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.
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.
Known For
Grand Hotel
(1932)
Baron Felix von Gaigern
The Mad Genius
(1931)
Vladimar Ivan Tsarakov
Twentieth Century
(1934)
Oscar Jaffe
Midnight
(1939)
Georges Flammarion
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(1920)
Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
(1925)
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Dinner at Eight
(1933)
Larry Renault
Romeo and Juliet
(1936)
Mercutio
Marie Antoinette
(1938)
King Louis XV
The Invisible Woman
(1940)
Professor Gibbs
Full Filmography
Acting
The Dream of a Moving Picture Director
(1912)
The Movie Villain (as Jack Barrymore)
The Widow Casey's Return
(1912)
The Rejected Suitor (as Jack Barrymore)
Just Pretending
(1912)
The Policeman (as Jack Barrymore)
A Prize Package
(1912)
Si Hawkins (as Jack Barrymore)
One on Romance
(1913)
Jack Wilson (as Jack Barrymore)
An American Citizen
(1914)
Berresford Cruger
The Man from Mexico
(1914)
Fitzhugh
Are You a Mason?
(1915)
Frank Perry
The Dictator
(1915)
Brooke Travers
The Incorrigible Dukane
(1915)
James Dukane
The Lost Bridegroom
(1916)
Bertie Joyce
Nearly a King
(1916)
Jack Merriwell, Prince of Bulwana
The Red Widow
(1916)
Cicero Hannibal Butts
Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman
(1917)
A.J. Raffles
National Red Cross Pageant
(1917)
The Tyrant - Russian episode
On the Quiet
(1918)
Robert Ridgeway
Here Comes the Bride
(1919)
Frederick Tile
The Test of Honor
(1919)
Martin Wingrave
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(1920)
Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde
The Lotus Eater
(1921)
Jacques Leroi
Sherlock Holmes
(1922)
Sherlock Holmes
Beau Brummel
(1924)
Gordon Bryon 'Beau' Brummel
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
(1925)
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Don Juan
(1926)
Don Jose de Marana / Don Juan de Marana
Vagabonding On The Pacific
(1926)
Himself
The Sea Beast
(1926)
Captain Ahab Ceeley
The Beloved Rogue
(1927)
François Villon
When a Man Loves
(1927)
Chevalier Fabien des Grieux
Life in Hollywood No. 4
(1927)
Tempest
(1928)
Sergeant Ivan Markov
The Circus: Premiere
(1928)
Self
Eternal Love
(1929)
Marcus Paltran
General Crack
(1929)
Duke of Kurland / Prince Christian
Show of Shows
(1929)
Richard III in 'Henry VI Part III' (uncredited)
Moby Dick
(1930)
Ahab
The Man from Blankley's
(1930)
Lord Strathpeffer
Svengali
(1931)
Svengali
The Mad Genius
(1931)
Vladimar Ivan Tsarakov
Grand Hotel
(1932)
Baron Felix von Gaigern
Rasputin and the Empress
(1932)
Prince Paul Chegodieff
A Bill of Divorcement
(1932)
Hilary Fairfield
State's Attorney
(1932)
Tom Cardigan
Arsène Lupin
(1932)
Duke of Charmerace
Dinner at Eight
(1933)
Larry Renault
Counsellor at Law
(1933)
George Simon
Night Flight
(1933)
Riviere
Topaze
(1933)
Auguste A. Topaze
Reunion in Vienna
(1933)
Archduke Rudolf von Hapsburg
Hamlet, Act I: Scenes IV and V
(1933)
Hamlet
Twentieth Century
(1934)
Oscar Jaffe
Long Lost Father
(1934)
Carl Bellairs
Romeo and Juliet
(1936)
Mercutio
Movie Maniacs
(1936)
Photograph of John Barrymore (uncredited)
Maytime
(1937)
Nicolai Nazaroff
Bulldog Drummond Comes Back
(1937)
Colonel Neilson
Bulldog Drummond's Revenge
(1937)
Col. J.A. Nielson
True Confession
(1937)
Charles Jasper
Night Club Scandal
(1937)
Dr. Ernest Tindal
Marie Antoinette
(1938)
King Louis XV
Spawn of the North
(1938)
Windy Turlon
Bulldog Drummond's Peril
(1938)
Colonel Neilson
Hold That Co-ed
(1938)
Gabby Harrigan
Hollywood Goes to Town
(1938)
Self
Romance in the Dark
(1938)
Zoltan Jason
Midnight
(1939)
Georges Flammarion
The Great Man Votes
(1939)
Vance
Land of Liberty
(1939)
(archive footage)
The Invisible Woman
(1940)
Professor Gibbs
The Great Profile
(1940)
Evans Garrick
Playmates
(1941)
John Barrymore
World Premiere
(1941)
Duncan DeGrasse
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
(1942)
Self (archive footage)
The Voice That Thrilled the World
(1943)
Self (segments 'Don Juan' & 'Richard III') (archive footage)
Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary
(1945)
Self (archive footage)
Okay for Sound
(1946)
Don Juan (archive footage)
The Golden Twenties
(1950)
Self (archive footage)
Yesterday and Today
(1953)
(archive footage)
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
(1961)
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
(1961)
'Bill of Divorcement' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
(1972)
Self (archive footage)
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute
(1974)
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
(1976)
(archive footage)
It's Showtime
(1976)
Self (archive footage)
The Horror Show
(1979)
(archive footage)
The Horror of It All
(1983)
Svengali (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(1984)
(archive footage)
The Casting Couch
(1995)
(archive footage)
Complicated Women
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
(2004)
Self / Various roles (archive footage)