Here's a story I haven't shared much and it is my own and only near connection to the man …
Back in 1975, I knew and worked with a Spain-born fellow, who hung out with Sean Flynn (both being young teenagers) in Majorca in the 50's. He visited the Zaca, at one point, and related to me the following story:
The ship was at anchor, and people were generally relaxing about deck. Flynn did something kind of “unusual” in this young man's presence, that he still remembered MANY YEARS later. It seems that whenever a bathing suit clad young woman would walk by Errol, who was reclining in a deck chair, he would suddenly take his hand, palm up, and, moving the four lower fingers and thumb together and apart, together and apart, etc., follow the passing posterior while making chomping, pig grunting sounds … much to the amusement of himself and others. Part of the “appeal” of this action was that there was no indication it was about to happen, and that it was kind of startling and unexpected. And it “occurred” a number of times in my friend’s presence.
I have always found it to be such an amusing story to recall, not to mention UNIQUE – as it is something I have neither read nor heard of anywhere else, and also somehow typical of the kind of spontaneous “fun” in which Errol might engage.
— Karl
