Was Errol Flynn gay? Details into the personal life of the veteran actor

Was Errol Flynn gay? Details into the personal life of the veteran actor

Errol "The Baron" Flynn was a handsome, charismatic man notorious for his hedonistic lifestyle, drinking, drug use, and affinity for younger women. He was an actor who lived a rock star life, and this is his story.

Was Errol Flynn gay? Details into the personal life of the veteran actor
Errol "The Baron" Flynn was a Tasmanian film star. Photo: John Kobal Foundation (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Towards the end of his life, The Baron was a known drunk, which resulted in him being banned from drinking alcohol on set. Instead of complying, the actor injected vodka into orange slices.

Errol Flynn's profile and bio summary

Full nameErrol Leslie Thomson Flynn
Date of birth20 June 1909
Died14 October 1959
Age at death50 years old
Birth signGemini
Place of birthBattery Point, Australia
Place of deathVancouver, Canada
NationalityAustralian-American
ReligionChristianity
EthnicityWhite
Height6'2''
Eye colourBrown
Hair colourDark brown
GenderMale
OrientationHeterosexual
Marital statusMarried
WifePatrice Wymore
Ex-wivesLili DamitaNora Eddington
Children4
ParentsLily Mary Young FlynnTheodore Thomson Flynn
SiblingsNone
EducationSouth West London College
ProfessionFilm actor

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How old was Errol Flynn?

Errol was born on 20 June 1909 in Battery Point, Australia. He was 50 years of age when he died in Vancouver, Canada. He was the only child of well-known biologist and professor Theodore Thomson Flynn and Lily Mary (Marrelle) Young Flynn.

How tall was Errol Flynn?

The Australian-American was 6 feet 2 inches tall or 188 centimetres. He had brown eyes and dark brown hair.

What did Errol Flynn die from?

Flynn reportedly died of a heart attack - his fourth. He was visiting a friend when he suddenly complained of pain in his back. An autopsy found he had fatty liver degeneration, coronary thrombosis, diverticulosis of the colon, and portal liver cirrhosis. Based on the report, even if Errol had survived the heart attack, the cirrhosis would have killed him within a year.

Errol Flynn's venereal disease

The coroner's report also found the Hollywood star had several large venereal warts on his private parts.

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Who were Errol Flynn's wives?

The Baron was linked to several women and sometimes men, but he only married three times.

Lila Damita

Liliane Marie Madeleine Carré was a French actress who began making silent films in 1921. She is also the Captain Blood actor's first wife. They met on a cruise and married six months later in 1935.

Who were Errol Flynn's wives?
Errol Flynn with his first wife, Lila Damita. Photo: Toronto Star Archives
Source: Getty Images

With his wife's assistance, the Tasmanian devil secured the swashbuckling role on Captain Blood, turning him into one the most iconic stars Hollywood had ever seen.

The dawn of talkie movies ended Lila's career due to her heavy French accent and extravagant demands. Simultaneously, the Australian-born actor's career took off.

Their marriage ended in 1942, a year after their son's birth and amid The Baron's legal woes. He was on trial after being accused of molesting two 17-year-old girls.

Nora Eddington

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The film star met 19-year-old Nora Eddington while he was fighting molestation charges in February 1943. She was working in the same courthouse where the trial was taking place.

After his acquittal, they were in a six-month relationship and wed in Mexico in August 1943. Though they divorced in 1949, it was reported their marriage was essentially over in 1947 after the birth of their second child.

Who were Errol Flynn's wives?
The Tasmanian devil and his second wife, Nora Eddington. Photo: Toronto Star Archives
Source: Getty Images

Patrice Wymore

His third and final wife was actress Patrice Wymore. She was 24, and he was 41 when they tied the knot. They met on the set of Rocky Mountain, a Western film.

After shooting the film, he broke off his engagement to a Romanian princess to marry Patrice in October 1950. Despite his claims of wanting a steady and lasting marriage, the Adventures of Don Juan star continued with his philandering ways and heavy drinking.

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At the time of his death in 1959, the couple were separated, and Flynn was living with his teenage girlfriend in Canada.

Who were Errol Flynn's wives?
Errol Flynn with his third wife, Patrice Wymore, in 1952. Photo: Manchester Mirror
Source: Getty Images

Was Errol Flynn gay?

The Tasmanian devil was a known womaniser, but that did not stop the rumours about his sexual orientation from spreading. American novelist Truman Capote added to the rumours when he alleged he bedded the actor.

In his book Errol Flynn: The Untold Story, author Charles Higham wrote that the actor had several male partners. The Dodge City actor has never confirmed the gay allegations or alleged partners.

Errol Flynn's children

The Hollywood star fathered four children. His eldest was Sean, born on 31 May 1941, whom he shared with Lili Damita. He had two daughters with his second wife, Nora Eddington. Deirdre was born on 10 January 1945, and Rory was born on 12 March 1947.

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His youngest daughter from his third marriage to Patrice Wymore, Arnella Roma, was born on 25 December 1953.

What happened to Errol Flynn's son?

Sean was a photojournalist. On 6 April 1970, when he was 28, he mysteriously disappeared. He was reportedly abducted by the Viet Cong guerrillas while on a mission in Southeast Asia.

There were unconfirmed reports Cambodian communist organisation Khmer Rouge executed him after being held captive for a year. His remains were never found. His mother had him declared legally dead in 1984.

Arnella Roma Flynn

According to reports, the youngest child of the Hollywood superstar died on 21 September 1998. Her cause of death was heart failure due to bilateral lung disease. She was 44 and survived by her mother and son, Luke.

The former model lived a drug-fuelled life and allegedly shunned the glitz and glamour that came with being the daughter of a film star. Days before her death, her mother's attorney informed her to vacate her father's estate.

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Errol Flynn's youngest child Arnella Roma Flynn
Arnella Roma Flynn with a sculpted head of her father. Photo: Slim Aarons
Source: Getty Images

Errol Flynn's movies

According to his IMDb profile, the Australian-born actor gained notoriety in Hollywood in the 1930s. He was typecast as a swashbuckler in a string of popular films for Warner Bros. His movie credits include:

  • Captain Blood (1935)
  • The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)
  • The Prince and the Pauper (1937)
  • The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
  • The Dawn Patrol (1938)
  • Dodge City (1939)
  • The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
  • The Sea Hawk (1940)
  • Gentleman Jim (1942)
  • Edge of Darkness (1943)
Errol Flynn's movies
Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. Photo: Hulton Archive
Source: Getty Images

What was Errol Flynn's net worth at his death?

According to sources, The Baron's estimated net worth when he died was $10 million after adjusting for inflations. Towards the end of his life, he racked up some considerable debt and ended up selling his yacht to a Canadian businessman.

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Errol Flynn's hat

Fans have been trying to get their hands on a replica of the hat the superstar wore in the movie Dodge City. The star favoured the hat shape and wore it in many of his Western films.

Errol Flynn's hat from the move Dodge City was a popular
The Australian native in the movie Dodge City and his popular hat. Photo: Film Publicity Archive
Source: Getty Images

Errol Flynn's life story is of overnight success and a tragic end. He remains one of the more iconic film stars created in Hollywood, even though his personal life and philandering ways left very little to be desired.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Nompumelelo Ngubeni avatar

Nompumelelo Ngubeni (Lifestyle writer) Nompumelelo Ngubeni is an editor of Lifestyle content with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Honours Language Practice from North-West University (2016). She has over 8 years of experience in proofreading, research, subtitling, and editing. Strong media and communication professional. Nompumelelo joined Briefly News in 2022. Email: nompumelelongubeni@ymail.com

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