The third child of Maurice and Georgie (Drew) Barrymore, John Sidney Blythe was born February 15, 1882 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother’s death in 1893 was a terrible blow to him. Educated at a military college and a prep school from which he was dismissed, John wanted to be a professional artist. He would not consider an acting career. Hired as an illustrator at the New York Evening Journal, John did not retain the job for long.
Broadway Debut and Matinee Idol Status
His sister Ethel achieved stunning success on Broadway and earned a good income. John depended upon her for financial support. Eventually, because she was paying for their father’s sanitarium care, she told her brother to find work. With her help, he was hired to perform a small role in his Broadway debut in 1903.
During that period, most plays were merely vehicles for presentation of stars. John’s eagerly-anticipated stage performance received mixed reviews. Critics commented on his similarity in voice and manner to his father’s twenty years earlier. Barrymore was reluctant to take the profession seriously. Over time, he received favorable reviews, critical acclaim, and leading-man status that lead to vaudeville and theatrical success. He was hailed as a matinee idol.
Movies were seen as disreputable among legitimate actors and producers. Their sister Ethel disapproved of Lionel and John working in films. In 1913, John Barrymore, possibly for economic reasons, made the first of many motion pictures.
Shakespearean Actor as Richard III and Hamlet
For years prior to 1916, John Barrymore was seen as an animated, joyful player of comedy parts on the stage. He was a matinee idol and colorful New York nightlife figure. Encouraged by friends and colleagues, he began a remarkable transformation. His 1910 marriage to Katherine Harris ended during that period.
The difficult and lengthy transition started with voice and diction lessons. By 1919, his performance as Shakespeare’s “Richard III” was a triumph. His “Hamlet” was also extraordinary. Those successful performances caused many to consider him the greatest Shakespearean actor.
Having divorced his wife in 1917, he married Blanche Oelriche, a member of Newport society. She wrote poetry under the name Michael Strange.
The Great Profile as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
During the silent movie era, Barrymore was frequently cast more for his good looks than for his acting talent. Knowing that, he preferred to play wildly mad characters. His 1920 film, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, was more satisfying to him than “Don Juan”. The actor known as ‘The Great Profile’ was credited with some outstanding performances in his movies.
He and his wife had one daughter, Diane Blanche Barrymore, before they divorced in 1925. He was an absentee, uninterested father. His 1928 marriage to actress Dolores Costello ended in divorce in 1935. Their children were Dolores Ethel Mae and John Drew Barrymore, father of actress Drew Barrymore.
Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore Together in Movie
During the early 1930s, John performed in more than a dozen movies. In “A Bill of Divorcement”, he played the father of Katherine Hepburn in her film debut. “Rasputin and the Empress” was the only film to present siblings Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore together.
Eventually, John’s hard-drinking and reckless lifestyle took its toll. Alcohol-related illnesses plagued him, and he was often unable to remember his lines. Several of his movie roles of the late 1930s and early 1940s were embarrassing caricatures himself.
He was involved with a nineteen-year-old college student, Elaine Barrie, his wife from 1936 until 1940. His last appearance on Broadway was a comedy that exploited his image as a has-been star. Unable to stay on script, he was subjected to scathing reviews.
While rehearsing for the Rudy Vallee radio program on which he regularly appeared, John Barrymore collapsed. The actor known as “The Great Profile” died May 29, 1942 in Los Angeles, California.
Sources:
- John Barrymore, Shakespearean Actor by Michael A. Morrison and Don B. Wilmeth,
- Published by Cambridge University Press, 1999
- The Barrymores: Hollywood's First Family by Carol Stein Hoffman and Leonard Maltin, Published by University Press of Kentucky, 2001
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