You Must Remember This 36: Star Wars Episode X: Errol Flynn
Mar 10, 2015
A fast-paced look at a swashbuckling movie star whose charm hid a messy past. Tales of rise to fame, violent affairs, and studio image-making. Courtroom drama over a sensational rape trial and the public fallout. Decline marked by addiction, exile, and financial ruin. Controversy over alleged wartime espionage and tangled friendships round out the story.
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Barrymore's Influence And The Corpse Prank
- Flynn idolized John Barrymore and emulated his drinking, eventually housing Barrymore as a guest and witnessing a grotesque prank with Barrymore's corpse.
- After the funeral prank, Flynn dramatically reacted, offering the grave robbers a drink but refusing to help return the body.
Health Issues Explained Flynn's Nonservice
- Flynn did not serve in WWII and was declared medically ineligible due to real ailments like malaria and tuberculosis, despite public skepticism.
- J. Edgar Hoover ordered verification of Flynn's records, which ultimately corroborated his health problems and ineligibility.
Underage Accusations That Sparked The Trial
- In October 1942 police arrested Flynn for rape after Betty Hanson, a 17-year-old runaway, alleged he took advantage of her at a party.
- The LAPD then resurrected another complaint from a 15-year-old, Peggy LaRue Satterley, escalating the scandal into indictments.