Flynn, Errol
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'''Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn''' (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an [[Australian]] [[film]] [[actor]], most famous for his romantic [[swashbuckler]] roles in [[Hollywood]] films and his flamboyant lifestyle. | '''Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn''' (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an [[Australian]] [[film]] [[actor]], most famous for his romantic [[swashbuckler]] roles in [[Hollywood]] films and his flamboyant lifestyle. | ||
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| − | + | Flynn was born in [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], to Marelle Young and Theodore Thomas Flynn. The family moved to [[Sydney, New South Wales]] when Flynn was a as a child. He loved the [[ocean]]. His father [[Theodore Thomson Flynn]] was a biologist and a professor at the [[Queen's University of Belfast]] in [[Northern Ireland]] for the latter part of his career. Flynn was very athletic however did not excel at his studies. He was expelled from two private schools for fighting. When he turned twenty he moved to [[New Guinea]] where he bought a tobacco plantation, a business which failed. A copper mining venture in the hills near the Laloki Valley behind the present national capital [[Port Moresby]] also failed. | |
| − | In | + | In the early 1930s, Flynn left for Britain and got an acting job with [[Northampton]] Repertory Company, where he worked for seven months. He starred in the American-made film [[In the Wake of the Bounty]] directed by [[Charles Chucker]] in 1933. According to Gerry Connelly's Book ''Errol Flynn in Northampton'', he also performed at the 1934 [[Great Malvern|Malvern]] Festival, and also in [[Glasgow]] and in [[London]]'s [[West End theatre|West End]]. He was discovered by a [[Warner Bros.]] executive, signed to a contract and shipped to America as a contract actor. In 1942, he became a [[naturalized]] citizen of the [[United States]]. |
==Acting career== | ==Acting career== | ||
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Flynn became an overnight sensation with his first starring role, ''[[Captain Blood (1935 film)|Captain Blood]]'', in [[1935 in film|1935]]. He became typecast as a swashbuckler and made a host of such films, including ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (movie)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]'' ([[1938 in film|1938]]), ''[[The Dawn Patrol]]'' (1938) with his close friend [[David Niven]], ''[[Dodge City (1939 movie)|Dodge City]]'' ([[1939 in film|1939]]), ''[[The Sea Hawk (movie)|The Sea Hawk]]'' ([[1940 in film|1940]]), and ''[[Adventures of Don Juan]]'' ([[1948 in film|1948]]). | Flynn became an overnight sensation with his first starring role, ''[[Captain Blood (1935 film)|Captain Blood]]'', in [[1935 in film|1935]]. He became typecast as a swashbuckler and made a host of such films, including ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (movie)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]'' ([[1938 in film|1938]]), ''[[The Dawn Patrol]]'' (1938) with his close friend [[David Niven]], ''[[Dodge City (1939 movie)|Dodge City]]'' ([[1939 in film|1939]]), ''[[The Sea Hawk (movie)|The Sea Hawk]]'' ([[1940 in film|1940]]), and ''[[Adventures of Don Juan]]'' ([[1948 in film|1948]]). | ||
| − | Flynn played opposite [[Olivia de Havilland]] in eight films, including ''Captain Blood'', ''[[The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936 film)|The Charge of the Light Brigade]]'' (1936), ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'', ''Dodge City'', ''[[Santa Fe Trail (film)|Santa Fe Trail]]'' (1940), and ''[[They Died with their Boots On]]'' ([[1941 in film|1941]]). | + | Flynn played opposite [[Olivia de Havilland]] in eight films, including ''Captain Blood'', ''[[The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936 film)|The Charge of the Light Brigade]]'' (1936), ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'', ''Dodge City'', ''[[Santa Fe Trail (film)|Santa Fe Trail]]'' (1940), and ''[[They Died with their Boots On]]'' ([[1941 in film|1941]]). ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' was Flynn's first in [[Technicolor]]. |
[[Image:Errol Flynn in Operation Burma.jpg|thumb|Errol Flynn as Capt. Nelson in Operation Burma !]] | [[Image:Errol Flynn in Operation Burma.jpg|thumb|Errol Flynn as Capt. Nelson in Operation Burma !]] | ||
| − | During the shooting of ''[[The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex]]'' (1939), Flynn and co-star [[Bette Davis]] had some legendary off-screen fights, with Davis striking him harder than necessary while filming a scene. Their relationship was always strained, but Warner Brothers teamed them up twice. Their off-screen relationship was later reconciled. A contract was even presented to lend them out as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara in ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' but the teaming failed to materialize. | + | During the shooting of ''[[The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex]]'' (1939), Flynn and co-star [[Bette Davis]] had some legendary off-screen fights, with Davis striking him harder than necessary while filming a scene. Their relationship was always strained, but Warner Brothers teamed them up twice. Their off-screen relationship was later reconciled. A contract was even presented to lend them out as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara in ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' but the teaming failed to materialize. |
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| − | By the 1950s, Flynn had become a parody of himself. Heavy alcohol and drug abuse left him prematurely aged and bloated, but he still won acclaim as a drunken ne'er-do-well in ''[[The Sun Also Rises]]'' ([[1957 in film|1957]]). His colorful but somewhat exaggerated | + | By the 1950s, Flynn had become a parody of himself. Heavy alcohol and drug abuse left him prematurely aged and bloated, but he still won acclaim as a drunken ne'er-do-well in ''[[The Sun Also Rises]]'' ([[1957 in film|1957]]). His colorful but somewhat exaggerated autobiography, ''My Wicked, Wicked Ways'', was published just months after his death and contains humorous anecdotes about Hollywood. Flynn wanted to call the book ''In Like Me'', but the publisher refused. In 1984, [[CBS]] produced a television mini-series based on Flynn's autobiography, starring [[Duncan Regehr]] as Flynn. |
In the 1950s, Flynn tried his hand as a novelist, penning the adventure novel ''[[Showdown (novel)|Showdown]]'', which was published in 1952. | In the 1950s, Flynn tried his hand as a novelist, penning the adventure novel ''[[Showdown (novel)|Showdown]]'', which was published in 1952. | ||
| − | + | ==Marriages== | |
| − | + | Flynn was married three times, to actress [[Lili Damita]] from 1935 until 1942 (one son, [[Sean Flynn]]); to [[Nora Eddington]] from 1943 until 1948 (two daughters, [[Deirdre Flynn|Deirdre]] and [[Rory Flynn|Rory]]); and to actress [[Patrice Wymore]] from 1950 until his death (one daughter, Arnella Roma). In Hollywood he tended to refer to himself as [[Ireland|Irish]] rather than Australian. Flynn lived with Wymore in [[Port Antonio]], [[Jamaica]] in the 1950s. He was largely responsible for developing tourism to this area, for a while owned the Titchfield Hotel, decorated by the artist [[Olga Lehmann]], and popularized raft trips down rivers on bamboo rafts.<ref>[http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/story0033.html The History of Jamaica ] Retrieved September 20, 2007.</ref> | |
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| − | Flynn was married three times, to actress [[Lili Damita]] from 1935 until 1942 (one son, [[Sean Flynn]]); to [[Nora Eddington]] from 1943 until 1948 (two daughters, [[Deirdre Flynn|Deirdre]] and [[Rory Flynn|Rory]]); and to actress [[Patrice Wymore]] from 1950 until his death (one daughter, Arnella Roma). In Hollywood he tended to refer to himself as [[Ireland|Irish]] rather than Australian | ||
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| − | == | + | ==Death== |
| − | + | Numerous legends surround Flynn's death. Flynn flew to Vancouver on October 9, 1959, to sell his yacht ''Zaca'' to millionaire George Caldough. On October 14, Caldough was driving Flynn to the airport when Flynn felt ill. He was taken to the apartment of Caldough's friend, Dr. Grant Gould, uncle of noted pianist [[Glenn Gould]]. A party ensued, with Flynn regaling guests with stories and impressions. Feeling ill again, he announced "I shall return" and retired to a bedroom to rest. A half hour later he was discovered unconscious, due to suffering a massive [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]]. He is interred in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery]], in [[Glendale, California]]. He shares coffin space with six bottles of whiskey, a parting gift from his drinking buddies. Both his parents survived him. | |
Revision as of 21:51, 20 September 2007
| Errol Flynn | |
 Errol Flynn c.1940 | |
| Birth name: | Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | June 20 1909 |
| Birth location: |  Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
|
| Date of death: | October 14 1959 (aged 50) |
| Death location: |  Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
|
| Spouse: | Lili Damita) Nora Eddington) Patrice Wymore) |
Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an Australian film actor, most famous for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and his flamboyant lifestyle.
Early Life
Flynn was born in Hobart, Tasmania, to Marelle Young and Theodore Thomas Flynn. The family moved to Sydney, New South Wales when Flynn was a as a child. He loved the ocean. His father Theodore Thomson Flynn was a biologist and a professor at the Queen's University of Belfast in Northern Ireland for the latter part of his career. Flynn was very athletic however did not excel at his studies. He was expelled from two private schools for fighting. When he turned twenty he moved to New Guinea where he bought a tobacco plantation, a business which failed. A copper mining venture in the hills near the Laloki Valley behind the present national capital Port Moresby also failed.
In the early 1930s, Flynn left for Britain and got an acting job with Northampton Repertory Company, where he worked for seven months. He starred in the American-made film In the Wake of the Bounty directed by Charles Chucker in 1933. According to Gerry Connelly's Book Errol Flynn in Northampton, he also performed at the 1934 Malvern Festival, and also in Glasgow and in London's West End. He was discovered by a Warner Bros. executive, signed to a contract and shipped to America as a contract actor. In 1942, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
Acting career
Flynn became an overnight sensation with his first starring role, Captain Blood, in 1935. He became typecast as a swashbuckler and made a host of such films, including The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Dawn Patrol (1938) with his close friend David Niven, Dodge City (1939), The Sea Hawk (1940), and Adventures of Don Juan (1948).
Flynn played opposite Olivia de Havilland in eight films, including Captain Blood, The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dodge City, Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with their Boots On (1941). The Adventures of Robin Hood was Flynn's first in Technicolor.
During the shooting of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Flynn and co-star Bette Davis had some legendary off-screen fights, with Davis striking him harder than necessary while filming a scene. Their relationship was always strained, but Warner Brothers teamed them up twice. Their off-screen relationship was later reconciled. A contract was even presented to lend them out as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind but the teaming failed to materialize.
By the 1950s, Flynn had become a parody of himself. Heavy alcohol and drug abuse left him prematurely aged and bloated, but he still won acclaim as a drunken ne'er-do-well in The Sun Also Rises (1957). His colorful but somewhat exaggerated autobiography, My Wicked, Wicked Ways, was published just months after his death and contains humorous anecdotes about Hollywood. Flynn wanted to call the book In Like Me, but the publisher refused. In 1984, CBS produced a television mini-series based on Flynn's autobiography, starring Duncan Regehr as Flynn.
In the 1950s, Flynn tried his hand as a novelist, penning the adventure novel Showdown, which was published in 1952.
Marriages
Flynn was married three times, to actress Lili Damita from 1935 until 1942 (one son, Sean Flynn); to Nora Eddington from 1943 until 1948 (two daughters, Deirdre and Rory); and to actress Patrice Wymore from 1950 until his death (one daughter, Arnella Roma). In Hollywood he tended to refer to himself as Irish rather than Australian. Flynn lived with Wymore in Port Antonio, Jamaica in the 1950s. He was largely responsible for developing tourism to this area, for a while owned the Titchfield Hotel, decorated by the artist Olga Lehmann, and popularized raft trips down rivers on bamboo rafts.[1]
Death
Numerous legends surround Flynn's death. Flynn flew to Vancouver on October 9, 1959, to sell his yacht Zaca to millionaire George Caldough. On October 14, Caldough was driving Flynn to the airport when Flynn felt ill. He was taken to the apartment of Caldough's friend, Dr. Grant Gould, uncle of noted pianist Glenn Gould. A party ensued, with Flynn regaling guests with stories and impressions. Feeling ill again, he announced "I shall return" and retired to a bedroom to rest. A half hour later he was discovered unconscious, due to suffering a massive heart attack. He is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California. He shares coffin space with six bottles of whiskey, a parting gift from his drinking buddies. Both his parents survived him.
Published Works
Flynn wrote the following books:
- Beam Ends (1937)
- Showdown (1946)
- My Wicked, Wicked Ways (1959)
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ The History of Jamaica Retrieved September 20, 2007.
External links
- Errol Flynn at the National Film and Sound Archive
- Errol Flynn at the Internet Movie Database
- Map of where Errol died in Vancouver
- Profile for Errol Flynn at Find A Grave
- Errol Flynn on CBC's Front Page Challenge
- The Pirate's Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
- Wu Ming's "In Like Flynn" at Chicago Review
- Errol Flynn Resource Website Flynn resource website, filmography & photographs.
- Profile @ Turner Classic Movies
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