Errol Leslie Flynn was born on 20th June 1909 in Hobart, Tasmania. He was renowned for his good looks, swashbuckling roles on screen, womanising and hell raising in his private life.
His father, Theodore Flynn, was a marine biologist. His mother was Lily Mary, though she later changed her name to Marelle shortly after her marriage.
Errol Flynn's Childhood
Flynn attended a number of schools, though invariably not for very long as he was expelled on a number of occasions, usually for fighting, and, allegedly on one occasion for having sex with the school laundress.
Having finally left school, Flynn's early working career could hardly be described as a success. He had a number of jobs which included a shipping clerk, castrator of sheep and as a British police cadet in New Guinea. In the early 1930's he left for the UK and in 1933 he joined the Northampton Repertory Company.
Flynn Breaks into the Movie Industry
During 1933, Flynn's photograph was spotted by a film producer who offered him a part in the film 'In the Wake of the Bounty'. The following year he appeared in 'Murder at Monte Carlo', filmed at the Warner Bros. Studio in Teddington. This was the turning point in his career as he was spotted by an executive of Warner Bros. who offered him a contract which enabled him to immigrate to the USA in order to concentrate on his career as an actor. In 1942 Errol Flynn became a naturalised American citizen.
In 1935 Flynn married French actress Lili Damita. They had one child, a son, Sean, born in 1941. Sean inherited his father's good looks and for a while followed him as an actor before becoming a photographer and war correspondent. Sean Flynn disappeared while covering the Vietnam War in 1970 aged 29. It was presumed he was killed by the Khmer Rouge.
War Rages, But Flynn Fails to Enlist
With World War II raging, Flynn watched as thousands of American troops were sent overseas. He was later criticised for continuing to play war heroes when he himself failed to enlist, but nothing could be further from the truth. Flynn attempted to enlist in each of the branches of the armed forces but on every occasion his application was rejected on grounds of ill health. He suffered from tuberculosis, had an enlarged heart as well as a painful back condition which led him to self medicate, originally with morphine but later this escalated to the use of heroin. He also suffered from re-current bouts of malaria which he had contracted while working in New Guinea.
Flynn divorced Lili in 1942, marrying Nora Eddington less than a year later. They had 2 daughters both of whom became models, Deirdre and Rory.
Flynn's Trial for Rape
Flynn had always been attracted to younger women and had quickly developed a reputation as a hell raiser and a womaniser. In November 1942 his lifestyle finally caught up with him when he was charged with the statutory rape of two under aged girls, Betty Hansen and Peggy Satterlee. The trial took place a little over two months later, in January and February 1943.
Flynn hired hot-shot lawyer Jerry Geisler as his defending attorney. Having denied the charges against him, Errol Flynn took to the stand in his own defence. Enthralled with his evidence, Flynn reduced the court to a shambles and the all-female jury acquitted him of all charges.
Nora stood by her husband but their marriage came to an end in 1948. The following year, Flynn married Patrice Wymore. They had one child, a daughter, Arnella, who like her father and half brother also died tragically young at 45 years of age.
On 9th October 1959 Flynn flew to Vancouver with a companion, Beverly Aadland, in order to lease his boat. However he became ill while being driven back to the airport. He was taken to the apartment of Dr. Grant Gould where he appeared to recover sufficiently to throw an impromptu party, but half an hour later he felt unwell and went to lie down in a bedroom announcing to the guests 'I shall return!' as he left the room.
Beverley Aadland, whom Flynn had started to date when she was just 15, went to check on him half an hour later to find him unconscious having suffered a heart attack.
Errol Flynn was just 50 years old when he died. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California. Six bottles of whisky were buried alongside him. This was a parting gift to accompany him on the journey to the hereafter from his drinking pals. He will always be remembered for his starring roles as Robin Hood and Captain Blood, alongside Basil Rathbone and Olivia de Havilland, the Charge of the Light Brigade, starring with de Havilland again and Dodge City with Bruce Cabot and Olivia de Havilland.
Sources:
- Errol Flynn, the Life and Career by Thomas McNulty
- Errol Flynn, the Official Errol Flynn Web Site, Patrice Wymore Flynn
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