Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian actor. He was known for his swashbuckler roles in movies like Adventures of Don Juan and The Sea Hawk.
Errol Flynn | |
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 Flynn c. 1940 | |
| Born | Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn 20 June 1909 Battery Point, Tasmania, Australia |
| Died | 14 October 1959 (aged 50) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Nationality |
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1932–1959 |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 4, including Sean Flynn |
| Parent(s) |
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Early years
Errol Flynn was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. His father Theodore Thomson Flynn, was a lecturer (1909) and later professor (1911) of biology at the University of Tasmania. Flynn was born at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Battery Point. His mother was born Lily Mary Young. She dropped the first names Lily Mary shortly after she was married and changed her name to Marelle.[1] Flynn described his mother's family as "seafaring folk". This may account for his lifelong love of the sea and boats.[2]
First movies
He became a naturalized American citizen in 1942. He is remembered for his successful on-screen partnership with Olivia de Havilland. They appeared together in eight movies: Captain Blood (1935, his first great success), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Four's a Crowd (1938), Dodge City (1939), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941).[3][4] This partnership started rumors of romance. De Havilland denied these rumors. She said her relationship with Flynn was one of friendship only.
WWII years
Flynn tried to enlist in every branch of the United States Armed Services during WWII. He was classified 4F because of numerous health issues. Hollywood executives kept his health issues a secret to protect his screen image. He never served and was criticized for this. As the years passed, Flynn's manly image diminished. He became an alcoholic, gained weight, and had a seedy appearance. Flynn wrote his autobiography My Wicked, Wicked Ways in 1959. He died of a heart attack at age 50. His last words were reportedly, "I've had a hell of a lot of fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it".
Marriages and children
Flynn was married three times: first to actress Lili Damita from 1935 until 1942 (one son, Sean Flynn, 1941–70?); to Nora Eddington from 1943 until 1949 (two daughters, Deirdre born 1945 and Rory born 1947); and to actress Patrice Wymore from 1950 until his death (one daughter, Arnella Roma, 1953–1998).
Lifestyle
Flynn had a reputation for womanizing and freewheeling fun. His hedonistic lifestyle caught up with him in 1942 when two under-age girls, Betty Hansen and Peggy Satterlee, accused him of statutory rape.[5] The two girls said that it happened at the Bel-Air home of Flynn's friend Frederick McEvoy.[6] A group was organized to support Flynn. It was called the American Boys' Club for the Defense of Errol Flynn (ABCDEF). Its members included William F. Buckley, Jr.[7] The trial took place in January and February 1943.[8] Flynn was cleared of the charges.
Errol Flynn Media
Flynn, alongside Enid Lyons, as a page boy in a queen carnival at the age of nine
With Olivia de Havilland in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
With Bette Davis in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
With Olivia de Havilland in Santa Fe Trail (1940)
Flynn and first wife Lili Damita at Los Angeles airport in 1941
Flynn's coffin on a Union Station railway platform in Los Angeles
Flynn's grave marker at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
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References
- ↑ Flynn always calls her Marelle in his autobiography.
- ↑ Flynn, My Wicked, Wicked Ways, p.33.
- ↑ "Errol Flynn: Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- ↑ "Olivia de Havilland: Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
- ↑ "Statutory Rape Charges". MSNBC. 1 March 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ↑ Flynn's Host Sued For Divorce. The Advertiser. 28 October 1942. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ↑ Valenti, Peter. Errol Flynn: A Bio-Bibliography.
- ↑ "Throwback Thursday: Errol Flynn Stood Trial for Statutory Rape in 1934 | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/throwback-thursday-errol-flynn-stood-699299. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
Other websites
- Errol Flynn at the National Film and Sound Archive Archived 2015-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
- Errol Flynn on IMDb
- Map of where Errol died in Vancouver
- Profile for Errol Flynn at Find A Grave
- Errol Flynn on CBC's Front Page Challenge
- Wu Ming's "In Like Flynn" at Chicago Review Archived 2010-04-07 at the Wayback Machine