Errol Flynn
Born
June 20, 1909
Died
October 14, 1959 (50 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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
Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2025
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Self (archive footage)
2013
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Self (archive footage)
2010
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
2009
Tasmanian Devil: The Fast and Furious Life of Errol Flynn
Self (archive footage)
2007
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Self / Various Roles (archive footage) (archive sound)
2005
The Kid Stays in the Picture
Self (archive footage)
2002
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
1997
Touring Australia
Self (archive footage)
1993
Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths
(archive footage)
1990
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
1982
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
The Extraordinary Seaman
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1969
Cuban Rebel Girls
The American Correspondent
1959
The Truth About Fidel Castro Revolution
Himself - Reporter
1959
The Roots of Heaven
Forsythe
1958
Too Much, Too Soon
John Barrymore
1958
The Sun Also Rises
Mike Campbell
1957
The Big Boodle
Ned Sherwood
1957
Istanbul
James Brennan
1957
The Errol Flynn Theatre
Self - Host · (24 episodes)
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1956
The Sword of Villon
Francois Villon
1956
Screen Director's Playhouse
Francois Villon · (1 episode)
1955
King's Rhapsody
Richard, King of Laurentia
1955
The Dark Avenger
Prince Edward
1955
Lilacs in the Spring
John 'Beau' Beaumont
1954
Crossed Swords
Renzo
1954
The Master of Ballantrae
Jamie Durie
1953
The Story of William Tell
William Tell
1953
Against All Flags
Brian Hawke
1952
Cruise of the Zaca
Himself / Narrator
1952
Mara Maru
Gregory Mason
1952
Deep Sea Fishing
Self
1952
Adventures of Captain Fabian
Capt. Michael Fabian
1951
Kim
Mahbub Ali, the Red Beard
1950
Rocky Mountain
Capt. Lafe Barstow
1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Panelist · (1 episode)
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (1 episode)
1950
Montana
Morgan Lane
1950
Rabbit Hood
Robin Hood (archive footage) (uncredited)
1949
That Forsyte Woman
Soames Forsyte
1949
It's a Great Feeling
Jeffrey Bushdinkle, the Groom (uncredited)
1949
Adventures of Don Juan
Don Juan de Maraña
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (3 episodes)
1948
Silver River
"Mike" McComb
1948
Bambi-Verleihung
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1948
Blow-Ups of 1947
Self
1947
Escape Me Never
Sebastian Dubrok
1947
Cry Wolf
Mark Caldwell
1947
Blow-Ups of 1946
Self
1946
Never Say Goodbye
Phil Gayley
1946
Peeks at Hollywood
1946
San Antonio
Clay Hardin
1945
Objective, Burma!
Capt. Nelson
1945
Breakdowns of 1944
Self
1944
Uncertain Glory
Jean Picard
1944
Northern Pursuit
Corporal Steve Wagner
1943
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Self
1943
Show-Business at War
Self
1943
Edge of Darkness
Gunnar Brogge
1943
Breakdowns of 1942
Self
1942
Gentleman Jim
James J. Corbett
1942
Desperate Journey
Flight Lt. Terry Forbes
1942
They Died with Their Boots On
George Armstrong Custer
1941
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
1941
Footsteps in the Dark
Francis Monroe Warren II, alias F.X. Pettijohn
1941
Dive Bomber
Douglas S. Lee
1941
Santa Fe Trail
Jeb Stuart
1940
The Sea Hawk
Captain Geoffrey Thorpe
1940
Virginia City
Kerry Bradford
1940
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
The Earl of Essex
1939
Dodge City
Wade Hatton
1939
Breakdowns of 1938
Robin Hood (archive footage) (uncredited)
1938
The Dawn Patrol
Capt. Courtney
1938
The Sisters
Frank Medlin
1938
Four's a Crowd
Robert Kensington 'Bob' Lansford
1938
Out Where the Stars Begin
Robin Hood (archive footage)
1938
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
1938
Breakdowns of 1937
Self
1937
The Perfect Specimen
Gerald Beresford Wicks
1937
Another Dawn
Captain Denny Roark
1937
The Prince and the Pauper
Miles Hendon
1937
Green Light
Dr. Newell Paige
1937
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Major Geoffrey Vickers
1936
A Dream Comes True
Himself (uncredited)
1935
Captain Blood
Dr. Peter Blood
1935
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle
Errol Flynn
1935
Don't Bet on Blondes
David Van Dusen
1935
The Case of the Curious Bride
Gregory Moxley
1935
Murder at Monte Carlo
Dyter
1935
I Adore You
Extra (uncredited)
1933
In the Wake of the Bounty
Fletcher Christian
1933