John Barrymore

John Barrymore (1882-1942) was an American stage and screen actor whose rise to superstardom and subsequent decline is one of the legendary tragedies of Hollywood. A member of the most famous generation of the most famous theatrical family in America, he was also its most acclaimed star. He excelled in high drama, in productions of 'Justice' (1916), 'Richard III' (1920), and 'Hamlet' (1922). After a success as Hamlet in London in 1925, Barrymore left the stage for 14 years and instead focused entirely on films.


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 844. Photo: Warner Bros. Produktion. John Barrymore in The Sea Beast (Millard Webb, 1926), based on 'Moby Dick' by Melville.


British postcard in the Famous Cinema Stars Series by Beagles Postcards, no. 178.U. Photo: Warner Bros.


French postcard by Cinémagazine-Edition, Paris, no. 126. John Barrymore in Sherlock Holmes (Albert Parker, 1922).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3820/1. Photo: United Artists. John Barrymore in Tempest (Sam Taylor, 1928).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7285/1, 1932-1933. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Greta Garbo and John Barrymore in Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932).

His generation's most acclaimed Hamlet

John Barrymore was born John Sidney Blyth in 1882 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was Maurice Blyth (or Blythe; family spellings vary), a stage success under the name Maurice Barrymore. His mother, Georgie Drew, was the daughter of actor John Drew. Although well known in the theatre, Maurice and Georgie were eclipsed by their three children, John, Lionel Barrymore, and Ethel Barrymore, each of whom became legendary stars.

John was handsome and roguish. He made his stage debut at age 18 in one of his father's productions but was much more interested in becoming an artist. Briefly educated at King's College, Wimbledon, and at New York's Art Students League, Barrymore worked as a freelance artist and for a while sketched for the New York Evening Journal.

Gradually, though, the draw of his family's profession ensnared him, and by 1905, he had given up professional drawing and was touring the country in plays. He survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and in 1909, became a major Broadway star in 'The Fortune Hunter'.

In 1922, Barrymore became his generation's most acclaimed 'Hamlet', in New York and London. But by this time, he had become a frequent player in films. His screen debut supposedly came in An American Citizen (J. Searle Dawley, 1914), though records of several lost films indicate he may have made appearances as far back as 1912.

During the silent film era, he was well received in such pictures as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (John S. Robertson, 1920), Sherlock Holmes (Albert Parker, 1922) with Roland Young as Dr. John Watson, and The Sea Beast (Millard Webb, 1926), the first adaptation of the novel 'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville. Barrymore became every bit the star of films that he was on stage, eclipsing his siblings in both arenas.


Spanish card by La Novela Semanal Cinematográfica, no. 114.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 55/2. Photo: Warner Bros./Bruckman Verleih. John Barrymore in The Sea Beast (Millard Webb, 1926), based on 'Moby Dick' by Herman Melville.


Vintage postcard. Photo: Warner Bros. John Barrymore in Don Juan (Alan Crosland, 1926).


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 5189. Photo: Warner Bros. / National. Dolores Costello and John Barrymore in When a Man Loves (Alan Crosland, 1927).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 3489/1, 1928-1929. Photo: United Artists. John Barrymore in Tempest (Sam Taylor, 1928).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 4931/2, 1929-1930. Photo: Warner Bros. / National. John Barrymore in General Crack (Alan Crosland, 1929).

Striking matinee idol looks

Though his striking matinee-idol looks had garnered him the nickname "The Great Profile", John Barrymore often buried them under makeup or distortion in order to create memorable characters of degradation or horror. He was a romantic leading man into the early days of talkies.

His stage-trained voice proved an asset when sound film was introduced. The three Barrymore siblings appeared in only one film together: Rasputin and the Empress (Richard Boleslawski, 1932). Lionel and John appeared without Ethel in Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932), Arsène Lupin (Jack Conway, 1932), Night Flight (Clarence Brown, 1933), and Dinner at Eight (George Cukor, 1933).

His other big successes were the screwball comedies Twentieth Century (Howard Hawks, 1934) with Carole Lombard and Midnight (Mitchell Leisen, 1939) with Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche. John's heavy drinking since boyhood began to take a toll, and he degenerated quickly into a man old before his time.

He made a number of memorable appearances in character roles, but these became over time more memorable for the humiliation of a once-great star than for his gifts. His last few films were broad and distasteful caricatures of himself, though, in even the worst, such as Playmates (David Butler, 1941) with Kay Kyser and Lupe Velez, he could rouse himself to a moving soliloquy from 'Hamlet'.

John Barrymore died in 1942 in Los Angeles, mourned as much for the loss of his life as for the loss of grace, wit, and brilliance which had characterised his career at its height. Barrymore married and divorced four times. His wives were Katherine Corri Harris (1910-1917), Blanche Oelrichs (1920-1928), Dolores Costello (1928-1935), and Elaine Barrie (1936-1940). He was the father of John Drew Barrymore and Diana Barrymore, and the grandfather of Drew Barrymore.


Spanish collectors card by Chocolates Amatller, Barcelona, in the 'Artistas de cine' series, no. 24: John Barrymore. Image: Martinez Surroca. The picture refers to the Moby Dick adaptation The Sea Beast (Millard Webb, 1926).


Austrian postcard by Iris-Verlag, no. 5095. Photo: United Artists.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 4030/1, 1929-1930. Photo: United Artists. Camilla Horn and John Barrymore in Eternal Love (Ernst Lubitsch, 1929).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 4930/1, 1930-1931. Photo: Warner Bros. / National. Marion Nixon and John Barrymore in General Crack (Alan Crosland, 1929).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 160/4. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford and John Barrymore in Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932). Collection: Geoffrey Donaldson Institute.


British postcard in The Film Shots Series by Film Weekly. Photo: M.G.M. (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). Ralph Morgan, Tad Alexander, Ethel Barrymore and John Barrymore in Rasputin and the Empress (Richard Boleslavsky, 1932).


Dutch postcard, no. 556. Photo: M.G.M. Madge Evans and John Barrymore in Dinner at Eight (George Cukor, 1933).


British postcard in the 'Filmshots' series by Film Weekly. Photo: RKO. John Barrymore in Topaze (Harry D'Abbadie D'Arrast, 1933).


French postcard by P.C., Paris, no. 36.


French postcard by EC (Editions Chantal, Paris), no. 51 Photo: M.G.M.


Belgian collectors card by Nels Bromurite for Kwatta. Photo: RKO Radio.

Sources: Jim Beaver (IMDb), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

Grand Hotel (1932)

Grand Hotel (1932) was an all-star drama, directed by Edmund Goulding and produced by Irving Thalberg for M.G.M. William A. Drake wrote the screenplay based on his own play Grand Hotel (1930) which in turn was based on the German novel Menschen im Hotel (1929) by Vicki Baum. The film won an Oscar for Best Picture and was a box office hit. The phrase "Grand Hotel theme" has come to be used for any film drama following the activities of various people in a large busy place, with some characters' lives overlapping in odd ways and some of them remaining unaware of one another's existence.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7244/1, 1932-1933, distributed in Italy by Casa Editrice Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Jean Hersholt.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7249/1, 1932-1933. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Greta Garbo.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 7285/1, 1932-1933. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Greta Garbo and John Barrymore.

People come, people go. Nothing ever happens

The setting for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) is Berlin's plushest, most expensive hotel. Lewis Stone plays Doctor Otternschlag, a disfigured veteran of World War I, usually drunk and a permanent resident of the Grand Hotel. He observes: "People coming, going. Nothing ever happens". His statement proves to be false, as the film follows several guests over the course of one tumultuous day.

John Barrymore is Baron Felix von Geigern, who squandered his fortune and supports himself as a card player and occasional jewel thief. He befriends Otto Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore), a lowly bookkeeper who is dying and has decided to spend his remaining days in the lap of luxury. Kringelein's former employer, industrialist General Director Preysing (Wallace Beery), is at the hotel to close an important deal, and he hires stenographer Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford) to assist him. She aspires to be an actress and shows Preysing some magazine photos for which she posed, implying she is willing to offer him more than typing if he advances her career.

Another guest is the eccentric Russian prima ballerina Grusinskaya (Greta Garbo), whose career is on the wane. When the Baron is in her room to steal her pearls and she returns from the theatre, he hides in her room and overhears as she talks to herself about wanting to end it all. He comes out of hiding and engages her in conversation, and Grusinskaya finds herself attracted to him. The following morning, the Baron returns Grusinskaya's jewels, and she forgives his crime. She invites him to accompany her to Vienna, an offer he accepts.

The Baron is desperate for money to pay his way out of the criminal group he had been working with. He and Kringelein get a card game going, and Kringelein wins everything, then becomes intoxicated. When he drops his wallet, the Baron stashes it in his pocket, intending to keep the winnings. However, after Kringelein begins to search for his lost belongings, the Baron – who desperately needs the money but has become very fond of Kringelein – pretends to have discovered the wallet and returns it to him.

As part of a desperate merger plan, Preysing must travel to London, and he asks Flaemmchen to accompany him. Later, when the two are in her room, which opens on to his, Preysing sees the shadow of the Baron rifling through his belongings. He confronts the Baron; the two struggle, and Preysing bludgeons the Baron with the telephone, killing him. Flaemmchen sees what happened and tells Kringelein, who confronts Preysing. He insists he acted in self-defense, but Kringelein summons the police and Preysing is arrested.

Grusinskaya departs for the train station, expecting to find the Baron waiting for her there. Meanwhile, Kringelein offers to take care of Flaemmchen, who suggests they seek a cure for his illness. As they leave the hotel, Doctor Otternschlag again observes, "Grand Hotel. Always the same. People come. People go. Nothing ever happens."


Dutch postcard, no. 357. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Greta Garbo and John Barrymore. The subtitle mentions the German release title Menschen im Hotel, also the title of the book by Vicky Baum on which the film was based. The mark on the card is that of the Dutch Board of Film Censors.


Dutch postcard, no. 359. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Ferdinand Gottschalk (Pimenov), Greta Garbo (Grusinskaya) and Rafaela Ottiano (Suzette).


Dutch postcard by JosPe, no. 381. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Greta Garbo.

I want to be alone

Producer Irving Thalberg purchased the rights to Vicki Baum's novel Menschen im Hotel for $13,000 and then commissioned William Absalom Drake to adapt it for the stage. It opened on Broadway at the National Theatre on 13 November 1930 and ran for 459 performances. Pleased with its success, Thalberg had Drake and Béla Balázs write the screenplay and budgeted the project at $700,000.

Thalberg made it into MGM's first 'all star' film with an A-list of star performers: the divine Garbo, not one but two Barrymores, Wallace Beery, Joan Crawford, Lewis Stone, and with Jean Hersholt, Rafaela Ottiano and Ferdinand Gottschalk in sterling supporting roles. There was concern that putting so much talent into one film, instead of spreading the stars out over 4 or 5 films, would lose the studio money. But Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) was a great success, critically and financially.

Grand Hotel (1932) was seen as an artistic achievement in its art direction and production quality. The art director, Cedric Gibbons, was one of the most important and influential in the history of American film. The lobby scenes were extremely well done, portraying a 360° desk. This allowed audiences to watch the hotel action from all around the characters. It changed the way sets were made from that point onward.

Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times praised in 1932 the performances of Greta Garbo and John Barrymore, in a mostly positive review. "So far as the direction is concerned, Edmund Goulding has done an excellent piece of work, but occasionally it seems as though he relies too much on close-ups. Nevertheless he has sustained a steady momentum in darting here and there in the busy hostelry and working up to an effective dramatic pitch at the psychological moment. (...) Miss Garbo, possibly appreciating that she was supported by a galaxy of efficient performers, decided that she would do her utmost to make her role shine. And she succeeds admirably. She is stunning in her early scenes and charming in the love scene with Baron Geigern, portrayed by John Barrymore with his usual savoir faire."

More than 80 years later, Ron Oliver reviews at IMDb: "Watch how the plot weaves the threads of the characters' lives into a finished tapestry. One of the great movies. Tremendously satisfying." And Richard Gilliam at AllMovie adds: "Grand Hotel is the prototype for the all-star ensemble film and an excellent example of the rich and glamorous escapist entertainment, often from MGM, that took on enhanced prominence during the Depression. Produced by Irving Thalberg using top-end ingredients and state-of-the-art technology, it is yet another example of MGM's dominance during the 1930s for this type of film."

At the time of the shooting, there was some controversy about Greta Garbo, with her strong Swedish accent, impersonating the Russian dancer Grusinskaya, played on the stage by Eugenie Leontovich. She delivers the line "I want to be alone" and, immediately following, "I just want to be alone." Soon after, in conversation with Baron Felix von Gaigern (John Barrymore), she says "And I want to be alone." Referring to its legendary use as a characterisation of her personal reclusive life, Garbo later insisted, "I never said I want to be alone; I only said 'I want to be let alone.' There is all the difference.


British postcard by Film Weekly. Photo: M.G.M. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, and John Barrymore.


British postcard by Film Weekly. Photo: M.G.M. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Greta Garbo and John Barrymore.


British postcard by Film Weekly. Photo: M.G.M. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, and Lionel Barrymore.


British postcard by Film Weekly. Photo: M.G.M. Publicity still for Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Joan Crawford and John Barrymore.

Sources: Mordaunt Hall (New York Times), Ron Oliver (IMDb), Richard Gilliam (AllMovie), Wikipedia and IMDb.