January 24, 2024 • 26 mins
After starring in the 1935 film “Captain Blood,” actor Errol Flynn became the big screen’s foremost swashbuckler. Seven years later, two underage girls accused the golden age movie star of statutory rape. In “When You’re A Star,” the sixth episode of Variety and iHeart Podcasts’ true crime podcast “Variety Confidential,” host Tracy Pattin and co-host Matt Donnelly, Variety’s senior entertainment and media writer, look back at Flynn’s 1943 rape trial.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This show contains mature content and adult themes. It may
not be suitable for young audiences.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
In twenty seventeen, Harvey Weinstein was outed as a serial
sexual abuser. Many brave women came forward and told their stories.
They exposed one of Hollywood's most powerful moguls as a
vicious sexual predator who operated horrifically and seemingly without consequences.
But Weinstein was standing on the shoulders of monsters. For
(00:35):
so many years, those monsters remained unchecked in Hollywood, shielded
by the millions of dollars they made for their studios.
Sex for fame is not new. In fact, it's as
old as Hollywood itself. Today, we'll look at Errol Flynn,
the Golden Age movie star who, at the peak of
his stardom at age thirty three, was charged in nineteen
(00:55):
forty two with three counts of statutory rape of his users,
Peggy Satterley, claimed that in nineteen forty one, when she
was fifteen years old, Flynn invited her to his boat,
spiked her drink with liquor, and reaped her. At the
time of his trial, Flynn was one of the most
well known actors in Hollywood. He was famous for films
(01:16):
such as the Adventures of Robin Hood released in nineteen
thirty eight, The Seahawk released in nineteen forty, and Die
Bomber in nineteen forty one, among many others, and that
fame clearly influenced what happened during his trial. Today, using
research from the Variety Archives, will take a look at
how celebrity can impact a trial and how this sort
(01:37):
of influence over a jury has been happening for decades.
From Variety and iHeart Podcasts, I'm Tracy Patton. This is
the secret history of the Casting Couch. Today's episode When
You're a Star with Me Today is Matt Donnelly, Variety's
senior Entertainment and Media writer. Welcome, Matt, thank you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So much for having me. I'm really interested today to
dig into our first actor that we're discussing on the show.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yes, and it's about time.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
So what is it that drives some A list actors, Matt,
to commit sexual assault?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Is it ego or.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Power or maybe it's just because they think they're a
star and they can get away with it.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I think it's a really toxic combination of everything you
just mentioned.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Well, to put aero Flynn in his dalliances with young women.
In perspective, let's look at an infamous sex scandal in
Hollywood at the time. As Vanity Fair described it, the
Patricia Douglas case in nineteen thirty seven is probably the
biggest best suppressed scandal in Hollywood history. Then as now,
money is often the driving force behind most bad behavior
(02:44):
in Hollywood. In nineteen thirty seven, near the peak of
the depression, MGM Studios grossed fourteen million dollars, which would
be about three hundred and twenty eight million dollars today.
This was far more than its rivals and twice the
money the studio had made the previous year.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Studio chief Louis B.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Mayer announced that MGM's annual five day sales convention would
be held in Culver City. He promised the studios two
hundred or so national sales force a super special production.
According to Vanity Fair, after a long drunken train trip,
the salesman arrived in Los Angeles and immediately began groping
(03:24):
the starlets who were tasked with pinning carnations on their lapels.
One of those so called starlets was Patricia Douglas. Unlike
the girls in the Flynn rape trials, Douglas was twenty
years old, in other words, over the age of legal consent.
She was, however, very much on the Hollywood scene before that,
dating movie and stage stars like Dick Powell and William
(03:47):
Frawley while still under age. Supposedly, famed comic Jimmy Duranty
was so smitten with her that he tried to convince
her mother to allow him to marry Patricia, who was
just fifteen years old. At the Big Sales Convention, Mayor
wasn't subtle about the festivities he was offering his sales team.
(04:07):
Vanity Fair reported that he told the hundreds of inebriated revelers,
these lovely girls, and you have the finest of them
to greet you, and that's to show you how we
feel about you, and the kind of a good time
that's ahead of you. Anything you want. Douglas was one
of one hundred and twenty young female dancers dressed in
(04:29):
cowboy hats, bolero jackets, and short skirts and transported to
a large banquet hall. Vanity Fair described the nightmarish situation.
Salesmen mistook the professional dancers for party favors and treated
them accordingly, without telephones or transportation, the young women had
no means of escape. Tricked into attendance, then trapped into service,
(04:51):
they were left to fend for themselves. A waiter at
the event later testified that the party was the worst,
the wildest, and the rot I have ever seen. The
men's attitude was very rough. They were running their hands
over the girl's bodies and tried to force liquor on
the girls. That night, according to Patricia Douglas, one of
(05:12):
those drunken MGM salesmen raped her, and when she tried
to press charges, she discovered the power of the Hollywood Studios.
LA District Attorney Buron Fits had been elected shortly after
having beaten an indictment for perjury in a rape case
involving a sixteen year old girl. A top contributor to
(05:32):
his campaign was none other than Louis B.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Mayer.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
What followed Patricia Douglas's attempts to receive justice was a
sadly familiar campaign of studio finance, publicity, blaming and shaming
the victim. The accused salesman was never charged, So.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Really interesting insight into sort of a blueprint for a
studio covering up an horrific crime like this. But let's
talk about Errol Flynn's career.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yes, of course, Errol Flynn was probably best known for
starring in the Adventures of Robinhood in nineteen thirty eight.
That same year, Life magazine named him the most famous
man in America. He was in more than fifty A
List films and almost always played the lead. He was
under contract at Warner Brothers for twenty years and made
(06:19):
millions for them. Eventually, Flynn bought eight and a half
acres on Mulholland Drive. He built a sprawling, two story
colonial party palace in the Hollywood Hills and called it
Mulholland Farm. It was a perfect secluded spot for his
debauchery and sexual escapades.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You know, Warner Brothers first took a big chance on
Earl in nineteen thirty five, at the start of his career.
They gave him a lead in this pirate adventure movie
called Captain Blood. I also believe he's synonymous with the
word swashbuckling.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I think you're right, Matt, and it was a huge
hit that led to starring roles in a list films
with the biggest names of the day. His co stars
included Betty Davis, Olivia de Haviland, and Barbara Stanwick. He
was also one of Hollywood's most self destructive stars.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
He would try.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Almost anything, at least once he started smoking weed in
the nineteen thirties. He claimed cocaine was an aphrodisiac. He
told his friend, the British actor David Niven, that he'd
tried every drug there was except heroin, but mainly Errol
Flynn liked to drink. He was a regular at the
celebrities only nightclubs on the Sunset Strip, and his drunken
(07:26):
brawls there were reported in gossip columns nationwide. After the
bars closed, he might take the party with him up
to his mansion on Mulholland and go all night at
the studio. In the mornings, he'd secretly keep up his
consumption by injecting oranges with vodka.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
It's actually kind of impressive and amazing that he could
keep this up for that long.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Absolutely, But then toward the end of nineteen forty two
things started to unravel. On Saturday, September twenty sixth, Flynn
attended a party at the mansion of Jack McAvoy, one
of his closest friends. They were celebrating Jack's pending divorce
from his wife, a standard oil heiress. Like Flynn, McAvoy
(08:10):
was an adventurer, a world traveler, and thanks to his
soon to be ex wife, Filthy rich. The two men
also shared a compulsion for cocktails and female company. It
was a small party with maybe ten or twelve people,
including a number of attractive young women. Errol Flynn was
playing tennis when Cheechy Nap, Flynn's young friend from the studio,
(08:30):
showed up uninvited. He had brought along a blonde girl
by the name of Betty Hanson. Betty was new in town,
straight from Lincoln, Nebraska. Like so many others, she had
come to Hollywood in search of movie stardom. The next day,
Betty told her married sister about meeting the famous Errol Flynn.
She said that he gave her cocktails and then took
(08:53):
her upstairs and, as she put it, seduced her. Betty
had just turned seventeen six days earlier on September twenty first,
the age of consent was eighteen. Outraged, her sister contacted
the District Attorney's office to file a complaint against Flynn
as far as the DA's investigators were concerned, there was
(09:13):
nothing unusual about the fact that Errol Flynn had had
sex with a young woman. He was known for that. However,
the big news here was that Betty was underage. That
meant that they now had a huge Hollywood star on
account of statutory rape, or so they thought. Los Angeles
(09:33):
County DA John Dockweiler took the charge to a grand jury,
but after hearing from Betty Chee Chee and other witnesses,
the jury declined to indict Eryl Flynn.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
And of course it's hard to know whether the jury's
decision was based on insufficient evidence or because Flynn was
a huge star.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Yes, and in the end it did matter. Despite the
jury's refusal to indict Flynn, DA Dockweiler ignored the jury's
decision and indicted him anyway. That may be because another
DA investigator remembered a similar complaint against Flynn from a
year earlier. In August nineteen forty one, the mother of
(10:11):
a sixteen year old girl had claimed that Flynn had
sex with her daughter on his yacht during a trip
to Catalina Island. The trip to Catalina was for a
photoshoot for a feature about Errol Flynn for Life magazine.
Peggy's role was to be eye candy and candid shots
with Flynn. Like Betty Hanson, Peggy Satterly had movie star aspirations,
(10:32):
and in the summer of nineteen forty one, her dream
seemed to be coming true. It was on that trip
that Flynn and Peggy had sex twice. But before Flynn
could be charged, the girl's parents had second thoughts. They
called the DA and asked to have the charges dropped.
Their daughter had a promising career in show business and
the parents didn't want bad publicity that might hurt her career.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
In the end, the DA charge Flynn with three counts
of statutory rape, one charge for as halting Betty Hanson
and two for Beggy Saturley.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
And when Hollywood's biggest movie star was arrested, who did
he call? Hollywood's most successful fixed attorney, Jerry Geesler. Geesler
was the attorney in our first Variety Confidential episode about
the rape trial of Alexander Pantages. Pantages was a millionaire
theater mogul who was accused of statutory rape. In the
(11:23):
Pantagous trial Geesler set a legal precedent for weaponizing rape
victim's sexual histories. Thanks to Geesler, Pantages was acquitted after
the case was retried. Geesler credited that trial with making
him a successful lawyer. He was known for getting Hollywood
stars out of just about any kind of jam. His
(11:45):
client list included Marilyn Monroe, Betty Davis, Charlie Chaplin, and
mobster Benjamin Bugsy Siegel.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
You know, these types of celebrity indorsed attorneys are still
around today, and you start to recognize the names of
some of them if you pay close attention to any
publicized trials involving a star.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yes, absolutely, and those publicized trials can be good for business.
They really do get your name out there. For example,
preliminary hearings don't often draw a crowd, but with Flynn
as a draw, the courtroom was packed for his hearing
in November nineteen forty two. When Betty Hansen took the stand,
she said she went to the party at Jack McAvoy's
(12:22):
house specifically to meet Errol Flynn. She first saw him
on the tennis court there after a swim, she stayed
for dinner. Later she followed Flynn into the sun room.
She said she sat on the arm of Flynn's chair
and then slid down onto his lap. A little later,
she said, she got sick from the cocktails, so Flynn
took her upstairs to lie down. It was then that
(12:44):
they had sex. They were alone in the room for
about fifty minutes, she said, and he complimented her breasts
and her quote. Fanny Peggy Satterly was called next. After
testifying about the trips to Catalina, she was asked if
Flynn knew she would underage. She said he did, but.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
How did he know it?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
She was asked because she said he called her his
little JB, which stood for jailbait Errol. Flynn did not
testify that day.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I don't think it gets more incriminating than that.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
As reported in Variety, jury selections started on January eleventh,
nineteen forty three. Jerry Geesler's plan was to seat as
many female jurors as possible. He was betting that Flynn's
star power would outweigh the women's disapproval of his having
sex with underage girls. In the end, Geesler succeeded with
his jury selection plan. There were nine women and three
(13:39):
men in the jury box when testimony started a few
days later, Errol Flynn's fans turned out in swarms. They
filled the courtroom and lined up in the hallway, hoping
to catch a glimpse of the big star. Peggy Satterly
was the first accuser to testify. The prosecutor led her
through events on the trip to Catalina and back after
(14:00):
Jerry Geesler for the defense, opened his cross examination by
asking her what she'd done to resist Flynn on the ship.
Did you scratch him, he asked, no, she replied. Did
he tear your slip or your panties? He asked next,
Not that I noticed, she said. Geesler then delved into
Peggy's sexual history, a favorite tactic of his victim shaming.
(14:24):
He claims she posed semi nude for photographs but did
not show them to the jury. He asked her if
it was true that she had had an abortion. She
said yes. She refused to name the father, but insisted
it was not Errol Flynn. On January twenty eighth, nineteen
forty three, Variety reported that taking the stand in his
own defense, and guided by questions of attorney Jerry Geesler.
(14:47):
Flynn denied all charges of improper relations with miners, Peggy
Satterly Aboordies yacht in nineteen forty one and Betty Hanson
at a bel Air house party. Flynn remained stoic under
a withering cross examination by the prosecution. Very likely on
advice from Geesler, Flynn followed a strategy that's familiar to
us today, deny, deny, deny. During closing arguments, Jerry Geesler
(15:13):
reminded the jury about Betty Hansen's sexual experience and Peggy
Satterley's abortion. His implication was clear they were sexually experienced women,
not innocent young girls. He also said that the whole
case smells like a fix. The jury deliberated for twelve hours.
When they returned, Errol Flynn and his attorneys stood to
(15:35):
face their judgment. The courtroom was silent as seconds ticked by. Finally,
the jury for woman read the verdicts not guilty on
all three counts before the judge dismissed the jury. He
told them the evidence was sufficient for you to have
arrived at a verdict in either direction. Under the circumstances,
(15:57):
I think you have arrived at a proper vertic aero
Flynn was overjoyed. He pushed past the bailiffs, rushed to
the jury box, and shook hands with each of the jurors.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
You know, this seems like a really good example of
how superstardom can impact a case, and it's reminiscent of
the recent trial of Johnny Depp versus Amberhard, who also
coincidentally played a pirate, a swashbuckling pirate in Pirates.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Of the Cabby Yes.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
In covering that trial, Variety's Gene Mattis noted that the
most consequential decision the judge in the case made may
have come weeks before the trial, when she allowed Court
TV to operate two pool cameras in the courtroom. When
Depp took the stand on Wednesday, live viewership on its
channel peaked at one point two million.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Those are some serious numbers.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
That same article also mentioned that observers worried that the
judge's decision will also have a chilling effect on victims
of domestic violence. One legal scholar said that allowing this
trial to be televised as a single worst decision I
can can think of in the context of intimate partner
violence and sexual violence in recent history. It has ramifications
(17:07):
way beyond this case.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Herds legal team obviously one of no cameras in the courtroom,
but Dep's team argued for them, saying that mister Depp
believes in transparency.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
The case was eventually settled and ended with Amber Heard
paying dep one million dollars, which his attorney said would
be donated to charity. Exactly one year after the trial,
the headline story in Variety read Johnny Depp fans swarm
Can with screams and shrines on opening night. Viva Johnny.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
So when you're a star that are now. The adage
is true, the more things change, the more they stay
the same.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Variety was there after Flynn's trial too. On February eighth,
nineteen forty three, Variety reported that Errol Flynn returns immediately
to warners to appear in one sequence of the Thank
Your Lucky Stars musical, using all of the studio's top names.
Flynn's sequence in the film had been held up while
he fought charges brought on behalf of two Minor Girls.
(18:05):
Variety also noted that the studio was rushing three projects
into production for Flynn, but first Flynn headed to Mexico
for a little R and R. Apparently he learned nothing
from his ordeal. His companion on the trip was seventeen
years old. Her name was Nora Eddington, and he met
her during the trial at a cigar shop in the
(18:27):
courthouse lobby.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
You can't be serious.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
In nineteen fifty four, Warner Brothers ended Flynn's contract. His
films had made millions of dollars for the studio during
his twenty years on the lot, but his compulsive drinking
had begun to catch up with him. It took a
toll on his biggest asset, his trademark Good Looks. Alcohol
may also have affected his decision making. In nineteen fifty seven,
(18:51):
Flynn began a scandalous and very public affair with an
aspiring dancer named Beverly Adlund. He'd spotted her on the
Warner B's lot and invited her to a nighttime audition
at a friend's mansion in the Hollywood Hills. Adlin was
eager to accept, but first she had to ask her mother.
That's because Beverly was serious jailbait. She was just fifteen
(19:15):
years old. She was pixiish and blonde, and reminded him
of a wood nymph, so Flynn called her his Darling Woodsey.
The girl's mother, Florence Adlin, was surprisingly on board with
their relationship, which was, of course illegal. Flynn took Woodsey
on an extended vacation. They visited Flynn's ranch in Jamaica
(19:35):
and toured Africa. In Europe, they were photographed dining and
drinking in London and were mentioned in gossip columns at
home and abroad. Somewhere along the way, Eryl proposed, but
his divorce from his third wife, Patricia Wymore had not
yet become final, and because Woodsey was not yet seventeen,
In a rare show of discretion, they decided to wait
(19:58):
a while before announcing their in engagement, but the wedding
never happened. In early October nineteen fifty nine, the couple
sailed north from California in Flynn's yacht, the Zaka. He
was broke, he had to sell his beloved Mulholland Farms
in the Hollywood Hills, and his trip was set to
end in Vancouver, where Erro planned to sell his boat.
(20:19):
They stayed with some friends and partied for a few days.
On October fourteenth, Flynn started to feel sick. His host
had a friend who was a doctor, so they took
Flynn to the doctor's home. Flynn seemed to improve, except
that he was experiencing intense back pain. Despite the pain,
the doctor and his wife invited a few friends over
(20:39):
to meet the movie star. Flynn was regaling them with
stories about Hollywood, but then suddenly turned pale and stopped.
He said he needed to lie down. The doctor showed
him into a bedroom. A few minutes later, Woodsy found
him there in shock. His face was blue and his
heartbeat was dangerously faint. They rushed him to the hospital,
(21:00):
where on October twenty third, nineteen fifty nine, he died.
The cause of death read myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, coronary atherosclerosis,
liver degeneration, liver sclerosis, and diverticulosis of the colon. He
was just fifty years old. On October twenty first, nineteen
(21:23):
fifty nine, Variety published its obituary for Errol Flynn. It read,
in part, identified with swashbuckling screen roles, Flynn frequently was
even more flamboyant in his private life. Since his discovery
in nineteen thirty five by a Warner Talent scout. He
not only went on to become one of the ten
top box office stars, but he also became renowned for
(21:47):
his feminine exploits. Helping him in his pursuits were a
magnificent physique and a dashing roguish air.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
All due respect to the writer of that oh bit,
but I don't know where to begin with how problematic
that is. Biographer Kitty Kelly would call that myth building,
and I have never seen more myth building. Helping him
in his pursuits was a magnificent physique in a dashing
roguish air. That is wow.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
So Matt Errol Flynn and Johnny Depp definitely had some similarities.
What do you think they have in common in terms
of having star power?
Speaker 3 (22:18):
I mean, I think the obvious connection is throngs of
fans and a public that really doesn't want to see
their idols sort of tartished in this way, and that's
stuffing the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Truly.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
It is extraordinary Flynn's trial, the amount of women that
showed up that adored him, and this was astounding with
Johnny Depp as well.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
But I think it also all feeds back into this
idea of hero worship exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
And you know, there is an interesting thing about the
mystique of fame. Something happens with big stars with their fans. Yeah,
they imbue these magical traits in them like they're beyond human.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Absolutely, and it's not lost on me that many of
the women was involved with our aspiring actresses. But more
than that, I think the idea of fantasy him and
I can tell you three movies in production or that
are about to release that have plot lines of mega
famous men that find, you know, just random everyday women
and make them their lovers. And there's one coming out
with Anne Hathaway where she falls in love with like
(23:15):
a Harry Styles type and she's a mom. So I
think that these are kind of common fantasies that also
again feed into idea of hero worship.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
One last question regarding the me Too movement, Has that
changed the pattern of male celebrities abusing their power?
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I would say yes, but certainly in the way that
Johnny Depp's career will never recover.
Speaker 4 (23:34):
You really think so.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Absolutely. He will work with some directors mostly European has
always seen so far, there may come a day where
Johnny Depp gets cast an a may major commercial film,
but he'll never reach Captain Jack's barrow level fame. Again,
the idea of eroding this myth of a sort of
like unimpeachable male movie icon, I think is done. So
I don't think that we're all the way there yet
in terms of how we get justice and equity and
(23:57):
certainly some relief for accusers and victims. But the good
thing is is that the more we actually speak the truth,
you know, the less these myths will prevail.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Well put, let's end with this quote from Errol Flynn
in just a Note about him at this age, at
twenty five. He didn't set out to become a movie star.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
It was like.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Hollywood came to him and reeled him in because of
his swashbuckling all of that. So that I find that
very interesting, and that's why I find this quote especially interesting.
We fritter our lives away in detail, but I'm not
going to do this. I'm going to live deeply, going
to affront the essentials of life to see if I
(24:38):
can learn what it has to teach, and above all,
not to discover when I come to die that I
have not lived.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Well.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Thanks to Matt Donnelly for joining us and thank you
for listening to our final episode in season one a
Variety Confidential. Matt, it's been truly a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
I thank you so much. It's been so fascinating digging
into our archives and you guys have done such impeccable.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Research from Variety Confidential.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
This has been episode six of the Secret History of
the Casting Couch When You're a Star. We'll be back
soon with season two for more sex, money, and murder
in Hollywood.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
For Variety and.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
iHeart Podcasts, I'm Tracy Patten. Variety Confidential is a production
of Variety Content Studio and iHeart Podcasts. It was produced
by Sidney Kramer, John Ponder, and Tracy Patton and written
by Stephen Gatos, with John Ponder and Tracy Patton additional
research by Karen Mizogucci. Executive producers are Dea Lawrence and
(25:41):
Steve Gatos. Variety Confidential is recorded, edited, and mixed at
the Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Recording engineer, editor and mixer
Charles Carroll
This show contains mature content and adult themes. It may
not be suitable for young audiences.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
In twenty seventeen, Harvey Weinstein was outed as a serial
sexual abuser. Many brave women came forward and told their stories.
They exposed one of Hollywood's most powerful moguls as a
vicious sexual predator who operated horrifically and seemingly without consequences.
But Weinstein was standing on the shoulders of monsters. For
(00:35):
so many years, those monsters remained unchecked in Hollywood, shielded
by the millions of dollars they made for their studios.
Sex for fame is not new. In fact, it's as
old as Hollywood itself. Today, we'll look at Errol Flynn,
the Golden Age movie star who, at the peak of
his stardom at age thirty three, was charged in nineteen
(00:55):
forty two with three counts of statutory rape of his users,
Peggy Satterley, claimed that in nineteen forty one, when she
was fifteen years old, Flynn invited her to his boat,
spiked her drink with liquor, and reaped her. At the
time of his trial, Flynn was one of the most
well known actors in Hollywood. He was famous for films
(01:16):
such as the Adventures of Robin Hood released in nineteen
thirty eight, The Seahawk released in nineteen forty, and Die
Bomber in nineteen forty one, among many others, and that
fame clearly influenced what happened during his trial. Today, using
research from the Variety Archives, will take a look at
how celebrity can impact a trial and how this sort
(01:37):
of influence over a jury has been happening for decades.
From Variety and iHeart Podcasts, I'm Tracy Patton. This is
the secret history of the Casting Couch. Today's episode When
You're a Star with Me Today is Matt Donnelly, Variety's
senior Entertainment and Media writer. Welcome, Matt, thank you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So much for having me. I'm really interested today to
dig into our first actor that we're discussing on the show.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yes, and it's about time.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
So what is it that drives some A list actors, Matt,
to commit sexual assault?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Is it ego or.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Power or maybe it's just because they think they're a
star and they can get away with it.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I think it's a really toxic combination of everything you
just mentioned.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Well, to put aero Flynn in his dalliances with young women.
In perspective, let's look at an infamous sex scandal in
Hollywood at the time. As Vanity Fair described it, the
Patricia Douglas case in nineteen thirty seven is probably the
biggest best suppressed scandal in Hollywood history. Then as now,
money is often the driving force behind most bad behavior
(02:44):
in Hollywood. In nineteen thirty seven, near the peak of
the depression, MGM Studios grossed fourteen million dollars, which would
be about three hundred and twenty eight million dollars today.
This was far more than its rivals and twice the
money the studio had made the previous year.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Studio chief Louis B.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Mayer announced that MGM's annual five day sales convention would
be held in Culver City. He promised the studios two
hundred or so national sales force a super special production.
According to Vanity Fair, after a long drunken train trip,
the salesman arrived in Los Angeles and immediately began groping
(03:24):
the starlets who were tasked with pinning carnations on their lapels.
One of those so called starlets was Patricia Douglas. Unlike
the girls in the Flynn rape trials, Douglas was twenty
years old, in other words, over the age of legal consent.
She was, however, very much on the Hollywood scene before that,
dating movie and stage stars like Dick Powell and William
(03:47):
Frawley while still under age. Supposedly, famed comic Jimmy Duranty
was so smitten with her that he tried to convince
her mother to allow him to marry Patricia, who was
just fifteen years old. At the Big Sales Convention, Mayor
wasn't subtle about the festivities he was offering his sales team.
(04:07):
Vanity Fair reported that he told the hundreds of inebriated revelers,
these lovely girls, and you have the finest of them
to greet you, and that's to show you how we
feel about you, and the kind of a good time
that's ahead of you. Anything you want. Douglas was one
of one hundred and twenty young female dancers dressed in
(04:29):
cowboy hats, bolero jackets, and short skirts and transported to
a large banquet hall. Vanity Fair described the nightmarish situation.
Salesmen mistook the professional dancers for party favors and treated
them accordingly, without telephones or transportation, the young women had
no means of escape. Tricked into attendance, then trapped into service,
(04:51):
they were left to fend for themselves. A waiter at
the event later testified that the party was the worst,
the wildest, and the rot I have ever seen. The
men's attitude was very rough. They were running their hands
over the girl's bodies and tried to force liquor on
the girls. That night, according to Patricia Douglas, one of
(05:12):
those drunken MGM salesmen raped her, and when she tried
to press charges, she discovered the power of the Hollywood Studios.
LA District Attorney Buron Fits had been elected shortly after
having beaten an indictment for perjury in a rape case
involving a sixteen year old girl. A top contributor to
(05:32):
his campaign was none other than Louis B.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Mayer.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
What followed Patricia Douglas's attempts to receive justice was a
sadly familiar campaign of studio finance, publicity, blaming and shaming
the victim. The accused salesman was never charged, So.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Really interesting insight into sort of a blueprint for a
studio covering up an horrific crime like this. But let's
talk about Errol Flynn's career.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yes, of course, Errol Flynn was probably best known for
starring in the Adventures of Robinhood in nineteen thirty eight.
That same year, Life magazine named him the most famous
man in America. He was in more than fifty A
List films and almost always played the lead. He was
under contract at Warner Brothers for twenty years and made
(06:19):
millions for them. Eventually, Flynn bought eight and a half
acres on Mulholland Drive. He built a sprawling, two story
colonial party palace in the Hollywood Hills and called it
Mulholland Farm. It was a perfect secluded spot for his
debauchery and sexual escapades.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You know, Warner Brothers first took a big chance on
Earl in nineteen thirty five, at the start of his career.
They gave him a lead in this pirate adventure movie
called Captain Blood. I also believe he's synonymous with the
word swashbuckling.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I think you're right, Matt, and it was a huge
hit that led to starring roles in a list films
with the biggest names of the day. His co stars
included Betty Davis, Olivia de Haviland, and Barbara Stanwick. He
was also one of Hollywood's most self destructive stars.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
He would try.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Almost anything, at least once he started smoking weed in
the nineteen thirties. He claimed cocaine was an aphrodisiac. He
told his friend, the British actor David Niven, that he'd
tried every drug there was except heroin, but mainly Errol
Flynn liked to drink. He was a regular at the
celebrities only nightclubs on the Sunset Strip, and his drunken
(07:26):
brawls there were reported in gossip columns nationwide. After the
bars closed, he might take the party with him up
to his mansion on Mulholland and go all night at
the studio. In the mornings, he'd secretly keep up his
consumption by injecting oranges with vodka.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
It's actually kind of impressive and amazing that he could
keep this up for that long.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Absolutely, But then toward the end of nineteen forty two
things started to unravel. On Saturday, September twenty sixth, Flynn
attended a party at the mansion of Jack McAvoy, one
of his closest friends. They were celebrating Jack's pending divorce
from his wife, a standard oil heiress. Like Flynn, McAvoy
(08:10):
was an adventurer, a world traveler, and thanks to his
soon to be ex wife, Filthy rich. The two men
also shared a compulsion for cocktails and female company. It
was a small party with maybe ten or twelve people,
including a number of attractive young women. Errol Flynn was
playing tennis when Cheechy Nap, Flynn's young friend from the studio,
(08:30):
showed up uninvited. He had brought along a blonde girl
by the name of Betty Hanson. Betty was new in town,
straight from Lincoln, Nebraska. Like so many others, she had
come to Hollywood in search of movie stardom. The next day,
Betty told her married sister about meeting the famous Errol Flynn.
She said that he gave her cocktails and then took
(08:53):
her upstairs and, as she put it, seduced her. Betty
had just turned seventeen six days earlier on September twenty first,
the age of consent was eighteen. Outraged, her sister contacted
the District Attorney's office to file a complaint against Flynn
as far as the DA's investigators were concerned, there was
(09:13):
nothing unusual about the fact that Errol Flynn had had
sex with a young woman. He was known for that. However,
the big news here was that Betty was underage. That
meant that they now had a huge Hollywood star on
account of statutory rape, or so they thought. Los Angeles
(09:33):
County DA John Dockweiler took the charge to a grand jury,
but after hearing from Betty Chee Chee and other witnesses,
the jury declined to indict Eryl Flynn.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
And of course it's hard to know whether the jury's
decision was based on insufficient evidence or because Flynn was
a huge star.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Yes, and in the end it did matter. Despite the
jury's refusal to indict Flynn, DA Dockweiler ignored the jury's
decision and indicted him anyway. That may be because another
DA investigator remembered a similar complaint against Flynn from a
year earlier. In August nineteen forty one, the mother of
(10:11):
a sixteen year old girl had claimed that Flynn had
sex with her daughter on his yacht during a trip
to Catalina Island. The trip to Catalina was for a
photoshoot for a feature about Errol Flynn for Life magazine.
Peggy's role was to be eye candy and candid shots
with Flynn. Like Betty Hanson, Peggy Satterly had movie star aspirations,
(10:32):
and in the summer of nineteen forty one, her dream
seemed to be coming true. It was on that trip
that Flynn and Peggy had sex twice. But before Flynn
could be charged, the girl's parents had second thoughts. They
called the DA and asked to have the charges dropped.
Their daughter had a promising career in show business and
the parents didn't want bad publicity that might hurt her career.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
In the end, the DA charge Flynn with three counts
of statutory rape, one charge for as halting Betty Hanson
and two for Beggy Saturley.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
And when Hollywood's biggest movie star was arrested, who did
he call? Hollywood's most successful fixed attorney, Jerry Geesler. Geesler
was the attorney in our first Variety Confidential episode about
the rape trial of Alexander Pantages. Pantages was a millionaire
theater mogul who was accused of statutory rape. In the
(11:23):
Pantagous trial Geesler set a legal precedent for weaponizing rape
victim's sexual histories. Thanks to Geesler, Pantages was acquitted after
the case was retried. Geesler credited that trial with making
him a successful lawyer. He was known for getting Hollywood
stars out of just about any kind of jam. His
(11:45):
client list included Marilyn Monroe, Betty Davis, Charlie Chaplin, and
mobster Benjamin Bugsy Siegel.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
You know, these types of celebrity indorsed attorneys are still
around today, and you start to recognize the names of
some of them if you pay close attention to any
publicized trials involving a star.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yes, absolutely, and those publicized trials can be good for business.
They really do get your name out there. For example,
preliminary hearings don't often draw a crowd, but with Flynn
as a draw, the courtroom was packed for his hearing
in November nineteen forty two. When Betty Hansen took the stand,
she said she went to the party at Jack McAvoy's
(12:22):
house specifically to meet Errol Flynn. She first saw him
on the tennis court there after a swim, she stayed
for dinner. Later she followed Flynn into the sun room.
She said she sat on the arm of Flynn's chair
and then slid down onto his lap. A little later,
she said, she got sick from the cocktails, so Flynn
took her upstairs to lie down. It was then that
(12:44):
they had sex. They were alone in the room for
about fifty minutes, she said, and he complimented her breasts
and her quote. Fanny Peggy Satterly was called next. After
testifying about the trips to Catalina, she was asked if
Flynn knew she would underage. She said he did, but.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
How did he know it?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
She was asked because she said he called her his
little JB, which stood for jailbait Errol. Flynn did not
testify that day.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I don't think it gets more incriminating than that.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
As reported in Variety, jury selections started on January eleventh,
nineteen forty three. Jerry Geesler's plan was to seat as
many female jurors as possible. He was betting that Flynn's
star power would outweigh the women's disapproval of his having
sex with underage girls. In the end, Geesler succeeded with
his jury selection plan. There were nine women and three
(13:39):
men in the jury box when testimony started a few
days later, Errol Flynn's fans turned out in swarms. They
filled the courtroom and lined up in the hallway, hoping
to catch a glimpse of the big star. Peggy Satterly
was the first accuser to testify. The prosecutor led her
through events on the trip to Catalina and back after
(14:00):
Jerry Geesler for the defense, opened his cross examination by
asking her what she'd done to resist Flynn on the ship.
Did you scratch him, he asked, no, she replied. Did
he tear your slip or your panties? He asked next,
Not that I noticed, she said. Geesler then delved into
Peggy's sexual history, a favorite tactic of his victim shaming.
(14:24):
He claims she posed semi nude for photographs but did
not show them to the jury. He asked her if
it was true that she had had an abortion. She
said yes. She refused to name the father, but insisted
it was not Errol Flynn. On January twenty eighth, nineteen
forty three, Variety reported that taking the stand in his
own defense, and guided by questions of attorney Jerry Geesler.
(14:47):
Flynn denied all charges of improper relations with miners, Peggy
Satterly Aboordies yacht in nineteen forty one and Betty Hanson
at a bel Air house party. Flynn remained stoic under
a withering cross examination by the prosecution. Very likely on
advice from Geesler, Flynn followed a strategy that's familiar to
us today, deny, deny, deny. During closing arguments, Jerry Geesler
(15:13):
reminded the jury about Betty Hansen's sexual experience and Peggy
Satterley's abortion. His implication was clear they were sexually experienced women,
not innocent young girls. He also said that the whole
case smells like a fix. The jury deliberated for twelve hours.
When they returned, Errol Flynn and his attorneys stood to
(15:35):
face their judgment. The courtroom was silent as seconds ticked by. Finally,
the jury for woman read the verdicts not guilty on
all three counts before the judge dismissed the jury. He
told them the evidence was sufficient for you to have
arrived at a verdict in either direction. Under the circumstances,
(15:57):
I think you have arrived at a proper vertic aero
Flynn was overjoyed. He pushed past the bailiffs, rushed to
the jury box, and shook hands with each of the jurors.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
You know, this seems like a really good example of
how superstardom can impact a case, and it's reminiscent of
the recent trial of Johnny Depp versus Amberhard, who also
coincidentally played a pirate, a swashbuckling pirate in Pirates.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Of the Cabby Yes.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
In covering that trial, Variety's Gene Mattis noted that the
most consequential decision the judge in the case made may
have come weeks before the trial, when she allowed Court
TV to operate two pool cameras in the courtroom. When
Depp took the stand on Wednesday, live viewership on its
channel peaked at one point two million.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Those are some serious numbers.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
That same article also mentioned that observers worried that the
judge's decision will also have a chilling effect on victims
of domestic violence. One legal scholar said that allowing this
trial to be televised as a single worst decision I
can can think of in the context of intimate partner
violence and sexual violence in recent history. It has ramifications
(17:07):
way beyond this case.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Herds legal team obviously one of no cameras in the courtroom,
but Dep's team argued for them, saying that mister Depp
believes in transparency.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
The case was eventually settled and ended with Amber Heard
paying dep one million dollars, which his attorney said would
be donated to charity. Exactly one year after the trial,
the headline story in Variety read Johnny Depp fans swarm
Can with screams and shrines on opening night. Viva Johnny.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
So when you're a star that are now. The adage
is true, the more things change, the more they stay
the same.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Variety was there after Flynn's trial too. On February eighth,
nineteen forty three, Variety reported that Errol Flynn returns immediately
to warners to appear in one sequence of the Thank
Your Lucky Stars musical, using all of the studio's top names.
Flynn's sequence in the film had been held up while
he fought charges brought on behalf of two Minor Girls.
(18:05):
Variety also noted that the studio was rushing three projects
into production for Flynn, but first Flynn headed to Mexico
for a little R and R. Apparently he learned nothing
from his ordeal. His companion on the trip was seventeen
years old. Her name was Nora Eddington, and he met
her during the trial at a cigar shop in the
(18:27):
courthouse lobby.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
You can't be serious.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
In nineteen fifty four, Warner Brothers ended Flynn's contract. His
films had made millions of dollars for the studio during
his twenty years on the lot, but his compulsive drinking
had begun to catch up with him. It took a
toll on his biggest asset, his trademark Good Looks. Alcohol
may also have affected his decision making. In nineteen fifty seven,
(18:51):
Flynn began a scandalous and very public affair with an
aspiring dancer named Beverly Adlund. He'd spotted her on the
Warner B's lot and invited her to a nighttime audition
at a friend's mansion in the Hollywood Hills. Adlin was
eager to accept, but first she had to ask her mother.
That's because Beverly was serious jailbait. She was just fifteen
(19:15):
years old. She was pixiish and blonde, and reminded him
of a wood nymph, so Flynn called her his Darling Woodsey.
The girl's mother, Florence Adlin, was surprisingly on board with
their relationship, which was, of course illegal. Flynn took Woodsey
on an extended vacation. They visited Flynn's ranch in Jamaica
(19:35):
and toured Africa. In Europe, they were photographed dining and
drinking in London and were mentioned in gossip columns at
home and abroad. Somewhere along the way, Eryl proposed, but
his divorce from his third wife, Patricia Wymore had not
yet become final, and because Woodsey was not yet seventeen,
In a rare show of discretion, they decided to wait
(19:58):
a while before announcing their in engagement, but the wedding
never happened. In early October nineteen fifty nine, the couple
sailed north from California in Flynn's yacht, the Zaka. He
was broke, he had to sell his beloved Mulholland Farms
in the Hollywood Hills, and his trip was set to
end in Vancouver, where Erro planned to sell his boat.
(20:19):
They stayed with some friends and partied for a few days.
On October fourteenth, Flynn started to feel sick. His host
had a friend who was a doctor, so they took
Flynn to the doctor's home. Flynn seemed to improve, except
that he was experiencing intense back pain. Despite the pain,
the doctor and his wife invited a few friends over
(20:39):
to meet the movie star. Flynn was regaling them with
stories about Hollywood, but then suddenly turned pale and stopped.
He said he needed to lie down. The doctor showed
him into a bedroom. A few minutes later, Woodsy found
him there in shock. His face was blue and his
heartbeat was dangerously faint. They rushed him to the hospital,
(21:00):
where on October twenty third, nineteen fifty nine, he died.
The cause of death read myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, coronary atherosclerosis,
liver degeneration, liver sclerosis, and diverticulosis of the colon. He
was just fifty years old. On October twenty first, nineteen
(21:23):
fifty nine, Variety published its obituary for Errol Flynn. It read,
in part, identified with swashbuckling screen roles, Flynn frequently was
even more flamboyant in his private life. Since his discovery
in nineteen thirty five by a Warner Talent scout. He
not only went on to become one of the ten
top box office stars, but he also became renowned for
(21:47):
his feminine exploits. Helping him in his pursuits were a
magnificent physique and a dashing roguish air.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
All due respect to the writer of that oh bit,
but I don't know where to begin with how problematic
that is. Biographer Kitty Kelly would call that myth building,
and I have never seen more myth building. Helping him
in his pursuits was a magnificent physique in a dashing
roguish air. That is wow.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
So Matt Errol Flynn and Johnny Depp definitely had some similarities.
What do you think they have in common in terms
of having star power?
Speaker 3 (22:18):
I mean, I think the obvious connection is throngs of
fans and a public that really doesn't want to see
their idols sort of tartished in this way, and that's
stuffing the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Truly.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
It is extraordinary Flynn's trial, the amount of women that
showed up that adored him, and this was astounding with
Johnny Depp as well.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
But I think it also all feeds back into this
idea of hero worship exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
And you know, there is an interesting thing about the
mystique of fame. Something happens with big stars with their fans. Yeah,
they imbue these magical traits in them like they're beyond human.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Absolutely, and it's not lost on me that many of
the women was involved with our aspiring actresses. But more
than that, I think the idea of fantasy him and
I can tell you three movies in production or that
are about to release that have plot lines of mega
famous men that find, you know, just random everyday women
and make them their lovers. And there's one coming out
with Anne Hathaway where she falls in love with like
(23:15):
a Harry Styles type and she's a mom. So I
think that these are kind of common fantasies that also
again feed into idea of hero worship.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
One last question regarding the me Too movement, Has that
changed the pattern of male celebrities abusing their power?
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I would say yes, but certainly in the way that
Johnny Depp's career will never recover.
Speaker 4 (23:34):
You really think so.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Absolutely. He will work with some directors mostly European has
always seen so far, there may come a day where
Johnny Depp gets cast an a may major commercial film,
but he'll never reach Captain Jack's barrow level fame. Again,
the idea of eroding this myth of a sort of
like unimpeachable male movie icon, I think is done. So
I don't think that we're all the way there yet
in terms of how we get justice and equity and
(23:57):
certainly some relief for accusers and victims. But the good
thing is is that the more we actually speak the truth,
you know, the less these myths will prevail.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Well put, let's end with this quote from Errol Flynn
in just a Note about him at this age, at
twenty five. He didn't set out to become a movie star.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
It was like.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Hollywood came to him and reeled him in because of
his swashbuckling all of that. So that I find that
very interesting, and that's why I find this quote especially interesting.
We fritter our lives away in detail, but I'm not
going to do this. I'm going to live deeply, going
to affront the essentials of life to see if I
(24:38):
can learn what it has to teach, and above all,
not to discover when I come to die that I
have not lived.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Well.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Thanks to Matt Donnelly for joining us and thank you
for listening to our final episode in season one a
Variety Confidential. Matt, it's been truly a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
I thank you so much. It's been so fascinating digging
into our archives and you guys have done such impeccable.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Research from Variety Confidential.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
This has been episode six of the Secret History of
the Casting Couch When You're a Star. We'll be back
soon with season two for more sex, money, and murder
in Hollywood.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
For Variety and.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
iHeart Podcasts, I'm Tracy Patten. Variety Confidential is a production
of Variety Content Studio and iHeart Podcasts. It was produced
by Sidney Kramer, John Ponder, and Tracy Patton and written
by Stephen Gatos, with John Ponder and Tracy Patton additional
research by Karen Mizogucci. Executive producers are Dea Lawrence and
(25:41):
Steve Gatos. Variety Confidential is recorded, edited, and mixed at
the Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Recording engineer, editor and mixer
Charles Carroll
Host
Tracy Pattin
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