Errol Flynn
Biography
Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 - October 14, 1959) was an Australian-American actor and writer. He is popularly remembered as a charismatic romantic hero in the eight films he starred in with Olivia de Havilland. Flynn’s most iconic role came as Robin Hood in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938). After signing with Warner Bros. Pictures in January 1935, Flynn’s rise to stardom was swift. The studio decided to take a risk casting the unknown 26-year-old as the lead in "Captain Blood" (1935). The film established Flynn as a major Hollywood star and the natural successor to Douglas Fairbanks. The smash hit was followed up by "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936) and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), the most expensive film Warner Bros. had made up to that time. In spite of his Australian accent, Flynn starred in the enormously successful westerns "Dodge City" (1939), "Virginia City" (1940), "Santa Fe Trail" (1940), and "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941). The popularly of these westerns played a part in the genre’s revival. In late 1942, Flynn was charged with statutory rape of two 17-year-old girls. Despite his acquittal, press coverage of the trial led to the ubiquity of the expression, “In like Flynn.” With America’s involvement in WWII, Flynn had tried to enlist but was rated 4-F due to his enlarged heart, latent pulmonary tuberculosis and recurrent malaria (contracted in New Guinea). During the war, he made several films with the director Raoul Walsh. These include "Gentleman Jim" (1942) – one of Flynn’s favorite roles – and war films such as "Desperate Journey" (1942) and "Objective, Burma!" (1945). Embittered by his public image as a womanizer and his inability to serve in the war, Flynn further descended into a life of drug-addiction and alcoholism. His slow deflation became apparent in the waning success of his films and his aging physical appearance. By the late '50s, Flynn mounted a comeback with his turns in "The Sun Also Rises" (1957), "Too Much, Too Soon" (1958) and "The Roots of Heaven" (1958). In 1959, he died of a heart attack in Vancouver, Canada. Flynn’s notorious autobiography "My Wicked, Wicked Ways" (1959) was posthumously published. He also wrote two novels: "Beam Ends" (1937) and "Showdown" (1946).
Known For
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Jeb Stuart
Santa Fe Trail
Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood
(archive footage)
Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths
Mike Campbell
The Sun Also Rises
Captain Geoffrey Thorpe
The Sea Hawk
Don Juan de Maraña
Adventures of Don Juan
Miles Hendon
The Prince and the Pauper
Jamie Durie
The Master of Ballantrae
Soames Forsyte
That Forsyte Woman
Phil Gayley
Never Say Goodbye
Capt. Nelson
Objective, Burma!
Self
Thank Your Lucky Stars
James J. Corbett
Gentleman Jim
Mark Caldwell
Cry Wolf
Major Geoffrey Vickers
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Brian Hawke
Against All Flags
Ned Sherwood
The Big Boodle
Francis Monroe Warren II, alias F.X. Pettijohn
Footsteps in the Dark
Jeffrey Bushdinkle, the Groom (uncredited)
It's a Great Feeling
The Earl of Essex
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Dr. Peter Blood
Captain Blood
George Armstrong Custer
They Died with Their Boots On
Capt. Courtney
The Dawn Patrol
Clay Hardin
San Antonio
Kerry Bradford
Virginia City
Capt. Lafe Barstow
Rocky Mountain
Robert Kensington 'Bob' Lansford
Four's a Crowd
'Mike' McComb
Silver River
Douglas S. Lee
Dive Bomber
Wade Hatton
Dodge City
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Flight Lt. Terry Forbes
Desperate Journey
Gunnar Brogge
Edge of Darkness
Corporal Steve Wagner
Northern Pursuit
Jean Picard
Uncertain Glory
David Van Dusen
Don't Bet on Blondes
Gregory Mason
Mara Maru
Gregory Moxley
The Case of the Curious Bride
Captain Denny Roark
Another Dawn
Prince Edward
The Dark Avenger
John Barrymore
Too Much, Too Soon
Forsythe
The Roots of Heaven
Robin Hood (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rabbit Hood
Himself / Narrator
Cruise of the Zaca
Morgan Lane
Montana
Sebastian Dubrok
Escape Me Never
Frank Medlin
The Sisters
Self / Various Roles (archive footage) (archive sound)
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Mahbub Ali, the Red Beard
Kim
Robin Hood (archive footage)
Out Where the Stars Begin
Dyter
Murder at Monte Carlo
Dr. Newell Paige
Green Light
Gerald Beresford Wicks
The Perfect Specimen
Fletcher Christian
In the Wake of the Bounty
Capt. Michael Fabian
Adventures of Captain Fabian
Self
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self (archive footage)
Touring Australia
James Brennan
Istanbul
Self (archive footage)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
The American Correspondent
Cuban Rebel Girls
John 'Beau' Beaumont
Lilacs in the Spring
Self (archive footage)
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
William Tell
The Story of William Tell
(archive footage) (uncredited)
That's Entertainment!
Renzo
Il maestro di Don Giovanni
Himself - Reporter
The Truth About Fidel Castro Revolution
Richard, King of Laurentia
King's Rhapsody
Extra (uncredited)
I Adore You
Self
Blow-Ups of 1947
Robin Hood (archive footage) (uncredited)
Breakdowns of 1938
Himself (uncredited)
A Dream Comes True
Self
Breakdowns of 1937
Errol Flynn
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle
Self
Breakdowns of 1944
Self
Blow-Ups of 1946
Self
Show-Business at War
Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn
Self (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Peeks at Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self
Deep Sea Fishing
Self (archive footage)
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Self
Breakdowns of 1942
Francois Villon
The Sword of Villon
Self (archive footage)
Gene Kelly mène la danse
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Extraordinary Seaman
Self (archive footage)
Hooray for Hollywood
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
Self (archive footage)
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Capt. Russell Bidlack
Without Incident
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
92
Gender
Male
Birthday
1909-06-20
Place of Birth
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Also Known As
Errol Leslie Flynn