THE family of Hollywood legend Errol Flynn will be honoured at the Portland Jerk Festival, scheduled for the historic Folly Ruins in Port Antonio on July 7.

The actor’s grandson, Luke Flynn, will collect the award from the Jamaica Tourist Board.

“We want to honour the fact that they (the Flynn family) are still living in Jamaica, as they could have returned to Hollywood and be treated like royalty there,” said Kasey Bourne, chairman of 21st Century 20/20 Vision Foundation, owners of the Portland Jerk Festival brand.

“What Errol Flynn did was to attract Hollywood’s wealthy to Portland and brought that level of awareness to the parish,” he continued.

According to local lore, the Tasmania-born Flynn discovered Port Antonio by chance after being washed ashore in his yacht, Zaca, in 1946.

The rustic parish became an escape from the Hollywood glare which made Flynn famous. His widow, Patrice Wymore Flynn, still lives on a 2,000 acre farm she inherited after his death from a heart attack in 1959.

Flynn’s acting credits include The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Captain Blood (1935), Sea Hawk (1940), Adventures of Don Juan (1948), and Istanbul (1957).

Luke Flynn, who bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather, said he left a good legacy for the parish.

“He was a champion for Portland and Jamaica. People had great things to say about him. He loved adventure, the ocean and, most of all, Jamaica,” the 37-year-old model, who has been the face for Nautica ad campaigns, told the Sunday Observer.

Born in Maryland, the younger Flynn spent his formative years in Portland.

“I came here when I was one, went to school, and stayed here until [age] 11. I’ve been on-and-off the island… between here and New York since,” he said.

“I know how to plant crops by the moon… and have 400 head of cattle,” he added.

An avid surfer, Flynn says he has sold Jamaica as a getaway spot to his friends.

“The ones I brought here, fell in love with the country and some have bought land,” he said.

Like his grandfather, Flynn has graced the silver screen in Window Theory (2005), The Brooke Ellison Story (2004), and The Penthouse (2010). He also shares screenplay credits in the movie In Like Flynn.

“I’m working on a script for a movie, Jamrock, which is loosely based on growing up in Jamaica as a surfer. It’s a love story that I would like to film at the end of summer,” he said.

And your vision for Portland?

“One of my dreams is to see the education system on track… If you want to build a great country the population has to be educated,” he said.