Biographer Charles Higham has alleged for a number of years that Errol Flynn was a Nazi operative cum agent who worked for the Germans during the Spanish Civil War, and who actually met with Hitler shortly before the outbreak of World War Two. More recently, Higham has been in the news after criticising, as inappropriate considering the actor’s political views, a special festival to celebrate his life.
Hemingway is also under the spotlight. A new book entitled ‘Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America’, suggests that the author had actually been a Soviet agent, codenamed ‘Argo’. Based on archives from the Stalin era, Papa was willingly recruited in 1941. Apparently, anyway.
Flynn Praises Toothbrush Tashes To An Unconvinced Hemingway
Obviously the accusations against both icons have been dismissed by historians, families, fans, etc. It matters not, as in either case I – and I imagine most of you – couldn’t frankly care less whether H or F were or weren’t spies. What I’m sure you really DO want to know is which one would win a bar fight. Say the heavy drinking duo got into a punch up over who should be served first at the bar, or came to blows whilst debating whether it was Stalin or Hitler who had the better moustache, would it be Hemingway or Flynn left standing?
Hemingway. . . .end of discussion.
Errol Flynn would have undoubtedly prevail in a bar brawl with Ernest Hemingway. First of all Flynn was 10 years younger, and, at 6′2 ” tall, easily 3 inches taller. OK, Hemingway had him by 10 – 12 lbs, but Flynn’s experience as a semi pro boxer and extended reach, would have been enough. Both were overweight alcoholics by 1950, , but any brawl between 1930 and 1950 would have been won by Errol Flynn, no doubt in my mind.
Errol and Ernest would never had found any reason to stoush ! Both writers of lifes adventures….damn , they wouldnt have even crossed quills !Now if Higham had the temerity , or cods, to accuse Flynn (when alive)of the ridiculous nonense in his fiction novel….then ‘The Baron’ would have slapped him in the face…he wouldnt have honored him with a closed fist!
Errol, apart from what Hollywood portrayed of him, was an astute observer of life and all of its peculiarities. He had been imprinted by his biologist father..to observe and take notes.For the record…he was a state boxing champion in Tasmania as a teenager …and could definitely hold his hands up !