Captain Flint – A New Home !!

Here is Cap’n Flint ABOVE – with Bobby Driscoll in a posed still while they were filming Treasure Island.

Bobby Driscoll looks very well here – and on top of his acting when he played  Jim Hawkins

The parrot Cap’n Flint  who stars with Robert Newton in Treasure Island and Bobby Driscoll  in the RKO-Walt Disney production of ‘Treasure Island’ made at Denham Film Studios in 1949 – released 1950.

He has earned retirement in a Public House The Prospect of Whitby one of London’s only riverside inns.  Here  Robert Newton is handing Cap’n Flint over to Landlord George H. Broadbent and his wife.  I hope Cap’n Flint enjoyed the long retirement he deserved for his famous role in the classic film.

The ‘Prospect’ may have had its fair share of human celebrities but also was home to a celebrity of the feathered variety, a newspaper from 1951 gives the details.

‘Captain Flint, the talented parrot which rides the shoulder of Robert Newton during his portrayal of Long John Silver in ‘Treasure Island,’ has not been relegated to oblivion. When the picture was finished, Captain Flint was retired to a life of luxury in the famous ‘Prospect of Whitby.’

Ralph Truman died in Ipswich on 15 October 1977 – and his second wife Mimi also died a few years later in that area.   However there are few details about his second wife or where he lived although I have a feeling it could have been Bungay in Suffolk

If anyone knows any more about this fine actor – or his life – please let us know.

Ralph Truman had been a Radio actor from around 1925 with the BBC  and much later got into films. He first came to real prominence when Director Byron Haskin cast him as George Merry – one of the Pirates in the 1950 Walt Disney version of ‘Treasure Island’

He was told to go out there and give Robert Newton a ‘run for his money’ in the acting stakes – and seeing that Robert Newton  would play Long John Silver in a brilliant almost pantomime ‘over the top’ way it was claimed that at times Ralph Truman as George Merry virtually  ‘out-hammed’ him.

Nevertheless Robert Newton’s portrayal was just what was needed – and it was a brilliant portrayal – that lingers in the memory – and has become a yardstick for actors when taking on any pirate role to this day.

Robert Newton’s performance here was one of the most memorable in screen history.

I have done a post a few weeks ago on the Radio actress and former Mrs Dale star Ellis Powell who was married to Ralph Truman.

She died in 1963 – not very long after she was replaced as Mrs Dale by the BBC.

It would appear that Ralph Truman married again to Maria Vittoria or Mimi as she was known.   They both died in the the Ipswich area – and I have a feeling may have lived around Bungay in Suffolk

Birthday: May 7, 1900

His full name was : Ralph du Vergier Truman 1900 -1977

Ralph’s second wife was  Maria “Mimi” Vittoria H Truman (born Cooper).

Maria was born on November 13 1918, in Brentford, Middlesex, England. She died on July 1st 2004 aged 85 see the Announcement below :-

Maria Vittoria Hayes (Mimi), widow of Ralph du Vergier Truman. Peacefully on July 1st at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, aged 85. Requiem Mass at St. Edmunds Catholic Church, Bungay at 12 noon on Thursday, 15th July. Private cremation at St Faith’s followed by a Memorial Service at Metfield Parish Church where all are welcome at 3 p.m. on Friday 16th July.

Ralph married his first wife  Ellis Agnes Estelle Truman (born Powell). She was Ellis Powell – another actress with the BBC over a long period eventually finding fame as Mrs Dale of Mrs Dales Diary.  She died in 1963.

I imagine Ralph met Ellis from their work with the BBC Radio Drama department

Ralph Truman was born in North Finchley. His parents were John William Truman, a surveyor, and Adele Duvergier Tabernacle.

He had four siblings, Beatrice (b.1891), Frances (b.1893), George (b.1895) brother Guy William Truman was born on the 28^th May 1896

His brother Guy William Truman was born on the 28^th May 1896

Guy was educated privately at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate and Merchant Taylors’ School in Northwood. Almost immediately after matriculating as a law student, he joined the Rifle Brigade in September 1914 and went to France on 24^th January 1915. He died in the Northern Central hospital in Leeds on 13^th May 1915 from wounds received during the 2^nd battle of Ypres.

So Ralph Truman lost his brother in the first war – many families lost loved ones during that terrible conflict – and the sadness and grief for Mother and Father and his brothers is difficult to imagine.

Well, here is one of the most famous Film Directors in history – Alfred Hitchcock

ABOVE: He relaxes in the sun while filming ‘To Catch a Thief in the South of France

He often used his wife Alma Reville as the writer on the screen play and often of the actual story. Above she is with him in the Thirties as he directs one of his films.  He certainly looks very excited and focused in this shot

His daughter Patricia appeared in a number of his films also. She was in Stage Fright – Made in England, then Strangers on a Train and a few years later Psycho. – BELOW with her Mother the writer Alma Reville

At the time – certainly with those three films it was very much a family affair although by the time they got to Psycho Patricia had married.

She married Joseph E. O’Connell, Jr., 17 January 1952, at Our Lady Chapel in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.

They decided to have their wedding there because her father  had many friends on the East Coast and her husband had relatives in Boston. They had three daughters, Mary Alma Stone (born 17 April 1953), Teresa “Tere” Carrubba (born 2 July 1954), and Kathleen “Katie” Fiala (born 27 February 1959). Joe died in 1994.  She currently lives in Solvang, California.

I just couldn’t finish this post without this picture of Alfred  Hitchcock posing against the house from Psycho

Universal International gave us  “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954), one of the most famous ’50s. monster films.

In the first “Creature” film, Julie Adams is torn between loyalty to  (Richard Denning) and the scientist she loves (Richard Carlson). However in the sequel Lori Nelson is cast as the leading lady in, “Revenge of the Creature” (1955). When she isn’t studying the Creature at an aquatic park in Florida, she is romancing John Agar.

 

In 1952  On alternative Saturdays, there was on the BBC Television Channel on alternate Saturdays  ‘Saturday Special’,  which was hosted by that memorable and wonderful character actor, and World War II hero, Peter Butterworth, with ‘Porty’, the parrot.

He had joined the Fleet Air Arm just as War broke out and in 1941 was shot down while on a mission over Germany. He was a pow from that time onwards. In between escape attempts he and his colleagues ran a small theatre club putting on performances in the Camp.

When the War was over and he had returned to England he went into acting and was offered the part on the Children’s Programme Saturday Special with Porty the Parrot.

Ironically he had tested for a part in The Wooden Horse film but said nothing of the fact that he was in fact, in real life, in the actual escape attempt portrayed in the film.   Incredibly he did not get the part as he was deemed not to appear ‘heroic enough’ for the role.

I was also just thinking and recalling people such as Peter Butterworth and Humphrey Lestocq – also  Denholm  Elliot – all of whom were held prisoner of war for quite a long time but who were able to return to ‘civvy life’ and carve out a career.

Richard Todd although not a POW was one of the first paratroopers into France at the famous Pegasus Bridge assault. He too found fame after the War as an actor – in fact for a time was the most successful of the War Heroes.

We owed people such as this an awful lot  

ABOVE – Peter Butterworth in an episode of Dads Army in 1975 entitled  ‘The Face on the Poster’ which was first screened on 10 October 1975   and earlier that same year on 5 March 1975 he was the subject of ‘This is your Life’ having been surprise by Eamonn Andrews

He had married the actress Janet Brown in 1946 and they went on to have a Son and a Daughter.

They are both buried Nr Haywards Heath in Sussex where they had lived for a number of years.

I like Peter Butterworth as he represents a memory – along with Humphrey Lestocq – of those very early days of Television all those years ago – and my own childhood.

He might have come over as a comic character on TV but he was a War Hero in real life.

In an early episode of Doctor Who – ABOVE with William Hartnell.

With Miss Marple – Margaret Rutherford in a film version – Murder She Said 1961

The Battle at Apache Pass stars Jeff Chandler and  John Lund – with  Susan Cabot, Jay Silverheels, and Jack Elam in supporting roles.

I remember seeing this film at the local Cinema as a very young boy and it really impressed me – so much so that I remember it today – not so much for the storyline of the film itself but for the title and how colourful it was.

Filmed beautifully in Technicolor the locations used were at Moab, Utah, with Arches National Park, Colorado River, Courthouse Wash, Ida Gulch and Professor Valley forming the backdrops to the story.

The film is a fictionalised account of the Battle of Apache Pass that occurred in 1862.

It deals in the events that led up to the battle and focuses on the in fighting between Chiricahua warriors Cochise and Geronimo.

Both  Jeff Chandler and Jay Silverheels reprise their character roles from Broken Arrow 1950

A good storyline  with beautiful Technicolor scenery,  George Sherman directed the film.

The action scenes are really good, with the actual battle  brilliantly constructed in a rock formed valley, with loads of extras, and much action.

It is a fine Western film.

Among the supporting Actors was Beverly Tyler – a very attractive young lady who had a supporting actor type of career but nevertheless remained around for a good few years

Once ITV came into being, Hollywood filmed series such as ‘I Love Lucy’ ‘Gun Law’  ‘Rawhide’ Cheyenne, Wagon Train, Bonanza Maverick and Laramie became very popular  – so it seemed at that time the American produced  Film Series held sway.

ABOVE – Peter Graves in Whiplash

So as regards the making of television films, we the British were again slow starters – but gradually we kicked into gear.  One of the first was ‘Mark Saber’ with Donald Gray and then The Man From Interpol.

J Carroll Naish was brought over to do ‘The Adventure of Charlie Chan’.

Twickenham Studios then made ‘White Hunter’ with Rhodes Reason – a film series that I really liked.

Beaconsfield came up with a bigger success with ‘Ivanhoe’ starring Roger Moore.

However British TV film producer – a TV pioneer was Hannah Fisher who brought us ‘The Adventure of Robin Hood’ with Richard Greene – and that hit the jackpot both here and in the USA where it went very well indeed.

She then produces ‘The Bucaneers’ with Robert Shaw and ‘Sir Lancelot’ with William Russell.  Neither of these had the success os Robin Hood though – but they were good and did well.

Another series ‘William Tell’ had Condar Phillips in the title role and also starred Jennifer Jayne.

After the Swashbucklers we had Patrick McGoohan as Danger Man and Roger Moore as The Saint. Here Patrick McGoohan is directing this episode called: Vacation.

BELOW – a sample of the Television Films of the time.

However one film series that did really well was The Human Jungle with Herbert Lom as Dr Roger Korder. This was an expensive series to make at £300,000, however it was well made and used at times, some well-known actors.

Herbert Lom was doing well in  his career and said to be earning £ 2000 per week. One of the regulars on the series was Sally Smith wh9o played Dr Korder’s daughter, Jennifer.

BELOW:  The Saint episode ‘Arrow of God’ here Roger Moore is with Honor Blackman.

Above: Roger Moore as The Saint – with Jane Asher in  the episode – The Invisible Millionaire

Roger Moore

ABOVE:  Roger Moore with Vera Day in the episode The Man Who Was Lucky – from The Saint Series.

Man of the World – with Shirley Eaton and Carlos Thompson – the episode was The Sentimental Agent.

Man of the World – with Shirley Eaton and Carlos Thompson – the episode was The Sentimental Agent.

Above:  Craig Stevens LEFT with Suzanne Neve and Joseph First in a Man of the World episode ‘Shadow of the Wall’

Above: Craig Stevens and Jacqueline Ellis – an episode of Man of the World – entitled ‘Nature of Justice’

I really don’t know what to make of this character – James Robertson Justice.   He had a very successful film career, he was friends with Prince Philip and taught Prince Charles about falconry,  he had a brief spell in the diplomatic services – or did he ? fought in the Spanish Civil War, worked for Reuters and on and on. 

He had a very crowded life if it is all to be believed – but much of it can be checked to be true in fairness.

He also raced cars at Brooklands before the War. He claimed to be born in Scotland – untrue   – and he added the ‘Robertson’ name just to add a sliver of authenticity to the claim.

In later years he could be seen at Silverstone – as an enthusiastic spectator at BRDC Silverstone meetings through the 1950s and ’60s.

He campaigned as a Labour candidate in a General Election but failed to get in.

However, lets look on the plus side for James Robertson Justice.  After his first film Vice Versa, he built up his career quite nicely – Scott of the Antarctic, The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men, The Sword and the Rose and then Roby Roy The Highland Rogue – the last three for Walt Disney, then the Doctor series – and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and many in between – so that is a pretty good film career I would say.

ABOVE – as Little John for Walt Disney here with Elton Hayes and Michael Hordern.

That was a good role for James Roberston Justice and he did well in it – he certainly looked the part and fitted it like a glove.

ABOVE – as Little John for Walt Disney here with Richard Todd as Robin Hood – the Quarter Staff fight on the Bridge

Back to the films – There was also Land of the Pharoahs ( made in Hollywood) and Moby Dick plus Murder She Said with Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple.

He seemed to be in his element wandering in the Scottish Highlands ABOVE

There is no doubt that he loved Scotland and identified with his family roots there.  Here he is training Falcons ABOVE

 ABOVE – At Home in his Highland Cottage at Spinningdale

With the earnings he made from the film Doctor in the House (1954), James Robertson Justice bought a cottage in the Scottish Highlands village of Spinningdale – quite a bit further North of Inverness, Nr Bonar Bridge – so right up in the Highlands but close to a Loch.

After he died in 1975  His ashes were buried in a Scottish moor near his former home in  Spinningdale.

Towards the end of 1956 and into the next year in Picture-goer Magazine, we had among many other items advertisements for what we were to see in the coming weeks at our local cinema.

At that time, this would increase our excitement levels because the advertisement would itself convey excitement as with The Battle of the River Plate BELOW

I see that the supporting film was The Red Balloon which seemed to get a lot of praise and publicity at the time I remember- I think it was a French Film that was either dubbed or had sub-titles

I hope that the above has not been included in a previous post – I don’t think so but as I have tried to do so many articles – particularly throughout 2019 – it would be easy to duplicate.

From  Picture-goer Magazine, we see an introduction to Friendly Persuasion – a film I cannot remember ever seeing although it had quite a lot of publicity and came from MGM so the budget would be high – one thing though – I am sure that Pat Boone sang the them song from the film He would have been at the peak of his success at this time.

William Holden BELOW in Brink of Hell – another one I have no recollection of.

All of the above advertisements are from Picture-goer Magazine of December 1958 or January 1959

Debbie Reynolds is one of the last of the Stars who graced the Hollywood scene towards the end of the Golden Era of Films.   Her first role of any note was in ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ with Gene Kelly and she is also one of the few actresses to have danced in films with both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly – and to that I would add Donald O Connor too.

One of her films ‘Bundle of Joy’ which she starred in with her husband singer Eddie Fisher, I seem to remember well from my childhood – not so much that I saw it but that we saw the advertisements and publicity for it in the Picture Show or The Picturegoer magazines at the time OR just the newspaper ads that kept us up to speed with the films that were coming our way.

She had that lovely hit record Tammy from the film of the same name.  In the USA the film was called Tammy and the Bachelor released in 1957  although in England I am pretty sure it was just ‘Tammy’

It is reported that she was paid $150,000 for this film – which was a good amount – still is today but in 1957 that was pretty huge.

She had married Eddie Fisher two years before in 1955 and they went on to have two children together.

Divorce came in a very public fashion in 1959, when her husband ran off with Elizabeth Taylor – her best friend.

When she was going through her very public divorce from Eddie Fisher, news crews were camped out around the clock on her front lawn.

She gained public sympathy  as the “wronged wife by regularly granting  interviews in front of the house to waiting news reporters, often with and her two toddler children, Carrie and Todd Fisher, in her arms.

Her family love this picture of her ABOVE