My Wicked, Wicked Ways

As documented in Errol Flynn: A Memoir, MY WICKED, WICKED WAYS (MWWW) was not entirely written by Flynn. He had notes for an autobiography, but no longer the mental faculties to take on another book, so Putnam called in Earl Conrad. The experience is covered in 'MEMOIR, and the result many believe are transcriptions from interviews edited to create MWWW, with very little if any from Conrad at all. The book was released just after Flynn's death in 1959, just in time for the Holiday season.

The great todo over the book is that many recollections outside the Hollywood material never truly happened, and often people mentioned either didn't exist or had their names changed. Flynn by nature was a teller of tall tales, always liable to exaggerate in favour of entertaining or shocking; it is speculated that by the late 1950s he either didn't expect people to be able to trace the obscure parts of his life, or that his mind may have confused events and people with those in his novel SHOWDOWN.

Also, many things written therein proved objectionable to some folks (mostly first wife Lili Damita) who were either portrayed unfavourably or not given credit where it was due when the first edition was released. Conrad was called in once more to re-edit the book to include some passages and exclude others.

Thus the quest begins for every sincere fan: What did or didn't really happen? But from this the autobiography, we get a rich insight into Flynn's psyche (it is my opionion that even his decision to exaggerate this or to include are clues themselves). It's also the farthest thing from dull, and Errol Flynn pulled no punches about his convictions, obsessions and addictions.

Availability: Well, there are as mentioned two versions running around out there. That 1959 first edition hardbound pops up every once in a while in used bookstores at a price ranging from US$6 to $12. Later editions - also available in paperback - are approx. 150 pages shorter. And of course if that's what you have available to you, by all means read it, but by all means do your best to obtain the complete version.

It is also rumoured that a small publisher in NY State offers the most recent edition in hardbound.

Publisher:

United States:

G. P. Putnam's Sons (1959)

438 pages Hardbound

LOC 59-7849

United Kingdom:

Heinemann 1960

386 pages Hardbound