Sean Flynn first appeared in front of the cameras at the age of fifteen, when he appeared in an episode of his father's television show,
The Errol Flynn Theatre. The episode, "Strange Auction," was broadcast in the U.K. in 1956 and in the U.S. in 1957. Over a summer break in June 1960, Flynn visited his mother in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At the suggestion of his friend, actor
George Hamilton, Flynn filmed a scene in Hamilton's picture
Where the Boys Are, which was shooting in Fort Lauderdale at the time. Most of his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, but he can still be seen in a scene walking past wearing a blue "
Xavier University" sweatshirt. In May 1961, at the age of 20, Flynn accepted a contract with Sage Western Pictures to appear in 1962's
Il Figlio del Capitano Blood, a sequel to his father's hit film
Captain Blood. He was paid $110 a week for the testing period, going up to $10,000 for twelve weeks' work in the film. As Flynn was still legally a minor he needed his mother's permission, which was granted. The test was successful. The film was released in the U.S. in 1964 as
The Son of Captain Blood, on a double bill with Jerry Lewis' film, "The Patsy". While not a great success in the US, it was a big hit in Europe. In September 1961 it was announced Flynn had signed a recording contract for a company known as Hi-Fidelity R.V. Records, and had already recorded four songs for them. Two came out: "Secret Love" b/w "Stay in My Heart". The songs were released as a 45 rpm single (Arvee A 5043, 1961, and HiFi Records R. 9003, 1962). In 1962, Hamilton announced that he wanted to make
The Brothers, based on a story by Hamilton, starring himself, Flynn, and
Terry Thomas, but the film was never made. Around this time Flynn's fiancé was
Julie Payne, daughter of actors
John Payne and
Anne Shirley. A few years later he was engaged to Alessandra Panao. Flynn made a few more films in Europe, including
Il segno di Zorro (1963; released in 1964 as
Duel at the Rio Grande),
Verspätung in Marienborn with
José Ferrer (1963; released in 1964 as
Stop Train 349),
Agent Special a Venise "Voir Venise et...Crever" (1964; sold to U.S. television syndication as
Mission to Venice), and
Sandok, Il Maciste della Jungla (1964; released in 1966 as
Temple of the White Elephant). His movies did well in European markets, yet Flynn became bored with acting, and he went to Africa in late 1964 to try his hand at being a guide for
safaris and
big-game hunting. He also spent time as a game warden in Kenya. In the latter part of 1965, Flynn needed money, so he made two
Spaghetti Westerns in Spain and Italy that were released in 1966:
Sette Magnifiche Pistole (
Seven Guns for Timothy) and
Dos Pistolas Gemelas (
Sharp-Shooting Twin Sisters) co-starring the Spanish twin performers
Pili and Mili. In the summer of 1966, Flynn went to Singapore to star in his eighth and final film, the French–Italian action film
Cinq Gars Pour Singapour (1967; released in 1968 as
Five Ashore in Singapore). == Photojournalism career ==