I've read lots of stories about Flynn....

1. Elizabeth and Essex - Yes Bette slapped him for real in that scene and Flynn was pissed off. Later on in the movie, Essex slaps Elizabeth on the ass and Flynn smacked BD but good.

2. While handsome in many movies, I think he looks his best in "Elizabeth and Essex". The color is splendid and he looks wonderful..

3. Bette never thought he was much of an actor. Years later, her friend Olivia insisted that Davis watch some of the EF movies. BD admitted that EF was very good.

4. EF had a heart attack when shooting "Gentleman Jim" and was away from the set for a time. When he returned, his co-star Alexis Smith told him that he had to take better care of himself because they did not want to lose him too soon. Flynn replied that he didn't care about the older years of his life, but intended to keep on with his wild ways.

5. When John Barrymore died, as a gag, some friends stole JB's body from the funeral home, drove it to EF's home and set him (JB) up in a chair so that when EF returned, he was shocked to see the dead JB sitting in his living room.

6. He had some close female friends - like Ida Lupino, Alexis Smith, and Ann Sheridan.

7. He tried to enlist after Pearl Harbor but his health was so bad, they wouldn't take him.

8. He liked young girls. I remember reading that he invited Shirley Temple and her husband John Agar to one of his parties. After a time ST and JA were planning to leave and EF supposedly said "Shirley, you can stay.'

9. When he died in Vancouver that medical examiner would have thought, given the state of his body, that EF was much older.

10. He was born in Tasmania. His father was a professor (from Northern Ireland, I think) and his parents were upper class. He mother used to describe him as a "nasty little boy".

Link to story about his last day, death and autopsy.