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Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul (1931), and remains best known to modern audiences for the role of villainous Mr. Potter in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. He is also particularly remembered as Ebenezer Scrooge in annual broadcasts of A Christmas Carol during his last two decades. He is also known for playing Dr. Leonard Gillespie in MGM's nine Dr. Kildare films, a role he reprised in a further six films focussing solely on Gillespie and in a radio series entitled The Story of Dr. Kildare. He was a member of the theatrical Barrymore family.
Academy Awards
Best Actor
Known For
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Mr. Potter
Grand Hotel
(1932)
Otto Kringelein
The Show
(1927)
The Greek
Key Largo
(1948)
James Temple
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
(1925)
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Duel in the Sun
(1946)
Sen. Jackson McCanles
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
You Can't Take It with You
(1938)
Grandpa Martin Vanderhof
Captains Courageous
(1937)
Captain Disko Troop
Mata Hari
(1931)
General Serge Shubin
Treasure Island
(1934)
Billy Bones
Camille
(1936)
Monsieur Duval
A Guy Named Joe
(1943)
The General
Test Pilot
(1938)
Howard B. Drake
That's Entertainment!
(1974)
(archive footage) (uncredited)
The Devil-Doll
(1936)
Paul Lavond
Full Filmography
Acting
The White Caps
(1905)
Fighting Blood
(1911)
The Battle
(1911)
Wagon Driver (uncredited)
The Miser's Heart
(1911)
Jules - the Thief
The Musketeers of Pig Alley
(1912)
The Musician's Friend
The New York Hat
(1912)
Minister
So Near, Yet So Far
(1912)
In Club
Friends
(1912)
Grizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
The Burglar’s Dilemma
(1912)
The Householder
The Painted Lady
(1912)
At Ice Cream Festival
My Baby
(1912)
At table
The One She Loved
(1912)
The Neighbor
The God Within
(1912)
The Woman of the Camp's Lover
Gold and Glitter
(1912)
The Lover
The Informer
(1912)
Union Soldier
A Cry for Help
(1912)
The Tramp
Heredity
(1912)
Woodsman
Brutality
(1912)
At Wedding
My Hero
(1912)
The Chief's Blanket
(1912)
The Young Man
The Massacre
(1912)
Death's Marathon
(1913)
The Financial Backer
The Yaqui Cur
(1913)
The Easterner
The Wanderer
(1913)
The Male Lover
The Switchtower
(1913)
First Counterfeiter
Three Friends
(1913)
Second Friend
An Indian's Loyalty
(1913)
The Cattle Buyer
The Strong Man's Burden
(1913)
John - the Elder Brother
Fate
(1913)
Father, Loving Family
The Telephone Girl and the Lady
(1913)
The Desk Sergeant
The Little Tease
(1913)
In Bar
Oil and Water
(1913)
The Idealist's Friend
A Timely Interception
(1913)
Uncle James - The Farmer's Brother
The Lady and the Mouse
(1913)
The Father
The House of Darkness
(1913)
The Doctor
The Sheriff's Baby
(1913)
Third Bandit
The Unwelcome Guest
(1913)
At Auction (uncredited)
Just Gold
(1913)
The Stay-at-Home Brother
So Runs the Way
(1913)
An Adventure in the Autumn Woods
(1913)
The Father
A Chance Deception
(1913)
2nd Policeman
Love in an Apartment Hotel
(1913)
In Hotel Lobby
The Wrong Bottle
(1913)
The Father
Near To Earth
(1913)
Gato
The Ranchero's Revenge
(1913)
The Ranchero
Red Hicks Defies the World
(1913)
The Referee
The Well
(1913)
The Farmer
In Diplomatic Circles
(1913)
The Japanese Ambassador
A Gamble with Death
(1913)
Jim Benton, the Bartender
The Enemy's Baby
(1913)
Postmaster Ben Brown
The Mirror
(1913)
Daisy's Father
Under the Shadow of the Law
(1913)
Charles Darnton - the Employer
I Was Meant for You
(1913)
Lavina's Father
The Work Habit
(1913)
The Father
The Crook and the Girl
(1913)
The Nephew
The Stolen Treaty
(1913)
The Japanese Diplomat
All for Science
(1913)
Detective
A Misunderstood Boy
(1913)
The Father
The Tender Hearted Boy
(1913)
(uncredited)
The Perfidy of Mary
(1913)
Mary's Father
Pa Says
(1913)
Teddy's Rival
The Vengeance of Galora
(1913)
The Suffragette Minstrels
(1913)
(unconfirmed)
The House of Discord
(1913)
The Husband
Almost a Wild Man
(1913)
In Audience (uncredited)
Strongheart
(1914)
Billy Saunders
Classmates
(1914)
Bubby Dumble
The Woman in Black
(1914)
Robert Crane
Her Father's Silent Partner
(1914)
Judith of Bethulia
(1914)
Extra (uncredited)
The Bartered Crown
(1914)
The Landlord
Woman Against Woman
(1914)
Gilbert Craven
The Cracksman's Gratitude
(1914)
Men and Women
(1914)
Stephen Rodman / Robert Stevens
The Power of the Press
(1914)
Steve Carson
The Span of Life
(1914)
Richard Blunt
The Seats of the Mighty
(1914)
Monsieur Doltaire
The Exploits of Elaine
(1914)
Under the Gaslight
(1914)
William Byke
Wildfire
(1915)
John Keefe
The Romance of Elaine
(1915)
Marcus Del Mar / Mr. X
A Modern Magdalen
(1915)
Lindsay
The Curious Conduct of Judge Legarde
(1915)
Judge Randolph Legarde
The Flaming Sword
(1915)
Steve
Dora Thorne
(1915)
Lord Earle
A Yellow Streak
(1915)
Barry Dale
The Quitter
(1916)
Happy Jack Lewis
The Upheaval
(1916)
Jim Gordon
Dorian's Divorce
(1916)
Richard Dorian
The Brand of Cowardice
(1916)
Cyril Hamilton
The End of the Tour
(1917)
Byron Bennett
His Father's Son
(1917)
J. Dabney Barro
The Millionaire's Double
(1917)
Bide Bennington
National Red Cross Pageant
(1917)
The Devil's Garden
(1920)
William Dale
The Copperhead
(1920)
Milt Shanks
The Master Mind
(1920)
Henry Allen
The Great Adventure
(1921)
Priam Farll
Jim the Penman
(1921)
James Ralston
The Face in the Fog
(1922)
Boston Blackie Dawson
Boomerang Bill
(1922)
Boomerang Bill
Unseeing Eyes
(1923)
Conrad Dean
The Eternal City
(1923)
Baron Bonelli
Enemies of Women
(1923)
Prince Lubimoff
America
(1924)
Capt. Walter Butler
Decameron Nights
(1924)
Saladin
Meddling Women
(1924)
Edwin Ainsworth / John Wells (duel role)
I Am the Man
(1924)
James McQuade
The Girl Who Wouldn't Work
(1925)
Gordon Kent
Fifty-Fifty
(1925)
Frederick Harmon
Children of the Whirlwind
(1925)
Joe Ellison
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
(1925)
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
A Man of Iron
(1925)
Philip Durban
The Wrongdoers
(1925)
Daniel Abbott
The Splendid Road
(1925)
Dan Clehollis
The Woman Who Did
(1925)
Allan Merrick
The Temptress
(1926)
Canterac
The Bells
(1926)
Mathias
Wife Tamers
(1926)
Mr. Barry
Paris at Midnight
(1926)
Vautrin
The Lucky Lady
(1926)
Count Ferranzo
Brooding Eyes
(1926)
Slim Jim Carey
The Barrier
(1926)
Stark Bennett
The Show
(1927)
The Greek
Body and Soul
(1927)
Dr. Leyden
Women Love Diamonds
(1927)
Hugo Harlan
The Thirteenth Hour
(1927)
Prof. Leroy
West of Zanzibar
(1928)
Crane
Sadie Thompson
(1928)
Alfred Davidson
Drums of Love
(1928)
Duke Cathos de Alvia
Alias Jimmy Valentine
(1928)
Doyle
The Lion and the Mouse
(1928)
John Ryder
The River Woman
(1928)
Bill Lefty
Road House
(1928)
Henry Grayson
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
(1929)
Self - Director of 'Romeo and Juliet' (uncredited)
The Mysterious Island
(1929)
Andre Dakkar
Free and Easy
(1930)
Bedroom Scene
Estrellados
(1930)
Self (Guest Appearance)
Mata Hari
(1931)
General Serge Shubin
A Free Soul
(1931)
Stephen Ashe
The Yellow Ticket
(1931)
Baron Igor Andreeff
Guilty Hands
(1931)
Richard Grant
The Christmas Party
(1931)
Himself (uncredited)
Grand Hotel
(1932)
Otto Kringelein
Rasputin and the Empress
(1932)
Grigori Rasputin
Broken Lullaby
(1932)
Dr. H. Holderlin
The Washington Masquerade
(1932)
Jefferson "Jeff" Keane
Arsène Lupin
(1932)
Detective Guerchard
Dinner at Eight
(1933)
Oliver Jordan
Night Flight
(1933)
Robineau
Should Ladies Behave
(1933)
Augustus Merrick
Sweepings
(1933)
Daniel Pardway
One Man's Journey
(1933)
Eli Watt
Looking Forward
(1933)
Tim Benton
The Stranger's Return
(1933)
Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
Christopher Bean
(1933)
Dr. Milton Haggett
Treasure Island
(1934)
Billy Bones
The Girl from Missouri
(1934)
T.R. Paige
Carolina
(1934)
Bob Connelly
This Side of Heaven
(1934)
Martin Turner
Public Hero Number 1
(1935)
Dr. Josiah Glass
Mark of the Vampire
(1935)
Professor Zelin
The Little Colonel
(1935)
Colonel Lloyd
David Copperfield
(1935)
Dan Peggotty
The Return Of Peter Grimm
(1935)
Peter Grimm
Ah, Wilderness!
(1935)
Nat Miller
The Devil-Doll
(1936)
Paul Lavond
Camille
(1936)
Monsieur Duval
The Road to Glory
(1936)
Papa La Roche / Pvt. Morin
The Gorgeous Hussy
(1936)
Andrew Jackson
The Voice of Bugle Ann
(1936)
Springfield Davis
Saratoga
(1937)
Grandpa Clayton
Captains Courageous
(1937)
Captain Disko Troop
A Family Affair
(1937)
Judge Hardy
Navy Blue and Gold
(1937)
Captain 'Skinny' Dawes
You Can't Take It with You
(1938)
Grandpa Martin Vanderhof
Test Pilot
(1938)
Howard B. Drake
Young Dr. Kildare
(1938)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
A Yank at Oxford
(1938)
Dan Sheridan
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
(1938)
Lionel Barrymore
A Fireside Chat with Lionel Barrymore
(1938)
Self
On Borrowed Time
(1939)
Julian Northrup aka Gramps
Calling Dr. Kildare
(1939)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
(1939)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Let Freedom Ring
(1939)
Thomas Logan
From the Ends of the Earth
(1939)
Self
The Movies March On
(1939)
Self (segment The New York Hat) (archive footage)
Land of Liberty
(1939)
(archive footage)
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
(1940)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
(1940)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
(1940)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Stars Look Down
(1940)
Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
(1940)
Self
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
(1940)
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
(1940)
Self
Lady Be Good
(1941)
Judge Murdock
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
(1941)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
(1941)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Penalty
(1941)
'Grandpop' Logan
The Bad Man
(1941)
Uncle Henry Jones
Calling Dr. Gillespie
(1942)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Tennessee Johnson
(1942)
Thaddeus Stevens
Dr. Kildare's Victory
(1942)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
(1942)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
A Guy Named Joe
(1943)
The General
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case
(1943)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith
(1943)
Gramps
Since You Went Away
(1944)
Clergyman
3 Men in White
(1944)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dragon Seed
(1944)
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Twenty Years After
(1944)
(archive footage)
The Valley of Decision
(1945)
Pat Rafferty
Between Two Women
(1945)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Mr. Potter
Duel in the Sun
(1946)
Sen. Jackson McCanles
Three Wise Fools
(1946)
Dr. Richard Gaunght
The Secret Heart
(1946)
Dr. Rossiger
Dark Delusion
(1947)
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Key Largo
(1948)
James Temple
Malaya
(1949)
John Manchester
Down to the Sea in Ships
(1949)
Bering Joy
Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership
(1949)
Himself
Breakdowns of 1949
(1949)
Self
Right Cross
(1950)
Sean O'Malley
Screen Actors
(1950)
Self (uncredited)
Bannerline
(1951)
Hugo Trimble
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story
(1951)
Himself - Giving Introduction
Lone Star
(1952)
Andrew Jackson
Main Street to Broadway
(1953)
Self
Yesterday and Today
(1953)
(archive footage)
Film Fun
(1955)
(archive footage)
Our Mr. Sun
(1956)
Father Time (voice)
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
(1961)
'Duel in the Sun' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
(1972)
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
(1974)
(archive footage) (uncredited)
That's Entertainment, Part II
(1976)
(archive footage)
Super Duper Bloopers
(1986)
Himself
Vincent Price's Dracula
(1986)
Professor Zelin - (archive footage)
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
(1988)
Self (archive footage)
D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913
(2002)
The Mesmerist
(2003)
The Innkeeper (archive footage)
Complicated Women
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
(2004)
Self / Various roles (archive footage)
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It With You
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Writing
The Burglar’s Dilemma
(1912)
Writer
The Vengeance of Galora
(1913)
Writer
The Tender Hearted Boy
(1913)
Writer
Life's Whirlpool
(1917)
Writer
Directing
His Secret
(1913)
Director
Life's Whirlpool
(1917)
Director
Madame X
(1929)
Director
The Unholy Night
(1929)
Director
His Glorious Night
(1929)
Director
Redemption
(1930)
Director
The Rogue Song
(1930)
Director
The Sea Bat
(1930)
Director
Ten Cents a Dance
(1931)
Director
Sound