Ethel Barrymore First Lady of American Theatre

Actress Daughter of Drew and Barrymore Theatrical Family

Jun 20, 2009

Born into the famous theatrical family, Ethel Mae Blythe assumed the stage name selected by her father Maurice who wanted to avoid embarrassment to his English parents.

The younger sister of Lionel and older sister of John, Ethel was born August 15, 1879 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Maurice and Georgie (Drew) Barrymore.

Maternal Grandmother Louisa Drew

Their mother’s death from tuberculosis in 1893 meant that Ethel had to assume many adult responsibilities in the family. Maurice Barrymore was seldom in their lives. Her maternal grandmother Louisa Drew urged her to enter the theatre. To earn money, fifteen-year-old Ethel had to leave school and give up dreams of becoming a concert pianist.

Ethel Barrymore made her stage debut in New York during 1894. Her natural talent and stage presence were subjects of praise. Invited to appear in a London production, she was adored by audiences and quickly became known to England’s social and artistic elites. Back in the United States in 1898, she was a national celebrity and trendsetter.

By 1905, she was starring in lead roles on Broadway. While continuing her career, Ethel married Russell Griswold Colt in 1909 and had three children, John Drew, Samuel Barrymore, and Ethel. She continued to receive rave reviews for her stage work. In 1914, she succumbed to the lure of movies, but was not enthralled by the medium and returned to New York.

Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York

Divorced from her husband in 1921, Ethel did not marry again. Through her brilliant performances in New York, she was hailed as the First Lady of the American Theatre. In 1928, the Ethel Barrymore Theatre was opened in New York.

The Depression era was a time of financial difficulty as theatre audiences dwindled. In 1932, Ethel, Lionel, and John Barrymore performed together in the movie, “Rasputin and The Empress”. It was the only time the siblings appeared together in a film. She also appeared on a radio series that featured some of her stage roles.

Academy Award for Performance as Mother of Cary Grant

She returned to New York in 1940 to perform in some of her greatest roles. Her most recognized and acclaimed character was Miss Moffatt in the three-year run of “The Corn is Green”. During a return to Hollywood, Ethel Barrymore refused to appear in second-rate movies such as were given to her earlier. In 1944, she received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Cary Grant’s mother in “None but the Lonely Heart”.

Moving from romantic leads to strong supporting characters, Ethel performed in top films such as “The Spiral Staircase”, “Portrait of Jennie”, and “The Paradine Case”. Her last public appearance was at a televised testimonial to her on her seventy-eighth birthday. She often portrayed brittle but warm-hearted matriarchs, as in “The Farmer’s Daughter”.

Memories is the name of her autobiography. Ethel Barrymore, one of the most respected stage and film actresses of her time, died June 18, 1959, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, the last of the amazing trio.

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