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