Where was Errol Flynn born?

Errol Flynn, celebrated as the screen’s foremost swashbuckler, was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia on June 20, 1909. Flynn was the son of a prominent Australian marine biologist and zoologist. Before pursuing acting, Flynn's restless nature led him to work as a shipping clerk and, later, as a plantation overseer and gold miner in Papua New Guinea. He died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on October 14, 1959.

What kind of movies was Errol Flynn famous for making?

Errol Flynn was celebrated as the screen’s foremost swashbuckler, becoming typecast as a dashing, fearless adventurer in colorful costume dramas. His most successful and well-known film was The Adventures of Robin Hood . Flynn starred in such films as Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Prince and the Pauper (1937), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), and The Sea Hawk (1940). He also appeared in Westerns, including Dodge City (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941).

What are some of Errol Flynn's most famous roles?

Errol Flynn, born in Australia, gained fame as a swashbuckler in Hollywood. His breakthrough role was in Captain Blood (1935). He then starred in many colorful costume dramas and Westerns. Flynn's most famous roles include: Fletcher Christian in In the Wake of the Bounty (1933) Captain Blood in Captain Blood (1935) Robin Hood in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) James J. Corbett in Gentleman Jim (1942) Self-destructive drunkard in The Sun Also Rises (1957) Flynn's career declined because of his self-indulgence and tarnished image, though he briefly resurged with roles that mirrored his personal struggles.

How did Errol Flynn become a Hollywood star?

Errol Flynn's path to Hollywood stardom began after an Australian film producer spotted his photographs and offered him the role of Fletcher Christian in In the Wake of the Bounty (1933). Encouraged to pursue acting, Flynn joined England’s Northampton Repertory Company, securing roles in British films and eventually a contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood. When Robert Donat left the lead role in Captain Blood (1935), Warner Bros. took a chance on Flynn , catapulting him to stardom. The film also featured newcomer Olivia de Havilland, and the two would subsequently collaborate on a number of popular movies.

What is Errol Flynn's legacy in film history?

Errol Flynn , the Australian actor born Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn, achieved screen fame as the foremost swashbuckler. His legacy rests on his captivating performances in adventure films, most notably as the title character in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), which is considered one of cinema's great adventure movies. Flynn starred in other colorful costume dramas, including Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), and The Sea Hawk (1940). Though unable to serve in World War II, he portrayed soldiers in films like Desperate Journey (1942). Later in life, he played self-destructive drunkards in The Sun Also Rises (1957) and hosted The Errol Flynn Theatre (1956–57), displaying his versatility.

Errol Flynn

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Images

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood stands outdoors on rocky ground, dressed in green and brown costume, aiming a drawn bow and arrow in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

Olivia de Havilland as Elsa Campbell sits facing Errol Flynn as Major Geoffrey Vickers in a dramatic outdoor scene from the 1936 film The Charge of the Light Brigade.

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood and Olivia De Havilland as Maid Marian stand together in medieval costumes in a scene from the 1938 film The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood in green and brown costume, aiming a bow and arrow while standing on rocky terrain in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

At a Glance

Errol Flynn summary

Quick Facts

In full:: Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn

Born:: June 20, 1909, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Died:: October 14, 1959, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (aged 50)

Married To:: Patrice Wymore (married 1950); Nora Eddington (1943–1949); Lili Damita (1935–1942)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" (1939); "Green Light" (1937); "Istanbul" (1957); "Rocky Mountain" (1950); "Adventures of Don Juan" (1948); "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938); "Santa Fe Trail" (1940); "Don't Bet on Blondes" (1935); "Hello God" (1951); "Uncertain Glory" (1944); "King's Rhapsody" (1955); "Murder at Monte Carlo" (1935); "Playhouse 90" (1957); "Too Much, Too Soon" (1958); "The Perfect Specimen" (1937); "Captain Blood" (1935); "The Case of the Curious Bride" (1935); "The Sun Also Rises" (1957); "The Errol Flynn Theatre" (1956–1957); "Four's a Crowd" (1938); "Footsteps in the Dark" (1941); "Desperate Journey" (1942); "Adventures of Captain Fabian" (1951); "Goodyear Theatre" (1959); "Il maestro di Don Giovanni" (1954); "Virginia City" (1940); "In the Wake of the Bounty" (1933); "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941); "That Forsyte Woman" (1949); "The Dark Avenger" (1955); "Lilacs in the Spring" (1954); "Mara Maru" (1952); "Dodge City" (1939); "Never Say Goodbye" (1946); "The Big Boodle" (1957); "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943); "Screen Directors Playhouse" (1956); "Northern Pursuit" (1943); "Gentleman Jim" (1942); "The Prince and the Pauper" (1937); "The Sisters" (1938); "Edge of Darkness" (1943); "Cuban Rebel Girls" (1959); "Cry Wolf" (1947); "The Dawn Patrol" (1938); "Montana" (1950); "The Roots of Heaven" (1958); "San Antonio" (1945); "The Sea Hawk" (1940); "Silver River" (1948); "Objective, Burma!" (1945); "Dive Bomber" (1941); "Kim" (1950); "Against All Flags" (1952); "The Master of Ballantrae" (1953); "Another Dawn" (1937); "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936); "The Red Skelton Show" (1959); "Escape Me Never" (1947)

Errol Flynn

Australian actor

Also known as: Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 10, 2026 •History

Top Questions

Who was Errol Flynn?
Errol Flynn (1909-1959) was an Australian actor celebrated as the screen’s foremost swashbuckler. His rebellious nature led to expulsions from multiple schools and various jobs before he pursued acting.

Flynn's career took off after an Australian film producer offered him the role of Fletcher Christian in In the Wake of the Bounty (1933). Subsequently, he joined England’s Northampton Repertory Company, which led to roles in British films and a contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood. His stardom was assured when he took the lead in Captain Blood (1935).

Flynn starred in costume dramas such as The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Prince and the Pauper (1937), and The Sea Hawk (1940). The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) remains his most successful and well-known film.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Errol Flynn: Facts & Related Content
2. Errol Flynn
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Where was Errol Flynn born?
Errol Flynn, celebrated as the screen’s foremost swashbuckler, was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia on June 20, 1909. Flynn was the son of a prominent Australian marine biologist and zoologist. Before pursuing acting, Flynn's restless nature led him to work as a shipping clerk and, later, as a plantation overseer and gold miner in Papua New Guinea. He died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on October 14, 1959.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Errol Flynn: Facts & Related Content
2. Errol Flynn
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What kind of movies was Errol Flynn famous for making?
Errol Flynn was celebrated as the screen’s foremost swashbuckler, becoming typecast as a dashing, fearless adventurer in colorful costume dramas. His most successful and well-known film was The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Flynn starred in such films as Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Prince and the Pauper (1937), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), and The Sea Hawk (1940). He also appeared in Westerns, including Dodge City (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941).
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some of Errol Flynn's most famous roles?
Errol Flynn, born in Australia, gained fame as a swashbuckler in Hollywood. His breakthrough role was in Captain Blood (1935). He then starred in many colorful costume dramas and Westerns.

Flynn's most famous roles include:
- Fletcher Christian in In the Wake of the Bounty (1933)
- Captain Blood in Captain Blood (1935)
- Robin Hood in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
- James J. Corbett in Gentleman Jim (1942)
- Self-destructive drunkard in The Sun Also Rises (1957)
Flynn's career declined because of his self-indulgence and tarnished image, though he briefly resurged with roles that mirrored his personal struggles.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Errol Flynn: Facts & Related Content
2. Errol Flynn
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Errol Flynn become a Hollywood star?
Errol Flynn's path to Hollywood stardom began after an Australian film producer spotted his photographs and offered him the role of Fletcher Christian in In the Wake of the Bounty (1933).

Encouraged to pursue acting, Flynn joined England’s Northampton Repertory Company, securing roles in British films and eventually a contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood. When Robert Donat left the lead role in Captain Blood (1935), Warner Bros. took a chance on Flynn, catapulting him to stardom. The film also featured newcomer Olivia de Havilland, and the two would subsequently collaborate on a number of popular movies.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Errol Flynn: Facts & Related Content
2. Errol Flynn
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What is Errol Flynn's legacy in film history?
Errol Flynn, the Australian actor born Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn, achieved screen fame as the foremost swashbuckler. His legacy rests on his captivating performances in adventure films, most notably as the title character in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), which is considered one of cinema's great adventure movies.

Flynn starred in other colorful costume dramas, including Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), and The Sea Hawk (1940). Though unable to serve in World War II, he portrayed soldiers in films like Desperate Journey (1942). Later in life, he played self-destructive drunkards in The Sun Also Rises (1957) and hosted The Errol Flynn Theatre (1956–57), displaying his versatility.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Errol Flynn (born June 20, 1909, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia—died October 14, 1959, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) was an Australian actor who was celebrated as the screen’s foremost swashbuckler.

Flynn was the son of a prominent Australian marine biologist and zoologist. As such, he was sent to the best schools available—and was expelled from virtually all of them. Flynn’s restless, rebellious nature carried over into his early adulthood. He was a shipping clerk in Sydney before traveling to Papua New Guinea, where he worked as a plantation overseer and gold miner.

In 1933 an Australian film producer saw photographs of Flynn and offered the ruggedly handsome 24-year-old the role of the mutineer Fletcher Christian in the semidocumentary feature In the Wake of the Bounty. Encouraged by this experience to pursue acting as a career, Flynn joined England’s Northampton Repertory Company, which led to a few roles in British films and ultimately to a contract with Warner Bros. in Hollywood. When Robert Donat dropped out of the title role in the expensive adventure film Captain Blood (1935), Warner took a chance on Flynn, thereby assuring stardom for him. The film also featured newcomer Olivia de Havilland, and the two actors subsequently made a number of popular films together.

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John Barrymore and Greta Garbo in "Grand Hotel" (1932), directed by Edmund Goulding.

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Typecast as a dashing fearless adventurer, Flynn went on to star in such colourful costume dramas as The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Prince and the Pauper (1937),The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), and The Sea Hawk (1940). The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) was arguably his most successful film and the one for which he is best known. Flynn also appeared in such big-budget westerns as Dodge City (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941), and he portrayed boxer James J. Corbett in Gentleman Jim (1942). Unable to serve in World War II because of various physical ailments, he instead acted the part of a soldier in several films, including Desperate Journey (1942) and Objective, Burma! (1945).

Almost as soon as he arrived in Hollywood, Flynn established a reputation as an irrepressible drinker, carouser, and womanizer. In 1942 he was charged with the statutory rape of two teenaged girls, but he was acquitted as a result of the flamboyant legal maneuvers of his attorneys. Nevertheless, his image was severely tarnished. Inevitably, his self-indulgence caught up with him. In his later Hollywood films he appeared haggard, distracted, and far older than his years. He also lost a great deal of money in a variety of ill-advised business ventures and headed to Europe in hopes of revitalizing his career. Films from this period include The Master of Ballantrae (1953) and The Warriors (1955).

Returning to America in 1956, he enjoyed a brief resurgence of movie popularity with his brilliant performances in The Sun Also Rises (1957), The Roots of Heaven (1958), and Too Much, Too Soon (1958). In these films he played a wasted self-destructive drunkard, and some critics suggested that he was not acting. He also hosted an Anglo-American television anthology, The Errol Flynn Theater (1956–57), the nature of which allowed him to display a hitherto untapped versatility. He wrote a remarkably candid (if often wildly inaccurate) autobiography, My Wicked, Wicked Ways (1959), and made a cheaply filmed paean to Fidel Castro, Cuban Rebel Girls (1959), which was his last movie.

In poor health after years of hard living, Flynn died at the age of 50. He had been married three times and was the father of four. His son, Sean, was a photojournalist who disappeared in 1970 while covering the war in Southeast Asia.

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