He Was In Action

On The Sepik How Errol Flynn Entered The Movie World

OLD hands in New Guinea who may wonder how Errol JFlynn (Tas manian -born, and a wanderer, schooner hand, plantation hand, miner and recruiter in Papua and New Guinea) became a Hollywood star, will be interested in this extract from an article in a movie-fans’ magazine: FLYNN came to pictures by the most dramatic route on record.

In Rabaul, New Britain, his schooner, the “Maski,” was chartered by Dr. Herman F. Erben and his associate for a voyage up the Sepik River to make motion pictures for a travel picture, Errol was hired to navigate the boat and to act as guide.

When the party reached the last mil itary outpost in the wild country, the young constabulary officer in charge re fused to grant Flynn and the two Ameri cans permission to proceed farther into uncontrolled territory inhabited by head hunters. However, a compromise was finally reached, with Flynn agreeing to accept the officer’s terms and take a company of native policemen with him for protection.

Next day, the three whites and 20 natives set out on foot into the jungle.

They had gone less than eight miles when they were attacked from ambush, and a wild battle ensued.

After 15 or 20 minutes, the attack halted as unexpectedly as it had begun. Flynn moved back to Erben, who lay on the ground calmly winding his camera.

“Well,” he inquired, “did you get your pictures of the head-hunters? That’s what they were, in case you wondered.”

“Nope,” Erben confessed. “I got so interested in photographing you in action that I forgot all about them.”

Unwilling to expose the party to an other ambuscade, and certain that no tribesmen were to be found who would pose willingly for the picture-makers, Flynn turned back toward the military outpost. Twelve days later, back at Rabaul, Flynn said good-bye to the two Americans. e Several weeks had elapsed and the episode was almost forgotten, when a telegram arrived from an independent Australian motion picture producing com pany which read: “Saw Erben’s pictures of you in brush with head-hunters. Like to have you play lead in forthcoming picture entitled Tn Wake of the Bounty.’

Role that of Fletcher Christian.”

To this point in his career, Errol Flynn’s active life had not been calculated to make him an intimate of motion pictures, but he sailed on, the first boat out of Rabaul for Sydney.

The film met indifferent success and was never shown out of Australia, but it did serve to introduce Flynn to acting.

He recognised, however, that the oppor tunities for an actor “down under” were slight, so he signed on a freighter bound for Liverpool, England, as a member of the crew. Aboard ship, he encountered his old friend and discoverer. Dr Herman F. Erben.

In England, Flynn appeared in a series of bit parts on the stage before he was finally given his first substantial role.

This was in John Drinkwater’s “A Man’s House,” Soon after he was signed by Warner Bros.’ Studio and brought to America.