ever-so-literate Meyers, in all his zeal to analyze him - to dissect him into his component parts and to isolate his various destructive influences - has somehow let the real Flynn elude him.

There are other anomalies in INHERITED RISK. In one of his appendices (p. 326), Meyers breaks down Flynn's films into three categories: "best," "seeable," and "poor." With all due respect to Meyers, the list is bizarre, and may call into question his cinematic judgment.Is "The Roots of Heaven" (1958) really a better film than "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941) or "Adventures of Don Juan" (1949)? What cinematic myopia would place "The Sisters" (1938), "Edge of Darkness" (1943), and "Northern Pursuit" (1943) - not to mention "Silver River" (1948) - into the "poor" category?

Despite the dual photos on the front of the dust-jacket, the book is not really an analysis of the relationship of the two men, Errol and Sean, along the lines of Sir Edmund Goss' FATHER AND SON. The disparity in the treatments is made clear by the arrangement - Sean constitutes the endpapers (totaling a mere 49 pages), while the main section deals with Errol (244 pages). There is thus a serious question of balance.

Also, Meyers' central idea of Greek tragedy - that of the fatal character flaw of the father being reproduced in the son, leading to the latter's inevitable doom, does not really come off - no matter how energetically Meyers tries. One gets from this book the clear impression that the lives of the two Flynns were a complete waste.That may well have been true of the son, but it can't be said of the father.Errol Flynn brought untold joy to millions worldwide � and still does to this day.

INHERITED RISK is a missed opportunity. With all the research that went into the book, it could have been the best Flynn biography ever written.But throughout most of it Meyers� staid approach just doesn't hold the reader�s attention. There is also a procrustean feel � the impression that the lives of these two men are being stretched and cut to fit the "Greek tragedy" model that Meyers is pushing.Such shortcomings, sadly, mar what otherwise might have been a monumental biographical achievement. ... Read more

Product Description
A candid portrait of one of the most memorable stars—and notorious rogues—of the Silver Screen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very Enjoyable!
This author explored a side of Flynn that hadn't been ventured into before.Bravo, David.

Dont waste your time!
This 'author' claims that Errol had homosexual affiars with every man he met! Convieniently, all quotes regarding Errol's perversions arefrom long deceased people, thus avoiding any disputes. The book is filled with incorrect facts, too numerous to list. One glaring lie claims that Errol's last word were,"I've had a lot of fun & enjoyed every minute of it." This is a quote Errol made on a TV appearanance-you can hear the recording on several internet sites. Save your money, there's nothing worth reading in this book!

Read Bret's Other Books
Look at Bret's other books and the reviews.To quote a review of another Bret book "David Bret seems to be following a recipe for mediocrity......collect all the salacious stories you can about your long dead victim, throw in a heavy doses of gossip about friends and acquaintances (also long dead), flesh out the stories with graphic detail, call it a book, and sell it."Another reviewer mentions Bret's formula.
In all of his "biographies, according to David Bret, every (deceased) person in the movie industry; male and female, from the lighting technicians to the highest paid stars and the movie moguls themselves; the single and the married as well, were all either, bi-sexual, lesbian, homosexual... or wish they were. Mr. Bret offers no proof except what apparently exists in the fantasy dream world of others or his own imagination... and perhaps wishful thinking.

Errol Flynn: Satan's Angel
I am a devoted Errol Flynn fan - this book actually showed a side of him that other books hadn't. ... Read more

Product Description
Handsome, dashing, and devilish. Australian-born movie legend, Errol Flynn, lived a short life that was long on adventure, acclaim and sensation. As the swashbuckling star of fifty films from Hollywood's 'Golden Age', including such costume classics as: "Captain Blood"; "The Adventures of Robin Hood"; and "Dodge City", Errol Flynn embodied a winning and heroic style of acting which now lies dormant due to his irreplaceable verve, charm and swordsmanship. Flynn's unique persona lives on in over 180 colour reproductions in this book, the first vintage movie poster collection on a major Hollywood star ever published in book form. Originally displayed in movie theatres, these posters and lobby cards also document the Warner Brothers movie poster style from 1935 to 1953 and the heyday of the Hollywood swashbuckler from 1920 to 1959. A warm and funny foreword by friend and fellow screen swordsman Stewart Granger sets the stage for these rare, glamourous and biographical images. They also capture Flynn's premature decline in the 1950's and his final comeback as a respected character lead in "The Sun Also Rises" and "Too Much, Too Soon" before his death in 1959 at the age of 50.Amazon.com Review
Lawrence Bassoff is clearly a man of passion--for great movie posters in general, and of Errol Flynn's in particular. Bassoff has amassed a definitive collection of Flynn's film posters and one-sheets, and the resulting book is a wonderful glimpse at the long and sometimes sketchy career of one of the century's greatest actors. There are impressive spreads of full-color posters for Flynn's legendary leading-man vehicles, including 14 separate entries for The Adventures of Robin Hood and eight for Adventures of Don Juan. But as Flynn's star began to fade in the early '50s, and as his battle with alcohol was slowly being lost, the films leaned toward the pirate trifle Against All Flags and the amateurishly cheesy Cuban Rebel Girls. Accompanying the impressive poster collection is Bassoff's concise, affectionate film criticism, which makes for satisfying reading for any film fan. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Best Flynn Book
Although this large-scale art book focuses on Errol Flynn's movie posters, it manages to be the best book out there on Flynn's career. There is an evocative introduction by Stewart Granger, good essays on Flynn's bio andon the Warner Bros. poster style (which was, sadly, the weakest of themajor U.S. studios in the movies' golden age). There are beautifulreproductions of the posters and lobby cards themselves, from animpressively detailed collection (with samples of other swashbuckling movieposters for comparison). And finally, there are essays on each of Flynn'sfilms that are fond, witty, and succinct. Beyond all this, though, it's thebest Flynn book because it provides a clear and objective look at thetrajectory of a remarkable career. It's amazing to see Flynn's image placedfront and center on the poster of his first starring film, "CaptainBlood," and it's both hilarious and heartbreaking to see the DorianGrey-like image on his last, "Cuban Rebel Girls." Bassoff is thatrare thing: a committed fan who loves his subject and gives him his due,but is far from star-struck. A great book.

A masterpiece
This is a prestigious classy book and it'shandsomely put together.The book will be a great collector's item.

Errol Flynn is Hollywood's greatest legend because he is anostalgic, handsome, dashing, daringaction hero. ... Read more

Product Description
ERROL FLYNN "Those first thoughts of death, destruction and suicide began to occur within me--which would not easily or perhaps ever vanish. I no longer had such an interest in living. I didn't give a damn, in fact. Much of the will to live had gone." Like Hemingway, he sat with a gun to his head. He contemplated suicide. Three nights in a row he sat at the edge of the bed with a revolver to his head. The third night it was in his mouth. He, Errol Flynn, had power, fame, money, women, yet it was all an empty victory. He had been destroyed by the rape trial. "That which I had, my big house, my yacht, my bank account, seemed hollow. None of these could take the place of self respect, which I had lost." He would write in his autobiography, "Inside I was smarting, terribly wounded from the scar of the rape trial." He had other aspirations for his life than becoming a phallic symbol. Everyone thought they knew Errol Flynn, but they didn't. He was a complicated man who camouflaged his true self from the outside world and only through some of his own writing could one glean the type of person he really was and what he had hoped to be. No one could enter with aplomb and grace like him, who clicked his heels in salute like him, who was the greatest swashbuckler like him, a terrific horseman who held his sword and lance as if they were part of him; no one could be as great a leader like him, tall, handsome, dashing, whose voice, eyes and mannerisms would make ladies fall in love with him and men follow him to the end of the earth. The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Sea Hawk, They Died with Their Boots On, and Objective Burma are some of the finest films ever made, and undoubtedly no one has been able to replace him. He was a natural actor who lived his roles and his characters, but who aspired to be a writer and war correspondent. He was a man marred by an ugly childhood of neglect and abandonment, who rose out of sheer fortitude of his char ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Different View of the Flynn Legend
At first I must say that I expected this to be a more indepth analytic review of Errol Flynn's life. While I was somewhat disappointed in the analyses, it does represent an interesting first look at his life from a psychoanalytic perspective. What is also good about this book is the authors discussion of the Flynn movie legacy although being a "Flynn fan" I was quite uncertain as to how the author arrived at such questionnable ratings of Flynn's movies. Find a used book if your expectations are high but enjoy a human perspective that the author brings to it.

unnecessary
This is a book that really didn't have to be. Divided basically into two parts, the first half is a short retelling of Flynn's life. The second half is a discussion of each of his films, including ratings, backstage gossip and sometimes a discussion of the film's historical accuracy. I got the book because it seemed that the combination of Psychoanalytical in the title and the mysterious authorial name (only a first initial and the author never provides any of his own credentials) meant that this was a slumming psychologist who would really give a clinical analysis of what ailed Flynn.Instead what this seems to be is just someone who is a big fan of Flynn's screen image and probably tries to identify with him, giving him the delusion that he is the only one to really understand Flynn.One sees much the same thing with the myriad books on Marilyn Monroe.But he seems to no more be a psychologist than I am.There is no true diagnosis here, only the obvious comments many could make from reading other books on Flynn.I might suggest here the Myers book which is far more thorough or the one by Conrad who at least spent a lot of time with Flynn, or even Flynn's ghost written (by Conrad) autobiography.As to the second half, his opinions are interesting, but not more so than anyone else's.He clearly hasn't even bothered to even see all the films and there are no pictures, making this far inferior to The Complete Films of Errol Flynn.The author doesn't seem to have a great command of English and typos and mistakes in this self-published work are common, once the word "flayed" being used where "flailed" was meant. Even worse, he has a meandering style that states a point, then winds back to it again, repeating it, often more than once, using almost the same words.It's not surprising that no real publisher would touch this. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Showdown - You'll Want to Read It Again
While the title seems made for a trite western film, this book could be nothing farther from that and is instead a happy surprise for the reader. It is very entertaining and well written.The characters are well-developed and nothing short of colorful.They seem to jump from the pages, while the descriptions of the geography and environment, sailing mishaps and local cultures provide a tactile picture for the audience.The author does a fine job conveying the varied emotions of the characters, especially those of Captain O'Thames from childhood through adulthood. There is plenty of action in the book and the plot and subplots move along well. This is a book that the reader will want to read again "in case the reader has missed something," and a second reading is just as much fun. This is a solid follow-up to Beam Ends, the author's first endeavor. It is sad that the author gave up writing extended pieces so early when he clearly has the talent and that talent would have been honed with more serious and dedicated production.

Flynn as fascinating to read as he was to watch on the screen!!!
Errol Flynn's life was as fascinating off screen as it was on.He was truly a unique persona, with a wide variety of special talents that were often overlooked or underestimated.I believe he was tremendously underrated as an actor and unhappily pegged into the action hero role for most of his acting life.Perhaps this came naturaly to the studio since Flynn seemed to be a true-life action hero.I find it sad that he was not allowed the opportunity to do more comedy, since he was very good at it and had a natural wit that came through on the screen as well as in the books he wrote.You'll find plenty of it in this book.Though one can see some common threads in the characters and some of the stories in this book and the ones in Flynn's autobiography "My Wicked, Wicked Ways," the characters and story lines here are fully, clearly and colorfully developed.Flynn definitely had a distinct talent as a writer.His powers of description are more than enough to make you feel that you are there with these characters and able to take an adventorous trip to places and experiences that most of us, unlike Flynn, will never be able to experience ourselves.

I would highly recommend this book, as well as Flynn's autobiography, for anyone with even a mild interest in Flynn himself, or anyone who just has a taste for a good, exciting, well fleshed-out adventure story.

Jana S.

Not quite Hemingway but...
Flynn's second effort, SHOWDOWN, comes nearly 10 years and a lot of tough times after BEAM ENDS.While the book could have used a hard-nosed rewrite (there are some heavy-duty themes one wishes he'd developed more), it's still a fun read.Flynn tells the story of Seamus O'Thames, a young boat captain recovering from injuries and illness, haunted by a lost love and talked into taking an interesting mix of people up the New Guinea coast.Overall, it's a romantic tale, but there's a slightly disturbing bitterness throughout as well.Watch for Errol's comments about hero Seamus O'Thames' mother, and how the relationship between Seamus and Cleo develops. There's an obnoxious parrot named "Hedda" (as in "Hopper" the 40s gossip columnist)and a bratty child star. As with his first effort, BEAM ENDS, there's a lot of promise here, although the demons are beginning to close in on him. Had Flynn been slightly more disciplined and temperate, this novel might have succeeded critically.But never mind that now; put the Jimmy Buffet on, grab a cold brew and enjoy.Flynn's a great story teller and this book is worth a sunny afternoon's effort.

showdown by errol flynn
The second of Flynn's book's once again set against the absorbing atmosphere of the sea, with its insight into the lives of a group of Hollywood stars set against a New Guinea background ... Read more

Product Description
The words contained within the cover of this book reveal a lifestyle long ago, not known now, aboard Errol Flynn's Yacht Zaca. As Master of Zaca - Captain Patrick C. Cother was for approximately 18 months very close to Flynn. Cother and Flynn shared the love of the sea and during this extraordinary time there developed a close friendship between these two men who shared the same birthday June 20th. Although Flynn was often absent from the yacht, Cother kept in regular contact through long detailed letters of daily life on Zaca. His love of photographer left a photographic historical view of life on Zaca. As a career sailor Cother kept a tidy ship and detailed log book.Little was known of this delightful time aboard the yacht, only gossip ever graced the tabloids.Flynn and Cother, my father, were Gemini men, who now we can see the twin each Gemini has. Enjoy this book you certainly will, searching for more answers to questions that will surely come to you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Errol Flynn's other Big Love
It has indeed been a GREAT couple of years or so for the release of books on Flynn.

Two EXCELLENT books in particular have come out more recently, which are RARE glimpses into, literally, the "interiors" of Flynn's two most beloved possessions: the Mulholland Drive home (Errol Flynn Slept Here by Robert Matzen and Mike Mazzone) and his boat (Master of Errol Flynn's Yacht Zaca Captain Patrick C. Cother by Bonny Cother).

As Ms. Cother's book has been less spoken about I will say a few words here.

The title of the book would suggest it is some sort of biography about the author's father, Captain Patrick C. Cother- but that is not altogether accurate. True, that this whole book is based upon a collection of HIS various saved records in his time as Captain.More accurately, however, Mr. Cother was not only the Captain of the Zaca, but even more importantly, the CHRONICLER of events in and around the Zaca. And the subject of this "biography", more accurately, is the re-created story of the Zaca and, as it turns out, late in her day- as witnessed through her father. This will be made more clear.

First of all, it is interesting to note, there have been only two other books, that I know of, ever published about the Zaca and its doings and that was back in 1933 and 1938: Cruise of the Zaca by Templeton Crocker, and Zaca Venture by William Bebe, respectively. And we finally (and happily) now have a third.

So with that said, we pick up with some more of that story ... and join Bonny as she opens up a chest of her late father's most precious items- in particular, the photographic as well as paper records of her father's 18 month tenure as Captain of the Zaca (1956-7).

As is CLEARLY evidenced, Captain Cother was a PROFESSIONAL ship's master, and he brought with him the full breadth of his lifetime of experience. I speculate that he may well have been the Zaca's FINEST captain.

We look at the day to day experience, through the ship's log, letters to various suppliers, his own personal memoirs, and ESPECIALLY his letters to (and from) the owner: Errol Flynn. Flynn, at the time, was engaged in chartering (rental) of the Zaca, and in fact, Captain Cother's first assignment was just that, and his clients: the Queen of the silents, Mary Pickford, and her husband Buddy Rogers and their family and friends.

Captain Cother's conscientiousness to ALL details is mind boggling- from the proper maintenance of sails right way down to literally, the "nuts and bolts" that held it all together. It even went to below decks and his problems with hot water, refrigeration, carpentry, and the main engines. As Captain Cother was responsible for EVERYTHING, you begin to appreciate the "behind the scenes" of keeping the boat afloat, the challenges of sailing, and the interpersonal relations of crew, suppliers, repair people, charter clients, and finally, the owners (Flynn and Patrice Wymore) as well.

This book is the full and complete record (or as near as we could come) of just what life aboard the Zaca was ALL about in the time period late in the life of Flynn.

To give something more of an idea of what Captain Cother "signed on for", we must first step back to 1945 and the year of Flynn's purchase. Flynn, at that time, had overhauled the interior, but apparently little had been tended to above decks thereafter. And there was MUCH in need of repair. Cother advised Flynn as such, and convinced him that it had to be done. And one has got to realize money was in short supply for Flynn at this time, and while at first somewhat skeptical, Flynn clearly came to TRUST him. I dare say Flynn RECOGNIZED what he had in such a man as Captain Cother.

Beyond the practical matters discussed, there are the various "other" stories that are reflected in both the correspondence and the photographs contained in the book.

In short, it is the other side of the story, beyond the viewing of a beautiful photograph or footage of the Zaca sailing that is told here.

And Bonny has lovingly put this book together, as best she could (given a certain amount of deterioration of the original records, etc), and supplementing these documents with her own transcriptions (of the same) and her commentary, so you do follow all that is going on, even if you can't always "make something out" on the original document.

WHAT AN EFFORT THIS MUST HAVE TAKEN TO PUT IT TOGETHER- especially given that she WASN'T there to witness the various events spoken of first hand. She had to make sense of it all, and THEN communicate that to the reader. No small feat!

And if all thatweren't already enough, she had to choose a book cover that might even remotely begin to reflect its contents? A photo, perhaps, of Flynn and her father aboard ship, or of the vessel (actually schooner) and Flynn ... or an individual shot of some kind? So many different possibilities ... what to choose? The PERFECT choice must have just about blindsided her when she thought to posethe simplest of questions- what was the Zaca REALLY all about?

And the choice of the book cover (front and back) more than reflects that answer: OUT TO SEA!

There is something for everyone here between these covers- be you aFlynn fan, Zaca officionado, or even a simple sailor ... a rare experience awaits you as you thumb through these almost lost and forgotten pages- a unique record of a time now PRESERVED. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Tale
I gave this book 5 stars because I could not put it down.I had to find out what happens at the end of a very sad marriage.Because Errol Flynn's 100th birthday is fast approaching I'm sure there will people out looking for reading material on his life.Nora Eddington was his second wife and mother of two of his children.She was at least 15 years his junior but ended up being more like his mother.They apparently were in love but their marriage was like a Reba McIntire country-western song (Reba could get some good song writing items from this book).Interesting Nora could not swim and Flynn loved the sea and sailing.She was one brave cookie because he would carry her on his back and swim to shore or snorkle--she trusted him out in the DEEP blue sea.She doesn't say much about living in the Mulholland house.They did have a butler, a French cook and there was a nurse for the girls.She makes much to do about her stick figure and flat chest which should give hope to those women in the same fashion that--not all men--even the great Errol Flynn the skirt chaser--need 44 dd's.I thought all of EF's problems were due to alcohol.Boy was this an eye opener.No wonder his star started to fall at around age 41.Beating his wife or throwing her around (he was physically strong), even while pregnant, also made me pause.Always he was sorry afterwards and always she would forgive.She tried to hang in for him, but it was just too tough.He would have aged into a handsome man; how sad the way the drugs and booze bloated him and altered his personality.He was a fun loving boy who didn't grow up and she was someone with a good sense of humor and willing to accept EF's extra marital affairs who had to grow up (too soon) for the both of them.If she and her father-in-law had pushed a little harder and not worried about publicity to get help for EF there might have been a different outcome to her marriage and his career.I saw Nora in an documentary interview roughly 20 years after this book was published and she stays true to her feelings--still "in love" and quite obvious about it in defending any false claims about her knight in shinning armor.

Good book by Errol Flynn's Ex Nora
Another book written by someone who actually new Errol, his second Ex-wife Nora Eddington Flynn.This is a small book and a quick read, but good.

Yes, Nora may have an axe to grind, but I found no axe.Most of the book rings true for me.I've read Errol's autobiography and Earl Conrad's Memoir book, and a few other publications of writings of Errol's.

The only part that may make you squirm is when Nora claims on about 2 occasions Flynn beat her.The circumstances are of taking drugs from a drug addict kind of thing.On one of those occasions Nora claims Mr. Flynn senior was present. (I think the senior Flynn was alive during the publication of Nora's book).

Other then that the book shows additional insight into Errol Flynn after his statutory rape trial days, courting, marriage, and interaction in later years with Nora before his death.
Nora documents there strange living arrangements with Flynn early in there marriage, etc.
Pictures included show Nora and Flynn on his yacht, out dining, playing tennis.

Nora seems to try to paint the perfect picture of innocents of herself, but you can sort of read through it.
Nora also seems to want the reader to believe that Errol loved her best during and after there time together.(She writes Flynn gave about 6 women the same fake ring, but Nora claims her similar ring from Flynn had real stones or something).

Nora ends the book claiming her second marriage broke up because they just grew apart.
A little goggling shows her second husband Dick Haymes (who'd already been married 3 times and had kids by each wife prior to Nora.6 marriages and 6 kids at his death) left her for the beautiful actress Rita Hayworth.

Even in Errol's autobiography he mentions that Nora most be crazy to want to marry a man with 3 ex's and 3 kids, and he was drinking.
Nora clearly loved Errol and I think continued to love him during the writing of this book.

A gret book!!!
I got this book at a used bookstore several years ago. I could not put it down. It is sad and juicy. Ms. Flynn told a warts and all story about her famed former husband whom was recently deceased at the time of publication. She writes of his drug abuse and his constant cheating and beatings he gave her. Its an odd story in a way because you wonder why she stayed with him as long as she did. It is riveting reader, but not very incisive. I would recommend this book to people whom like scandalous tales. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

from a life of adventure the writings of errol flynn
This book takes a very different perspective on Flynn's life- the author Thomas knew Flynn- classed him as a man of beauty, intelligence and talent who could never quite master himself.Essential reading. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

TOO MUCH WASTED TALENT
The Bundy Drive Boys were comprised of some of the most talented actors, artists and writers of their day.Unfortunately, none of them fully realized their potential due to their weakness for alcohol and sex.Gregory Mank has done a superb job of research in gathering facts and anecdotes about the members of this unique group.A real page-turner, I found it hard to put down.The illustrations are also a delight. If you are a fan of only one of their number, this is a must-have book.

The Best of the Best
I've read all the books on the rebelartist John Decker.... Hollywood Hellfire Club is by far the "Best of the Best" reads onDecker his original Hollywood Rat Pack. The book is not over priced ether.

Bundy Drive Boys
I enjoyed this book very much.It was very informative and presented a lot of information about the group I had not seen before.An enjoyable read.

Golden Age of Decadence
Author Greg Mank is one of the best on covering the Golden Age of movies.His works on horror (another genre than this) are delights.His gathering of the antics of these rogues of the silver screen are a feast to relish.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of these great stars.You will see their private side exposed at the underbelly - with laughs, gasps, and "how did they get away with that".It was a different time and a different world from the "politically correct" lemmings that we have become today.Sit back and revel in the tales of this bygone age.

Garbage
I spent 20 bucks and got through a couple of chapters before realizing I'd been had.

The high ratings must be by shills, because the only thing of value about this tripe is the cover art, which lures you to content hardly worthy of the name.Here is a slapdash collection of sloppily written and compiled, derivative, unsourced star bios/gossip and not about the "club" on Bundy Drive that is the book's purported subject.

Also, look up the publisher on the Web."Crackpot" is a generous description of its output.

And from the negative votes of this review, I can see the friends of the publisher are mobilized. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Errol Flynn the Magnificent!
I always loved Errol Flynn and I wanted to read his books to learn what kind of writer he was.And to my surprise, I found out what an exceptional great writer he was.Extremely conversational, one can visualize being at the place at the same time. In addition, I also love his other books "My Wicked, Wicked Ways" and "Showdown", which are in every way as entertaining and in many passages I laughed my head off."What a guy" is all one can say.
Errol Flynn was an exceptional writer and what a wonderful command of the English language he had; what a pity he never pursuit this talent of his fully.
Beams End is full of wit, action packed and full of youthful bravado.
Three adventurers set sail up the east coast of Australia in a sail boat Errol Flynn acquires rather accidentally.He describes a voyage, which would be a true delight to a real hearty sailor.The description of the passage is truly outstanding very realistic and as known he was a great lover, but most of all a lover of the sea.
In this book all the characters and descriptions of even to the smallest detail of a plants, scenery, storms, mishaps and ocean life comes vibrantly alive.
He was a such multi-talented man, in every instance truly magnificent.There are only very few man born in the world with his looks, caliber, charisma, magnetism, bravado, talent and possibly many other attributes he possibly had.He truly was magnificent - an extremely gifted man!

Errol Flynn Can REALLY Write!
I read his autobiography, My Wicked, Wicked Ways (also terrific) just before I read this book. It is apparent that the autobiography (MWWW) which was co-authored, really was Flynn's book - he probably just dictated it to the other writer credited along with Flynn. The reason I say this is because by the way that Beam Ends is written,(descriptions mainly),it is clear that Errol Flynn had a true writing talent. Flynn wrote this book when he was about 28 years old. It's a treat for the Errol Flynn fan because you can really hear him speaking throughout the book. The subject is the voyage he and a few friends made from Sydney, Australia to New Guinea aboard his boat the Scirocco. You can see how much Flynn had already lived at that tender age and also how much of a sensitive man he really was. I look forward to reading his one and only novel, Showdown, even though it didn't get great reviews. I really like the way he wrote. His desciptions are very vivid. I highly recommend this book. Men, especially, I believe will find it fascinating. It's a true adventure by one of the world's most adventurous men.

Beams End good if you love sailing
I love Errol Flynn so wanted to read his work, but it was too much sailing and fishing for my taste.He writes well, very conversational, as if you were right there sitting across the table and he were telling you stories. I liked one of his other books better, My Wicked, Wicked Ways just because it had more interesting stories to me. If you like outdoor stories, though, you will like it.

Beam Ends - Youth, Friendship and the Sea
I did not know what to expect when I ordered this book.I found that I enjoyed the wonderful adventure described as well as the language used to convey it.It is a great first book for a then twenty-something author.The characters, the passion for sailing and the descriptions of even the smallest of plants and sea life come alive vibrantly.The author clearly read and learned from the classics, and his wonderful, sharp sense of humor comes through with precise, but natural, timing.This is a book that one will truly enjoy reading over and over again.Errol Flynn's second novel "Showdown" is also a fantastic, entertaining read that is again, full of life, passion and clarity and a book worth reading many times over.Mr. Flynn was a multi-talented man whose talent for writing and storytelling should have been supported and encouraged. His "devil may care" attitude and behavior offscreen masked the damage and insecurity caused by a sad childhood and upbringing. It is unfortunate that he was typecast and that tabloid writers seemed to relish riding the coattails of his fast-rising star and then proceeding swiftly to strike him down.

Media
It's amazing, the power 'Television' has to control
an entire population, not only its action but thoughts as well!!
Particularly with some specific meadia!!!

It is almost Orwellian, Down Under, these days!!!




... Read more