Errol Flynn | WatchedThis

Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn

Acting

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).

Filmography Movies

Acting

Poster for Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
MOVIE

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
Poster for Santa Fe Trail
MOVIE

Santa Fe Trail

5.8(0.1K)
Santa Fe Trail
Jeb Stuart
Poster for The Adventures of Robin Hood
MOVIE

The Adventures of Robin Hood

7.5(0.8K)
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Poster for Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths
MOVIE

Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths

5.7(0.0K)
Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths
(archive footage)
Poster for The Sun Also Rises
MOVIE

The Sun Also Rises

5.8(0.0K)
The Sun Also Rises
Mike Campbell
Poster for The Sea Hawk
MOVIE

The Sea Hawk

7.2(0.2K)
The Sea Hawk
Captain Geoffrey Thorpe
Poster for Adventures of Don Juan
MOVIE

Adventures of Don Juan

6.8(0.0K)
Adventures of Don Juan
Don Juan de Maraña
Poster for The Prince and the Pauper
MOVIE

The Prince and the Pauper

6.8(0.0K)
The Prince and the Pauper
Miles Hendon
Poster for The Master of Ballantrae
MOVIE

The Master of Ballantrae

5.7(0.0K)
The Master of Ballantrae
Jamie Durie
Poster for That Forsyte Woman
MOVIE

That Forsyte Woman

6.0(0.0K)
That Forsyte Woman
Soames Forsyte

Production

Poster for Crossed Swords
MOVIE

Crossed Swords

4.5(0.0K)
Crossed Swords
Producer
Poster for Cruise of the Zaca
MOVIE

Cruise of the Zaca

6.0(0.0K)
Cruise of the Zaca
Director
Poster for Adventures of Captain Fabian
MOVIE

Adventures of Captain Fabian

5.3(0.0K)
Adventures of Captain Fabian
Screenplay
Poster for Cuban Rebel Girls
MOVIE

Cuban Rebel Girls

2.6(0.0K)
Cuban Rebel Girls
Screenplay
Poster for Cry Wolf
MOVIE

Cry Wolf

6.1(0.0K)
Cry Wolf
Associate Producer
Poster for My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn
MOVIE

My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn

6.5(0.0K)
My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn
Book
Poster for The Story of William Tell
MOVIE

The Story of William Tell

9.0(0.0K)
The Story of William Tell
Producer
Poster for Uncertain Glory
MOVIE

Uncertain Glory

6.7(0.0K)
Uncertain Glory
Associate Producer
Poster for In Like Flynn
MOVIE

In Like Flynn

4.9(0.1K)
In Like Flynn
Book
Poster for Deep Sea Fishing
MOVIE

Deep Sea Fishing

Deep Sea Fishing
Director

Gallery

Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait
Errol Flynn portrait