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John Barrymore

Actor

John Barrymore

Born February 15, 1882 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USADied May 29, 194268 films

John Sidney Blyth Barrymore (February 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an acclaimed American actor. He first gained fame as a handsome stage actor in light comedy, then high drama and culminating in groundbreaking portrayals in Shakespearean plays Hamlet and Richard III. His success continued with motion pictures in various genres in both the silent and sound eras. Barrymore's personal life has been the subject of much writing before and since his passing in 1942. Today John Barrymore is mostly known for his roles in movies like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920), Grand Hotel (1932), Dinner at Eight (1933), Twentieth Century (1934), and Don Juan (1926), the first ever movie to use a Vitaphone soundtrack.

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A member of a multi-generation theatrical dynasty, he was the brother of Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore, and was the paternal grandfather of Drew Barrymore.

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The best way into John Barrymore's work
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ posterFirst watchBen-Hur: A Tale of the Christ19257.3as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Grand Hotel poster7.0Grand Hotel1932Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde poster6.7Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1920Midnight poster7.4Midnight1939Dinner at Eight poster6.8Dinner at Eight1933Twentieth Century poster6.8Twentieth Century1934Svengali poster6.3Svengali1931The Invisible Woman poster5.7The Invisible Woman1940

Filmography

68 films as actor
  1. 2015Synthwave Horror: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeDr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
  2. 1941PlaymatesJohn Barrymore
  3. 1941World PremiereDuncan DeGrasse
  4. 1940The Invisible WomanProfessor Gibbs
  5. 1940The Great ProfileEvans Garrick
  6. 1939The Green Goddess
  7. 1939MidnightGeorges Flammarion
  8. 1939The Great Man VotesVance
  9. 1938Hold That Co-edGabby Harrigan
  10. 1938Marie AntoinetteKing Louis XV
  11. 1938Spawn of the NorthWindy Turlon
  12. 1938Romance in the DarkZoltan Jason
  13. 1938Bulldog Drummond's PerilColonel Neilson
  14. 1937True ConfessionCharles Jasper
  15. 1937Bulldog Drummond's RevengeCol. J.A. Nielson
  16. 1937Night Club ScandalDr. Ernest Tindal
  17. 1937Bulldog Drummond Comes BackColonel Neilson
  18. 1937MaytimeNicolai Nazaroff
  19. 1936Romeo and JulietMercutio
  20. 1936Movie ManiacsPhotograph of John Barrymore (uncredited)
  21. 1934Twentieth CenturyOscar Jaffe
  22. 1934Long Lost FatherCarl Bellairs
  23. 1933Counsellor at LawGeorge Simon
  24. 1933Dinner at EightLarry Renault
  25. 1933Night FlightRiviere
  26. 1933Reunion in ViennaRudolf von Hapsburg
  27. 1933Hamlet, Act I: Scenes IV and VHamlet
  28. 1933TopazeAuguste A. Topaze
  29. 1932Rasputin and the EmpressPrince Paul Chegodieff
  30. 1932A Bill of DivorcementHilary Fairfield
  31. 1932Grand HotelBaron Felix von Gaigern
  32. 1932State's AttorneyTom Cardigan
  33. 1932Arsène LupinDuke of Charmerace
  34. 1931The Mad GeniusVladimar Ivan Tsarakov
  35. 1931SvengaliSvengali
  36. 1930Moby DickAhab
  37. 1930The Man from Blankley'sLord Strathpeffer
  38. 1929General CrackDuke of Kurland / Prince Christian
  39. 1929The Show of ShowsRichard III in 'Henry VI Part III' (uncredited)
  40. 1929Eternal LoveMarcus Paltran
  41. 1928TempestSergeant Ivan Markov
  42. 1927When a Man LovesChevalier Fabien des Grieux
  43. 1927The Beloved RogueFrançois Villon
  44. 1926Don JuanDon Jose de Marana / Don Juan de Marana
  45. 1926The Sea BeastCaptain Ahab Ceeley
  46. 1925Ben-Hur: A Tale of the ChristChariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
  47. 1924Beau BrummelGordon Bryon 'Beau' Brummel
  48. 1922Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes
  49. 1921The Lotus EaterJacques Leroi
  50. 1920Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeDr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
  51. 1919The Test of HonorMartin Wingrave
  52. 1919Here Comes the BrideFrederick Tile
  53. 1918On the QuietRobert Ridgeway
  54. 1917Raffles, the Amateur CracksmanA.J. Raffles
  55. 1917National Red Cross PageantThe Tyrant - Russian episode
  56. 1916The Red WidowCicero Hannibal Butts
  57. 1916The Lost BridegroomBertie Joyce
  58. 1916Nearly a KingJack Merriwell, Prince of Bulwana
  59. 1915The Incorrigible DukaneJames Dukane
  60. 1915The DictatorBrooke Travers
  61. 1915Are You a Mason?Frank Perry
  62. 1914The Man from MexicoFitzhugh
  63. 1914An American CitizenBerresford Cruger
  64. 1913One on RomanceJack Wilson (as Jack Barrymore)
  65. 1912A Prize PackageSi Hawkins (as Jack Barrymore)
  66. 1912Just PretendingThe Policeman (as Jack Barrymore)
  67. 1912The Widow Casey's ReturnThe Rejected Suitor (as Jack Barrymore)
  68. 1912The Dream of a Moving Picture DirectorThe Movie Villain (as Jack Barrymore)