Title supplied by cataloger.; Photograph was edited for publication purposes. Errol Flynn was born on June 20, 1909 in Tasmania. He was an actor known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and for his playboy lifestyle. After leaving Australia, Flynn spent time in England, seeking acting roles. He traveled to the United States in 1934 and signed with Warner Brothers Studio. He became an instant celebrity after the release of his first American film, Captain Blood. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1942. The actor had many health problems including chronic back pain, tuberculosis, malaria and venereal diseases, and was not eligible to join the armed services during World War II. Warner Brothers decided to conceal his health issues and Flynn was criticized for not serving, which caused his popularity to decline. In 1942, two underage girls, Betty Hansen and Peggy Satterlee, accused Flynn of statutory rape. The scandal was a major story and many of Flynn's movie fans refused to accept that the charges were true. The trial took place in January and February 1943, and Flynn was acquitted after the defense lawyer attacked the girls' morals and characters. Even though he was acquitted, the trial's scandalous nature permanently damaged his screen image as a romantic leading man, especially with female moviegoers. His failure to join the military, the scandal, and the changing taste of filmgoers after the war effectively ended Flynn's career. He was released from his contract with Warner Brothers in 1950. During the 1950s, in financial ruin, Flynn traveled and acted sporadically, mostly in England. His career had a brief flare-up with an appearance in The sun also rises, in 1957, but his career was not revived. He died on October 14, 1959 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Pictured is an exterior view of the former home of actor Errol Flynn. The home is mostly obscured by trees and bushes. A fence can be seen at lower left. In 1941, Flynn built a two-story, country-style home on an 11.5- acre plot of land off of Mulholland Drive and called it "Mulholland Farm." The home was located at 7740 Mulholland Drive. The property was sold in 1959 and again in 1980 to singer Ricky Nelson. After Nelson's death in 1985, the home sat vacant until 1988 when a developer subdivided the land and tore down the original home.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Flynn, Errol,--1909-1959--Homes and haunts Nelson, Rick,--1940-1985--Homes and haunts Dwellings--California--Los Angeles Lost architecture--California--Los Angeles Trees--California--Los Angeles Hollywood Hills (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Herald-Examiner photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
