Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (June 20, 1909 – October 14, 1959) was an Australian actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films and his playboy lifestyle. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1942.
Death
Flynn, in financial difficulties, flew to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on October 9, 1959, to try to lease his yacht Zaca to the businessman George Caldough. After spending several days at Caldough's home at 1026 Eyremont Drive, on October 14 Caldough was driving him back to the airport for a Los Angeles bound flight when Flynn began complaining of back and leg pains, which had been getting worse for 2 days. He was taken to the Vancouver home of Caldough's friend, Dr. Grant Gould, at Apartment #201, 1310 Burnaby Street, seeking pain killing medication before the flight. Flynn had difficulty negotiating the stairs to the apartment as his legs were troubling him and was in considerable discomfort, but in good spirit, and after receiving a pain relief injection for what the doctor diagnosed as the symptoms of degenerative disc disease (Flynn was suffering from spinal osteoarthritis at this time) Flynn began regaling those present with extended stories about his life, but refused a drink when offered it. After receiving a leg massage and manipulation whilst lying on the floor of the apartment's bedroom the doctor suggested that he rest the leg there for a while before attempting to walk on it again, Flynn responding that he felt "ever so much better." At this he was left on his own on the bedroom's floor to rest whilst the doctor retired to an adjacent room to re-join the other members of the small traveling party Flynn had arrived with consisting of Beverly Aadland, Caldough and his wife; also present were two friends of the doctor's - Mr and Mrs A.D. Cameron - whose social visit had been interrupted by Flynn's impromptu medical stop-over. After 20 minutes (6.45 P.M.) Aadland checked in on Flynn and discovered him not responsive or breathing, he had suffered a heart attack and was unconscious. Despite receiving immediate emergency medical treatment from the doctor and a swift transferral to Vancouver General Hospital by ambulance, he didn't regain consciousness and was pronounced dead there at 7.45 P.M.
According to the Vancouver Sun (December 16, 2006), "When Errol Flynn came to town in 1959 for a week-long binge that ended with him dying in a West End apartment, his local friends propped him up at the Hotel Georgia lounge so that everyone would see him." The story is a myth, immediately following the death the body was turned over to the Vancouver Coroner's Office which performed an autopsy, and then legally released to the next of kin for dispatch by railway transit to California. The results of the autopsy revealed a number of ailments including heart disease and degeneration and cirrhosis of the liver. Years of alcoholism had apparently taken a toll on Flynn's body and an unnamed official from the Coroner's Office said it was that "of a tired old man - old before his time, and sick."
Flynn's body was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California. Both of his parents survived him.
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