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Sean Flynn: The Life and Disappearance of the Young Photojournalist



Sean Flynn, the only child of legendary actor Errol Flynn and French-American actress Lili Damita, lived a life marked by adventure, danger, and ultimately mystery. Born into Hollywood royalty on May 31, 1941, in Los Angeles, Flynn’s path diverged dramatically from that of his famous parents, though their influence was ever-present. His father, Errol Flynn, was a swashbuckling icon, known for his roles in films like Captain Blood (1935) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), while his mother, Lili Damita, was a successful actress and singer who captivated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. From these roots, Sean sought his own unique way of making a mark in the world—first in acting, and later as a fearless photojournalist.

Early Life and Education

Flynn grew up largely under the care of his mother, following his parents’ separation when he was young. His paternal grandfather, Theodore Thomson Flynn, was a notable professor of biology in Tasmania, and Sean’s lineage seemed to carry an inherent expectation of excellence, whether in academia or the arts. After attending various schools, Flynn graduated from Lawrenceville School in New Jersey in 1960. His education, however, was interrupted by his father’s death later that same year. Errol Flynn left his son a modest inheritance, which was intended to support Sean’s college education. Flynn briefly attended Duke University but left before completing his studies, disillusioned by academia and lured by the world of film.


The Acting Career: Hollywood’s Reluctant Heir

Sean Flynn’s foray into acting seemed natural given his pedigree, but his heart was never fully in it. His first film role came in 1960, when he starred in The Son of Captain Blood, a direct nod to his father’s famous role. The film, though notable for its familial connection, did little to catapult Sean to stardom. Nevertheless, he continued acting in various films, including the adventure film Il Segno di Zorro (1963) and the war film Mission to Venice (1964).


Despite being cast in such adventure-themed roles, it became apparent that Flynn was less interested in acting than in living a life of true adventure. By 1964, his disinterest in acting was palpable. He left Hollywood and embarked on an African adventure, spending time as a safari guide and game warden in Kenya. His yearning for excitement seemed endless, and when he found himself in need of money, he reluctantly returned to film, starring in a pair of Spaghetti Westerns: Sette Magnifiche Pistole (1966) and Dos Pistolas Gemelas (1966). His final film appearance came in Cinq Gars Pour Singapour (1967), a French-Italian action film. Afterward, he turned his back on acting entirely, seeking meaning and purpose in a different arena.



The Photojournalist: Vietnam and Beyond

In 1966, Flynn set out on a new career as a freelance photojournalist, following the footsteps of his own curiosity into the depths of war-torn Vietnam. His work was initially published by Paris Match and later for Time and United Press International. It was not just his surname that gained him recognition; Flynn’s bravery in the field, often risking his life for the perfect shot, earned him respect among a cohort of similarly audacious war correspondents. He quickly became part of a circle of journalists, including Tim Page, Dana Stone, Henri Huet, and John Steinbeck IV, who sought to capture the realities of war, no matter the personal cost.

Flynn’s early months in Vietnam were harrowing. In March 1966, while embedded with U.S. Special Forces, he was wounded in the knee. Undeterred, he continued photographing the war, often armed not just with his camera but with an M-16 rifle, given to him by the Green Berets he was accompanying. Flynn was not merely a detached observer; he was a participant, fighting alongside soldiers when necessary.



In November 1966, Flynn helped avert a tragedy by alerting an Australian platoon to a hidden minefield near Vũng Tàu. His quick thinking saved lives, though Flynn often downplayed his role in the incident. Despite these harrowing experiences, Flynn continued to return to Vietnam, including after the Tet Offensive in 1968, where he worked as a cameraman for CBS News. By this point, Flynn’s reputation as a fearless, high-risk journalist was firmly established. His work was not simply about photographing the war but about immersing himself in its chaos, capturing moments that others could only imagine.

Cambodia and Disappearance

On April 6, 1970, Flynn and a group of journalists left Phnom Penh to attend a government-sponsored press conference in Saigon. Flynn (who was freelancing) and fellow photojournalist Dana Stone (who was on assignment for CBS) chose to travel on motorcycles instead of the limousines that the majority of the other journalists were using for traveling. Reporter Steve Bell, who was one of the last Westerners to see the two alive, later said that after the press conference, Flynn and Stone had received word that there was a makeshift checkpoint on Highway 1 manned by members of the Viet Cong. The checkpoint consisted of a white four-door sedan in which several missing journalists had been traveling, and which was now parked across the roadway. Flynn and Stone observed the checkpoint from some distance and spoke to several journalists already on scene.



Surviving film footage captured both this moment as well as the sight of several persons, believed to be Viet Cong, moving around on the far side of the vehicle. Undaunted by the sight of a nearby platoon of government soldiers taking up defensive positions in a line perpendicular to the road, and eager to interview the Viet Cong, both Flynn and Stone chose to proceed alone to the checkpoint. Witnesses later reported that both Flynn and Stone were quickly relieved of their motorcycles and marched into a nearby treeline. Neither was ever seen alive again. Before they left, Bell snapped the last known photo taken of Flynn and Stone.



Four other journalists, two Frenchmen and two Japanese, had been captured by the Viet Cong inside Cambodia on the same day. By June 1970, 25 journalists had been captured in Cambodia in the previous three weeks. Three had been killed, some returned, and others were missing. Flynn and Stone were never seen again and their bodies have never been found. Although it is known that Flynn and Stone were captured by Viet Cong guerrillas at a checkpoint on Highway 1, their fate is unknown. Citing various government sources, it is believed that they were killed by factions of the Khmer Rouge.

Flynn (left) and Dana Stone riding motorcycles into Communist-held territory in Cambodia on April 6, 1970 – the day they disappeared

Flynn’s mother, Lili Damita, spared no expense in searching for her son, hiring private investigators and scouring Southeast Asia for any sign of him. Despite her tireless efforts, Flynn was never found, and in 1984, he was declared legally dead in absentia. Damita herself passed away in 1994, having spent her fortune in the search for her son.


Legacy and Remembrance

Sean Flynn’s legacy endures, not only through his photographs but also through the mystery that surrounds his disappearance. In the years following his capture, many of his friends, including the British photographer Tim Page, continued to search for answers. In 2010, a British team uncovered remains in Cambodia’s Kampong Cham province, thought to belong to Flynn, but DNA testing later revealed they were not his. His fate remains elusive, a story cut short in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

In 2015, the world had a rare glimpse of Sean via the keepsakes of Damita went up for auction. Her collection of letters, photographs and mementos included pictures of the photographer throughout his life and early letters that reveal a young man determined to chart his own path, giving a rare glimpse into the life of one of Hollywood's most daring descendants.



While in high school, he wrote to his mother, "If father and MGM want me to do a picture, they can all go to hell — I just want to be with my family." 

In another, he wrote about looking for a job in construction "loading cement." Sean also expressed his appreciation for his mother in one haunting letter.

"I just want to say 'thanks' for home, the car, and just the fact that you are the best mother that I could ever want; and although you never hear me say it, I love you very much! I actually tried to be with you a lot, but everything just didn't seem to go together," the letter read.


The collection included a gold-embroidered red silk banner with original packaging sent to his mom from Vientiane, Laos, during his last assignment during the Vietnam War.

The archive also contained materials Damita kept after Sean's disappearance, such as a "Whatever Happened to Sean Flynn?" bumper sticker, along with a "Where Is Sean Flynn?" T-shirt with a picture of the late photojournalist.

 

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