Golden age: Roll call

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John Drew Barrymore was the son of John Barrymore Sr. He was billed as John Barrymore Jr. in his first few motion pictures in the early 1950s. His father had been deceased for almost a decade by that point, and it was now his turn. In subsequent movies, his billing was changed to add ‘Drew,' a name that was also given to his youngest child, actress Drew Barrymore. John Drew’s early screen roles showed he had inherited some of his famous father’s talent, and he gives strong performances in THE SUNDOWNERS and in Paramount’s historical adventure QUEBEC, filmed in Technicolor. He excelled at challenging roles and seemed to be headed towards greatness. Later work was more sporadic, but he does have a great assignment as a serial killer in Fritz Lang’s noir WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS, which he plays perfectly. In the 1960s, addictions and personal problems derailed his career but he would occasionally appear on television. There was a memorable job in Universal’s made-for-TV remake of WINCHESTER ’73 in 1967, though he looked quite different. A man who had started with so much promise was again showing audiences he had it inside him to give a worthy Barrymore performance.

John Drew Barrymore present and accounted for..!

[rayban]

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John Drew Barrymore was the son of John Barrymore Sr. He was billed as John Barrymore Jr. in his first few motion pictures in the early 1950s. His father had been deceased for almost a decade by that point, and it was now his turn. In subsequent movies, his billing was changed to add ‘Drew,' a name that was also given to his youngest child, actress Drew Barrymore. John Drew’s early screen roles showed he had inherited some of his famous father’s talent, and he gives strong performances in THE SUNDOWNERS and in Paramount’s historical adventure QUEBEC, filmed in Technicolor. He excelled at challenging roles and seemed to be headed towards greatness. Later work was more sporadic, but he does have a great assignment as a serial killer in Fritz Lang’s noir WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS, which he plays perfectly. In the 1960s, addictions and personal problems derailed his career but he would occasionally appear on television. There was a memorable job in Universal’s made-for-TV remake of WINCHESTER ’73 in 1967, though he looked quite different. A man who had started with so much promise was again showing audiences he had it inside him to give a worthy Barrymore performance.

John Drew Barrymore present and accounted for..!

He was an astonishingly beautiful man!  But I don't really know his work.

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He was an astonishingly beautiful man!  But I don't really know his work.

He's someone who should have been a bigger star, and not because of nepotism. He really could act. Check out QUEBEC, THE BIG NIGHT (a very good noir), and of course WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS.

[GregoryPeckfan]

I see While the City Sleeps on a regular basis.  He was an important link in the Barrymore chain as he was the only son of the siblings who had that last name.

 

Thanks for the recommendations of other titles of his work.

[wouldbestar]

The first thing I ever saw John Drew Barrymore in was The Ruttledge Monroe Story episode of Wagon Train from the end of Season 1.  He's quite frightening there scaring the hell out of Mala Powers for much of the show.  He was again as an outlaw leader in one of the hour-long Gunsmokes.   There was a lot of talent wasted there.

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The first thing I ever saw John Drew Barrymore in was The Ruttledge Monroe Story episode of Wagon Train from the end of Season 1.  He's quite frightening there scaring the hell out of Mala Powers for much of the show.  He was again as an outlaw leader in one of the hour-long Gunsmokes.   There was a lot of talent wasted there.

Completely agree. His half-sister Diana Barrymore is also great in the few films she made. I will be featuring her tomorrow.

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Diana Barrymore grew up not knowing her famous father, John Barrymore Sr. But like her half-brother John Drew, she inherited dad’s looks and talent. At the age of 18, while her father was still making films in 1939, she appeared on the cover of Life magazine and soon was on Broadway in a play that capitalized on her name and participation. Based on the success of this stage experience, she was offered a movie contract in 1940 at Warner Brothers. Warners put her in a few small roles but nothing really came of it. It wasn’t until early 1942 that she signed with Universal, and she was immediately placed in starring roles. The year 1942 was an important one for Diana. Her father died that year, but she was riding the crest of her popularity at Universal, starring in three major motion pictures. Her leading men in those were Robert Stack, Robert Cummings and Brian Donlevy. And in one film, Kay Francis played her mother (like she had with Deanna Durbin at that time). The following year, Diana made a western for Universal and a romantic comedy. But there were reports in the press about her wild partying ways. Universal featured her in one more picture in 1944 with Loretta Young, then she was dropped. She concentrated on marriage after this, though her wedded bliss was short-lived. She left the country for awhile with her next husband, returning in the early 50s for bit roles in films and sporadic appearances on television. Personal problems and addictions plagued her, as they did her father and half-brother. By 1957, she authored a tell-all called ‘Too Much Too Soon’ that became a bestseller. It was also turned into a motion picture by her old studio Warner Brothers, with Dorothy Malone playing her as a drunken nymphomaniac. Diana was dead by 1960, at the age of 38—gone too soon, but her excellent performances live on, especially in those Universal pictures where she was in her prime.

Diana Barrymore present and accounted for..!

[CaveGirl]

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Diana Barrymore grew up not knowing her famous father, John Barrymore Sr. But like her half-brother John Drew, she inherited dad’s looks and talent. At the age of 18, while her father was still making films in 1939, she appeared on the cover of Life magazine and soon was on Broadway in a play that capitalized on her name and participation. Based on the success of this stage experience, she was offered a movie contract in 1940 at Warner Brothers. Warners put her in a few small roles but nothing really came of it. It wasn’t until early 1942 that she signed with Universal, and she was immediately placed in starring roles. The year 1942 was an important one for Diana. Her father died that year, but she was riding the crest of her popularity at Universal, starring in three major motion pictures. Her leading men in those were Robert Stack, Robert Cummings and Brian Donlevy. And in one film, Kay Francis played her mother (like she had with Deanna Durbin at that time). The following year, Diana made a western for Universal and a romantic comedy. But there were reports in the press about her wild partying ways. Universal featured her in one more picture in 1944 with Loretta Young, then she was dropped. She concentrated on marriage after this, though her wedded bliss was short-lived. She left the country for awhile with her next husband, returning in the early 50s for bit roles in films and sporadic appearances on television. Personal problems and addictions plagued her, as they did her father and half-brother. By 1957, she authored a tell-all called ‘Too Much Too Soon’ that became a bestseller. It was also turned into a motion picture by her old studio Warner Brothers, with Dorothy Malone playing her as a drunken nymphomaniac. Diana was dead by 1960, at the age of 38—gone too soon, but her excellent performances live on, especially in those Universal pictures where she was in her prime.

Diana Barrymore present and accounted for..!

I've read that book, TB and it is quite revealing. One funny thing I remember is that Diana took credit for starting the trend for women to get a tan on vacation. She said that at that time people thought a tan indicated that one worked on a farm, but she thought it would look smashing with her all-white wardrobe for the vacation and so tanned and came back to the States as "brown as a berry" and then everyone started imitating her. True or not, makes for a good story. Great write-up as usual!

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I've read that book, TB and it is quite revealing. One funny thing I remember is that Diana took credit for starting the trend for women to get a tan on vacation. She said that at that time people thought a tan indicated that one worked on a farm, but she thought it would look smashing with her all-white wardrobe for the vacation and so tanned and came back to the States as "brown as a berry" and then everyone started imitating her. True or not, makes for a good story. Great write-up as usual!

Thanks CG. She was definitely larger than life. There's a commentary I wrote a few years ago about her films. Let me find it and share it.

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Diana Barrymore on screen

 

 

Diana left behind some excellent filmed performances and is deserving of a newfound appreciation.

 

BETWEEN US GIRLS (1942)..In her official debut at Universal, Diana gives a spirited performance as the daughter of Kay Francis and the would-be girlfriend of Robert Cummings. The plot is reminiscent of THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR, where Diana– not wanting to upset her mother’s chances at happiness with super-rich John Boles (who thinks Francis is 30 thanks to a little white lie) pretends to be a 12-year old girl. Funny stuff, and Henry Koster’s direction ensures fine performances from the whole cast.

 

EAGLE SQUADRON (1942)..This time Diana plays a British girl who receives the attentions of an American Air Force pilot played by Robert Stack. A well-made war drama directed by Arthur Lubin, it features some tense action sequences.

 

NIGHTMARE (1942)..A superb crime mystery that pairs Diana with Brian Donlevy. Donlevy plays a former gambler who gets mixed up with saboteurs and Nazi agents. Diana is the young widow of a man who was murdered by the Germans, and Donlevy seeks to protect her and bring her husband’s killers to justice.

 

FIRED WIFE (1943)..This comedy was Diana’s third film under her Universal contract.  It was conceived as a follow-up to Rosalind Russell’s smash hit HIRED WIFE.  But Russell was busy making MY SISTER EILEEN at Columbia, and the director did not want to wait so the role was offered to Marlene Dietrich, who turned it down.  Since Diana had fared well in her first two pictures for the studio, Universal decided to put her in this one and promote her as an A-list actress with a huge advertising campaign.  Robert Cummings was set to costar with Diana again, but he objected to portions of the script and was placed on suspension.  So Robert Paige stepped in.

 

FRONTIER BADMEN (1943)..Diana is reunited with Robert Paige in her first and only western.  She plays a dance hall girl who comes between Paige and his sweetheart, played by Anne Gwynne.

 

LADIES COURAGEOUS (1944)..This is an all-star war drama told from the point of view of female pilots.  Loretta Young has the lead role, and Diana plays a spoiled brat who must learn the hard way what sort of sacrifices need to be made to help the men win the war.  The film has some interesting sequences, especially when the ladies fly bombers from the factories into the war zone. 

 

HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN (1944)..Helping the war effort in another way, Diana joins an all-star cast at Warner Brothers for this comedy-musical revue helmed by Delmer Daves.  She has scenes as a junior hostess.

 

D.O.A. (1950)..Diana's contract at Universal ended in the mid-40s. She was involved in a high-profile divorce and returned to stage work. In 1950, she made an uncredited appearance in this Edmond O’Brien film noir.

 

THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952)..Diana’s private life and excessive drinking was already the stuff of legend. Undoubtedly, Lana Turner’s character in this MGM drama about life behind-the-scenes in Hollywood is based on Diana.

 

TOO MUCH, TOO SOON (1958)..After a series of personal health issues and professional setbacks, Diana’s career had hit the skids by the mid-1950s.  Though she did continue to find stage work.  Now in her mid-thirties, she wrote her autobiography and Warner Brothers optioned the rights.  It was turned into a sensational drama starring Dorothy Malone as Diana and Errol Flynn as her father, John Barrymore.

 

Mike Wallace Interview (1957)..Diana sat down for a 30-minute interview with television journalist Mike Wallace. She discussed her autobiography, her tumultuous family life, documented battles to attain sobriety, and her own acting career. This was the last screen appearance for her. Diana would die in 1960 at the age of 38 from wounds sustained in a fire.

 

 

[rayban]

Dorothy Malone gave a superb performance as Diana Barrymore in "Too Much Too Soon".

 

And Errol Flynn was quite effective as her famous father, John Barrymore.

 

In the film the final phases of her life were quite heartbreaking.

 

Malone won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Written On The Wind" and she could've easily won one for Best Actress in "Too Much Too Soon".

[GregoryPeckfan]

D.O.A. is my favourite performance of hers so far that I have seen.

[TopBilled]

Dorothy Malone gave a superb performance as Diana Barrymore in "Too Much Too Soon".

 

And Errol Flynn was quite effective as her famous father, John Barrymore.

 

In the film the final phases of her life were quite heartbreaking.

 

Malone won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Written On The Wind" and she could've easily won one for Best Actress in "Too Much Too Soon".

Obviously, Malone's Oscar work in the Sirk melodrama cinched her casting in the Barrymore biopic. As you say, she's excellent in both productions.

 

And if TOO MUCH TOO SOON had been made after 1960, they would probably have had a different ending depicting Diana's tragic death.

[rayban]

Dorothy Malone was also excellent in Douglas Sirk's melodrama, "The Tarnished Angels", where she was re-teamed with Rock Hudson and Robert Stack and where they were equally - but differently - effective.

 

Now, Dorothy Malone was married to Robert Stack - and Rock Hudson was on the outside, looking in.

 

Dorothy Malone also starred with Robert Stack in Andrew L. Stone's "The Last Voyage", which is quite a ride of a film.

 

She also starred with Rock Hudson in an interesting Western, "The Last Sunset".

 

Malone, Hudson and Stack - an awesome team!

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Dorothy Malone was also excellent in Douglas Sirk's melodrama, "The Tarnished Angels", where she was re-teamed with Rock Hudson and Robert Stack and where they were equally - but differently - effective.

 

Now, Dorothy Malone was married to Robert Stack - and Rock Hudson was on the outside, looking in.

 

Dorothy Malone also starred with Robert Stack in Andrew L. Stone's "The Last Voyage", which is quite a ride of a film.

 

She also starred with Rock Hudson in an interesting Western, "The Last Sunset".

 

Malone, Hudson and Stack - an awesome team!

I agree, Ray. When Rock was Star of the Month last year they played THE LAST SUNSET. I had seen it before on TCM, several years ago. But I love it and will watch it anytime it airs. Malone had chemistry with all her leading men, whether they were playing her husbands or her brothers. LOL

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Ethel Barrymore was one of America’s leading stage actresses. A New York theatre named in her honor proves it. She went to Hollywood in the early 1930s and made a motion picture with her brothers John and Lionel called RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS. Of course, she played the Empress in that production. But she would soon return to the stage where she was a real star. By the mid-1940s, producer David Selznick had lured her back to the movie capital, signing the highly regarded actress to a long-term contract. He persuaded her to give films another chance, and lucky for us she did. She soon earned an Oscar as Cary Grant’s mother in NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART. There were additional supporting roles in the 1940s that brought with them more Oscar nominations. She was quickly typecast as the elderly invalid, which she played to great effect in THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE, PINKY and KIND LADY, where she has a lead role. In the 1950s, she still took on movie parts, but she also appeared on television. Near the end of her life, she hosted a TV anthology program. And in 1957 she made her last film, JOHNNY TROUBLE, as a den mother of sorts to a group of college fraternity boys. She would pass away two years later, just before her 80^th birthday, having outlived both her brothers.

Ethel Barrymore present and accounted for..!

[CaveGirl]

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Ethel Barrymore was one of America’s leading stage actresses. A New York theatre named in her honor proves it. She went to Hollywood in the early 1930s and made a motion picture with her brothers John and Lionel called RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS. Of course, she played the Empress in that production. But she would soon return to the stage where she was a real star. By the mid-1940s, producer David Selznick had lured her back to the movie capital, signing the highly regarded actress to a long-term contract. He persuaded her to give films another chance, and lucky for us she did. She soon earned an Oscar as Cary Grant’s mother in NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART. There were additional supporting roles in the 1940s that brought with them more Oscar nominations. She was quickly typecast as the elderly invalid, which she played to great effect in THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE, PINKY and KIND LADY, where she has a lead role. In the 1950s, she still took on movie parts, but she also appeared on television. Near the end of her life, she hosted a TV anthology program. And in 1957 she made her last film, JOHNNY TROUBLE, as a den mother of sorts to a group of college fraternity boys. She would pass away two years later, just before her 80^th birthday, having outlived both her brothers.

Ethel Barrymore present and accounted for..!

I remember reading in that book about John called "Goodnight, Sweet Prince" many stories about Ethel and the Drew family. It is a great read if one is interested in the whole family of acting giants and all their stage experience. Great post, TB!

[rayban]

Great talent, her most "delicious" role might have been as Victor Mature's possessive mother in "Moss Rose".

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Great talent, her most "delicious" role might have been as Victor Mature's possessive mother in "Moss Rose".

It's one I haven't seen (yet). TCM has never aired it. And I don't remember it being broadcast on FXM Retro...unless it was and I missed it.

[MCannady1]

Great talent, her most "delicious" role might have been as Victor Mature's possessive mother in "Moss Rose".

You just reminded me of the great FIlm Noir with Peggy Cummins, THe Moss Rose. This fantastic

film was a tour de force from her spectacular role in The Spiral Staircase! In both our Ethel was beyond

superb!

[MCannady1]

It's one I haven't seen (yet). TCM has never aired it. And I don't remember it being broadcast on FXM Retro...unless it was and I missed it.

I shall say no more, for I would not want to spoil you seeing it. Suffice it to say that Ethel could play

a scary role or a kindly one like in Portrait of Jennie. One of her stellar performances was in The

Spiral Staircase which I saw as a young child on TV. Today I am still impressed. Whatever the role,

this special actress was unforgettable, as were John and Lionel, her famous brothers.

 

If you have trouble getting Moss ROse, I have it and would be glad to send it to you.

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Lionel Barrymore and Lew Ayres first appeared as Dr. Gillespie and Dr. Kildare on a radio program in 1938 meant to promote their first feature together as the distinguished medics. The Kildare story, about a young intern who becomes a doctor at a New York City hospital, had previously been filmed by Paramount with Joel McCrea. But when MGM bought the rights to the material and developed its own film series, Lew Ayres was cast as Kildare and Barrymore was assigned the role of the crusty mentor. The rapport between Ayres and Barrymore was a hit with audiences and for the next four years, a total of nine Kildare movies were made. When Ayres ran into trouble for being a conscientious objector and refusing to serve in combat during WWII, his scenes from a tenth Kildare picture were edited out. The series continued with Barrymore’s character mentoring new doctors, played by the studio’s other young leading men. Barrymore did six of these without Ayres, and the movie franchise concluded in 1947. But in the summer of 1949, MGM rehired Ayres, who had worked as a corpsman in the military and regained public favor, to resume playing Kildare on radio. He was again teamed with Barrymore as Gillespie. About sixty one-hour radio episodes were produced. After that, there were plans for a television series with just Ayres that did not get off the ground. In the 1960s, though, MGM did try again and produced a long-running TV program with Richard Chamberlain taking over for Ayres, and Raymond Massey taking over the role made popular by Barrymore.

Lionel Barrymore and Lew Ayres present and accounted for..!

[CaveGirl]

Not to besmirch the Barrymore family reputation, as if I could do it any more damage, but wasn't there controversy about the real reason that Lionel had to be in a wheelchair in films, TB.

 

I seem to remember, maybe from the Gene Fowler book on John, something about Lionel having a morphine addiction that restricted him to the chair. Some said this morphine was necessary for an extreme case of arthritis or a hip injury, but others discounted it.

 

John had more problems with liquor while carousing with friends like Fowler, Decker, Flynn, Carradine and such but even that did not stop him from being a good judge of character. As I recall after marrying Dolores Costello he once said something like that the only book she'd ever read was the Butterick dress pattern book.

 

Whatever is true, Lionel was a true trooper and genius onscreen! Thanks for the synopsis, TB.

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Not to besmirch the Barrymore family reputation, as if I could do it any more damage, but wasn't there controversy about the real reason that Lionel had to be in a wheelchair in films, TB.

 

I seem to remember, maybe from the Gene Fowler book on John, something about Lionel having a morphine addiction that restricted him to the chair. Some said this morphine was necessary for an extreme case of arthritis or a hip injury, but others discounted it.

 

John had more problems with liquor while carousing with friends like Fowler, Decker, Flynn, Carradine and such but even that did not stop him from being a good judge of character. As I recall after marrying Dolores Costello he once said something like that the only book she'd ever read was the Butterick dress pattern book.

 

Whatever is true, Lionel was a true trooper and genius onscreen! Thanks for the synopsis, TB.

I don't know about Lionel's medical problems. I do know that he was supposed to play FDR in a film MGM was making shortly after the president's death, but the Roosevelt family objected to it. Though that may have been on political grounds.

[MCannady1]

Not to besmirch the Barrymore family reputation, as if I could do it any more damage, but wasn't there controversy about the real reason that Lionel had to be in a wheelchair in films, TB.

 

I seem to remember, maybe from the Gene Fowler book on John, something about Lionel having a morphine addiction that restricted him to the chair. Some said this morphine was necessary for an extreme case of arthritis or a hip injury, but others discounted it.

 

John had more problems with liquor while carousing with friends like Fowler, Decker, Flynn, Carradine and such but even that did not stop him from being a good judge of character. As I recall after marrying Dolores Costello he once said something like that the only book she'd ever read was the Butterick dress pattern book.

 

Whatever is true, Lionel was a true trooper and genius onscreen! Thanks for the synopsis, TB.

 

I had read about the drinking of both Lionel and John. They were superb actors. I just love Dolores

Costello, and feel that (of course I was not born yet!) Lionel was doing her an injustice about the dress

patterns. Okay, so she was great at being a seamstress, but may have read many fine books her husband

was not aware of. My mother for example. often made great dresses from Butterick patterns in the 50's

and 60's when we were children. She was a very gifted schoolteacher and had won the teacher of the year award here

in Redondo Beach, California twice over the years. Mention of Butterick patterns reminded me of watching

her sew several lovely garments when I was very young. She did engender a love of reading fine books in

my sister and myself, which went hand in hand with her long-tune teaching of 4th and 5th grade...

 

I have always loved older films and have come to admire Silent films in the last few years. I really like

Dolores and Helene in their Silent films. I just saw Helene in a Special about Silent films, a 3 part series.

Though she was a gifted actress, it does not sound like the Barrymores had a happy marriage. That is sad

about Lionel in the wheelchair. I thought it was only in the films. as Dr. Gillespie. He and his

brother John were really superb actors.

 

But this is not a measure of their intelligence.