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Robert Matzen

Errol Flynn Slept Here: The Flynns, the Hamblens, Rick Nelson, and the Most Notorious House in Hollywood Hardcover – February 4, 2009

by Robert Matzen (Author), Michael Mazzone (Author)

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Documenting the most notorious house in Hollywood, this history spans the life and death of Mulholland Farm, the elegant and infamous mountaintop showplace built by film star Errol Flynn at the height of his fame. While appearing to be stylish and refined, Flynn installed secret passageways, two-way mirrors, and other voyeuristic tools into the house to spy on the famous women he entertained, as well as couples making love. He lived in Mulholland Farm during Hollywood’s Golden Era, when he was the most famous playboy movie star alive, remaining in the home through the rape trial that almost ruined him and the snatching of John Barrymore's body. The intricate story of the farm also spans five continents to include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Fidel Castro, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, Clark Gable, Billy Graham, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, the Rolling Stones, and the other two owners of the property, Christian singer/songwriter Stuart Hamblen and rock ‘n’ roll legend Rick Nelson.

Print length

184 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Paladin Communications
Publication date

February 4, 2009
Dimensions

9 x 0.7 x 12 inches
ISBN-10

0971168571
ISBN-13

978-0971168572
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Just when you think every bit of Hollywood history and lore has been explored, along comes a book that's inventive, surprising and impossible to put down . . . This handsomely produced volume is the kind of book I intended to browse but wound up reading from cover to cover.” —Leonard Maltin, author, Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide

“Errol Flynn Slept Here is a voyage into a dark past . . . a fascinating, and thoroughly unexpected slice of cultural history.” —Scott Eyman, author, Lion of Hollywood: The Life of Louis B. Mayer

“A brilliant account of Errol Flynn’s house in 11 acres of ground on Mulholland Drive which boasted two-way mirrors, secret staircases and sliding panels.” —Turner Classic Movies UK

From the Inside Flap

Errol Flynn Slept Here spans the life and death of Mulholland Farm, the elegantand infamousmountaintop showplace built by film star Errol Flynn at the height of his fame. Its a story that spans five continents and includes Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Fidel Castro, Humphrey Bogart, Shirley Temple, Clark Gable, Billy Graham, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, the Rolling Stones, andof coursethe three owners of Mulholland Farm: wicked Errol Flynn; Christian singer, songwriter, and radio star Stuart Hamblen; and rock n roll legend Rick Nelson.On the 100th anniversary of Flynns birth, authors Robert Matzen and Michael Mazzone tell this remarkable story for the first time, revealing the peep holes, two-way mirrors, secret passageways, wild parties, and bodysnatching. Errol Flynn lived in this house during his most prosperous years at Warner Brothersand through the course of the rape trial that would eventually ruin him.Errol Flynn Slept Here also documents the haunting of Mulholland Farm as described by the people who lived in this, the most notorious house in Hollywood.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Paladin Communications; First Edition (February 4, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 184 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0971168571
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0971168572
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.45 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.7 x 12 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,629,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,438 in Movie History & Criticism
- #19,211 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies
- #29,051 in Performing Arts (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.0 330 ratings

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Robert Matzen

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Robert Matzen is an American author who specializes in Hollywood history and World War II, combining meticulous research with spellbinding narrative. Robert's tenth book is also his debut novel. "Season of the Gods" draws upon his in-depth knowledge of Warner Bros. studio, expertise in World War II, and background in film production to tell the spellbinding story of Warner Bros. Story Editor Irene Lee's quest to bring the wartime masterpiece "Casablanca" to the screen. His previous nonfiction books include "Warrior: Audrey Hepburn" and the international bestseller "Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn in World War II," both written in collaboration with Hepburn's son Luca Dotti. Prior to that, Matzen wrote "Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe" and "Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3," both of which leveraged his 10 years working for NASA Headquarters in aeronautics. "Mission" continues to earn national media interest, and "Fireball" earned praise from the Smithsonian, and won the 2015 Benjamin Franklin Award for Biography.

With every book, Matzen gets personal with history. For "Season of the Gods" he explored the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. For "Dutch Girl" he spent months in the Netherlands talking to the people who lived through the war with Audrey Hepburn. For "Mission" he flew in B-17 and B-24 bombers and walked the muddy fields of Jimmy Stewart's base at Tibenham, England. And for "Fireball," he famously climbed a mountain--Mount Potosi, Nevada--to explore the wreckage of TWA Flight 3.

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5

330 global ratings

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Kindle Customer

Wonderful addition to Errol Flynn lore

Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2017

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Who would have thought that a book could be written about a house. But then, this was not just any house. I had always heard about the mirrors and ways at peering at others without them knowing in the house, so it was great to get such an in depth picture of what it all looked like and how it worked. I have read several books about Flynn and this just added to my body of knowledge about him and his experience of Hollywood. Well researched. Some things were quite repetitive as having the same wording in the text and picture captions. Many quotes were told over and over in the book. The parts about the Hamblyns and Ricky Nelson were only marginally interesting. The beginning of the book was very slow, telling the authors' experience visiting and photographing the house. But the parts about Errol were great.

3 people found this helpful

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moonpie7

Interesting Account of a Troubled Soul

Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2023

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Errol Flynn is most certainly my distant cousin - I am related to a number of Flynns, including one by that very name (still alive, and possibly named by a mother with a crush on the famous movie star). I have had an enduring fascination with Mr. Flynn for most of my life. I share an eerie number of similarities with the late star, including a pretty darn good tennis game (if I do say so myself). However, I am obscure, and he will remain famous forever.

This book is well written and engaging, but what is troubling is that the author seems to whitewash Flynn's less than savoury side. Flynn was an addict who received injections of cocaine and possibly took heroin or morphine. He drank, was a heavy womanizer, and most certainly had no issues with seducing (and even possibly raping) underage women. Whether or not he was an actual rapist is a subject of much speculation, with some claiming it was a set-up by his accuser for fame and/or money. What is certain is that he spent most of his life as a kind of demonic frat boy, giving wild parties at the now famous Mulholland Farm. Here he spied on guests having sex using secret mirrors, watched pornographic movies, and apparently felt he was actually Don Juan (one of many roles he played).

Flynn was married at least three times and had four children, one of whom died tragically in Cambodia (his son Sean). He had numerous health issues, including bouts of malaria and venereal diseases. The book focuses on the strange life he led, cut short at age fifty. The descriptions in the book of the house, how it came to be, and the photos themselves are all very interesting. As a fellow writer I find his own interest in writing quite fascinating, and I think his writing is quite good (his books are still for sale).

The house was lived in by Ricky Nelson and his wife and children. His kids have long claimed it was haunted by his ghost. You can find some interesting interviews with Gunnar Nelson and Tracy Nelson on youtube. Gunnar has claimed his sister stole her stories of being haunted from him. His twin Matthew states he never had the kind of experiences his siblings did. Whether or not they are lying is up to your own interpretation. I do find it interesting that Gunnar states his mother was a borderine personality (who are prone to lying in general). I myself think the house had a dark energy, and having experienced strange things myself in other homes, choose not to fully discount their tales.

I think this book is worth reading, although I did not care for the glamorization of Flynn, who led a colorful life. It should be noted that some of his tales were tall, including the ones in his co-authored autobiography. A troubled narcissist who died young, he suffered from depression and suicidal feelings. He was a talented actor and writer , and no one can deny his beauty, ravaged in his later years by his heavy alcohol use. He suffered a great deal, that is obvious, and said himself he was in rebellion against God. I find it interesting he used to carry a bible around with him in a suitcase, making me wonder what he really thought about God in the end.

Another side note: this book will definitely make animal lovers cringe, as Flynn used to engage in cock fighting. There are other stories about hunting in the book I disliked.

One person found this helpful

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rain cloud

INADVERTENTLY CHRONICLES HOW A HOUSE BECAME HAUNTED

Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2015

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The people who wrote this didn't exactly intend for it to be a step-by-step chronicle of a house becoming haunted but that's what it turned out to be. They said originally they were going to have a sidebar about the haunting phenomena but there was just so much eyewitness testimony to paranormal happenings it became more front and center.

First comes an overview of the travails of Errol Flynn, a basically decent chap given to making a lot of bad decisions, such as allowing himself to get involved with women who were too young. He also made some disastrously bad business moves which eventually cost him the only home he'd ever really cared about, which was the house in question. He was also an alcoholic.

Then the house went to a well-known gospel song-writer and (in those days) radio star. He and his family were as down-to-earth as one could be, evangelical Christians who were extremely plugged into the community. That guy's name was Stuart Hamblen. They were not inclined toward any belief in the paranormal whatsoever but they said on the night Errol Flynn died the house became haunted.

Lest you doubt this while reading the book I began thinking about Stuart Hamblen (the person in the book I most easily identified with). If he was that well known as a songwriter, singer and entertainer he must be represented on YouTube. Yes, he is. I found a segment of the old Jimmy Dean Show (the sausage guy who was also a great country singer).

Dean introduces Hamblen, Hamblen comes out and they both sit in rocking chairs. Within two minutes Dean says, "You live in Errol Flynn's old house."

Hamblen responds, "Yes, I do. I think we use it for different things than Errol did." (Big laugh; Errol was a notorious Playboy). Hamblen then says, "There are a couple of ghosts present but we just ignore them."

He came right out with it on national TV!

And that's what the Hamblen's did, they ignored it. One of their grandchildren said they (the old folks) knew things were going on but didn't want to sit everyone down and say, "Ok, listen, the house is haunted."

Eventually they sold it to singer Rick Nelson. Eventually his kids moved in and eventually they told their own stories about the ghost(s).

There were parts of the house they hated to walk through. It felt like someone was there, watching. But Rick Nelson seemed to make friends with Errol. He genuinely liked Errol (they never met) and loved the idea of him being there. One night his daughter Tracy came home and from outside saw a light on and a man in one of the big downstairs rooms.

"I thought pop was home." As if on cue then the phone rings, it's her dad, he won't be home till tomorrow. She says she saw a guy in the house and even a light on.

Rick tells her, "Oh, that's just Errol."

Eventually the house became so scary that all Rick Nelson's children refused to return. Rick and Errol seemed to have come to a mutual understanding, however.

Permit me one more story. I'm a Buddhist. The Tibetans say if you have a dream that's set in the actual place where you are sleeping, then that's a dream you should look at very closely because it could be important.

The first night Tracy Nelson spent in the house she dreamed she got out of bed and went down the long winding staircase. Walking around the last turn at the bottom of the stairs she came face to face with Errol in a tuxedo who looked stunningly beautiful. He held up a glass of Champaign, flashed her a billion watt smile and happily proclaimed, "Happy Hew Year!"

Welcome to my house, he should have added. He always did love the ladies.

It wasn't always so cheerful, though and later became very dark. Tracy Nelson wondered later if the ghost was trying to warn her dad about the plane crash that soon tragically took his life.

Anyway, this is an excellent story of a great and beautiful house becoming haunted. It even gives you some indication of the inner forces that drove the original owner to return to his beloved home rather than move on to wherever the dead go (Errol was a troubled soul).

Inadvertently, it chronicles the haunting of a house. I really enjoyed it on more than one level.

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Top reviews from other countries

B3rn41987

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 14, 2012

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I was not (I must admit I am converted now) an Errol FLynn fan but seeing the good reviews of this book I decided to buy it. I am glad I did because it is a wonderful read. Honest, witty, sensitive and full of life! It makes you to think what an amazing man he was, he struggled with soo many things in his life including his addictions yet he kept on going, trying until the last moment. It is very sad that his French wife treated him soo badly(taking him for the cleaners) which it definately contributed to his down fall financially and mentally. But Errol's life is not one of those sad stories, he celebrated life and lived fully! Very few men would be able to live the way and would achieve the things that he did. For this alone you fill with admirations and respect the man!

One person found this helpful

Carol Houle

formating issue, the test is pale gray

Reviewed in Canada on September 26, 2016

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I cannot write here unless I put stars to rate it. However I'm only at 10% reading. On my kindle paperwhite the text is pale grey and barely legible. It's the second time I buy a book like this. I deleted the first one without reading it. And I'm just about ready to do that again with this one. When I touch the page it's flashes black then turns gray. If I hold the page down it remains black yet the text is thin and other things open....

Barbara Mainville

Photos and Info

Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2018

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This is not a novel and therefore difficult to rate. It’s an average example of photo journalism and will interest those who remember the Flynn movies.

john gordon rhodes

how thing have changed

Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2016

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very interesting and from a different perspective from a time in Hollywood that was special before everything changed in the following decades.

One person found this helpful

Hercule

Four Stars

Reviewed in Canada on November 10, 2016

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Good read for a rainy day - the legend of Flynn has an irresistible lure

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Errol Flynn Slept Here: The Flynns, the Hamblens, Rick Nelson, and the Most Notorious House in Hollywood Hardcover – February 4, 2009

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