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 verereal 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 criticised 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. First photograph caption dated February 5, 1943 reads "With his fate in the hands of a jury which may send him to state's prison for a maximum of 50 years, Errol Flynn appears in serious mood in this picture as his case approaches its climax."; Second photograph caption dated October 13, 1943 reads "Errol Flynn named in paternity suit." The suit was dismissed in 1951.; Third photograph caption dated September 29, 1953 reads "But famed lawyer won acquittal for him."; Fourth photograph caption dated November 25, 1959 reads "Errol Flynn shown as he awaited jury's verdict."
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Image
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1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
Flynn, Errol,--1909-1959 Flynn, Errol,--1909-1959--Trials, litigation, etc Trials (Statutory rape)--California--Los Angeles Men--California--Los Angeles Motion picture actors and actresses--United States Courtrooms--California--Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
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