# John Barrymore dead. No, it's not 1942. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258 "2004-11-30T01:58:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/1 "2004-11-30T01:58:01Z")
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Actor John D. Barrymore, the father of Drew Barrymore, died Monday, the actress said. He was 72. “He was a cool cat. Please smile when you think of him,” Drew Barrymore said in a statement issued by her publicist. John D. Barrymore was part of an acting dynasty that included his father, John Barrymore, and his father’s siblings, Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore. John D. Barrymore was born in Beverly Hills on June 4, 1932. His mother was actress Dolores Costello. –Our real Royal Family of the theater, despite the fact that this John never really took off. Goes back to Maurice Barrymore (1849-1905), who married into the Drew family, who started acting with John Drew (1827-1862) and his wife Louisa lane Drew (1820-1897). Glad little Drewski is keeping up the family tradition. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/2 "2004-11-30T02:04:05Z")
I remember seeing John Drew Barrymore in a movie. It was kind of a crappy movie, but I remember him. Damn. This is sad. Drew Barrymore seems too young to lose her dad. But then again, _no_ age is a good age to lose a parent. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/3 "2004-11-30T02:24:14Z")
I’m amazed he lived as long as he did, with his drinkin’ and smokin’ and druggin’. A number of early deaths in the family: **Maurice Barrymore** died of, umm, a “social disease” at 56. His daughter **Georgianna Drew Barrymore** (a wonderful comedienne) died of tuberculosis at 37. **John Barrymore** drank himself to death at 60. The first **John Drew** died after a fall downstairs at age 35, in 1862. **Diana Barrymore** (the recently-deceased John’s half-sister) drank herself to death in 1960, age 38. Cousin **Sidney Drew** died at 56 in 1919, and his wife, **Lucille Drew** , died at 35 in 1925. Their son, actor **S. Rankin Drew** , died in WWI at age 26. So 72 is doing pretty damn good for that family. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/4 "2004-11-30T02:28:46Z")
“Cool cat” in this case translates as completely derelict and occasionally transient old fart who not only never paid child support but by Drew’s own admission used to call her up when she was living as David Crosby’s foster-child and scream “I know you just made another movie you little bitch! Send me some money NOW!” The world is no worse for his being mulch, but it is an interesting family. (John Sr. used to claim he was the illegitimate son of Buffalo Bill, though it’s highly doubtful.) ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/5 "2004-11-30T04:08:29Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > “Cool cat” in this case translates as completely derelict and occasionally transient old fart who not only never paid child support but by Drew’s own admission used to call her up when she was living as David Crosby’s foster-child and scream “I know you just made another movie you little bitch! Send me some money NOW!” So your point is that Drew is being incredibly gracious? I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/6 "2004-11-30T05:38:10Z")
> [@yosemite](#): > > Drew Barrymore seems too young to lose her dad. She’s 29. Some of us were years younger than that when our fathers died. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/7 "2004-11-30T05:59:55Z")
I believe **John Drew Barrymore** appeared in a few “Gunsmoke” episodes and an episode of “Wild, Wild West”. So, it’s possible to see him in one of his rare acting jobs. Here is his IMDB’s listing: > **[John Drew Barrymore - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000857/)** > > John Drew Barrymore, Actor: Roma contro Roma. American actor with a sporadic career, the son of stage and screen legend John Barrymore. His father and mother, actress Dolores Costello divorced in his infancy and he claimed to remember seeing his... ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/8 "2004-11-30T15:04:18Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > (John Sr. used to claim he was the illegitimate son of Buffalo Bill, though it’s highly doubtful.) John Barrymore, bless his little cotton socks, said just about _everything_ during his 60 years on earth. It was his Dad, Maurice, who screwed everything that walked, though. His Mom, Georgianna Drew, was inexplicably faithful and I seriously doubt she was plugged by Buffalo Bill. [Here](http://www.picturehistory.com/find/p/7879/mcms.html) is a photo of Maurice and Georgianna Drew Barrymore, the recently deceased’s grandparents. Gorgeous couple! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/9 "2004-11-30T15:12:39Z")
One of my favorite movies is “Rasputin and the Empress” starring John, Lionel and Ethel. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/10 "2004-11-30T15:14:57Z")
“That’s all there is. There isn’t any more.” -Ethel Barrymore That’d make a fine epitaph. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/11 "2004-11-30T15:21:22Z")
> [@aaslatten](#): > > So your point is that Drew is being incredibly gracious? I agree. It’s easy to make fun of Drew, but when you consider her parents, she’s turned out amazingly well. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/12 "2004-11-30T15:44:07Z")
> [@aaslatten](#): > > So your point is that Drew is being incredibly gracious? I agree. I’ve gotten the impression that as Drew has settled down from the wild child she used to be, she has come to peace with her parents. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/13 "2004-11-30T16:07:54Z")
I believe He was originally cast in the ST:TOS episode…Lazarus, I believe…the one where the guy and his evil twin are locked in battle at each other’s throats for eternity. They had to get a replacement, though. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/14 "2004-11-30T16:21:47Z")
> [@plnnr](#): > > “That’s all there is. There isn’t any more.” > -Ethel Barrymore Have I mentioned lately that I love you? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/15 "2004-11-30T17:20:21Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > A number of early deaths in the family: **Maurice Barrymore** died of, umm, a “social disease” at 56. His daughter **Georgianna Drew Barrymore** (a wonderful comedienne) died of tuberculosis at 37. **John Barrymore** drank himself to death at 60. The first **John Drew** died after a fall downstairs at age 35, in 1862. **Diana Barrymore** (the recently-deceased John’s half-sister) drank herself to death in 1960, age 38. Cousin **Sidney Drew** died at 56 in 1919, and his wife, **Lucille Drew** , died at 35 in 1925. Their son, actor **S. Rankin Drew** , died in WWI at age 26. So … um … what’s with all the “Drew” middle names in their family line? And does this mean that John D. simply couldn’t think up a first name for his daughter? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/16 "2004-11-30T17:23:49Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > So … um … what’s with all the “Drew” middle names in their family line? The Drews were a famous acting family long before the Barrymores—they intermarried in the mid-19th centiry, but I think it’s nice that the family has kept the “Drew” name alive. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/17 "2004-11-30T17:43:39Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Have I mentioned lately that I love you? Would you like to come upstairs and see my etchings? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/18 "2004-11-30T17:54:23Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > when she was living as David Crosby’s foster-child Is it just me or is David Crosby one helpful guy? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/19 "2004-11-30T18:46:14Z")
> [@watsonwil](#): > > Is it just me or is David Crosby one helpful guy? I think it was Andy Warhol who said that “In the future everybody will have David Crosby as a father for fifteen minutes.” (In addition to his “official progeny” [he once had two girlfriends pregnant at the same time], unofficially adopting Drew and serving as a male Hagar for Melissa Etheridge, he formed a band with one adult illegitimate son he didn’t know existed until recently.) ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258/20 "2004-11-30T21:17:33Z")
So apparently John D. Barrymore (the one who just died) had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (along with his father, uncle, aunt, and his daughter Drew). Anybody know why? I thought he was pretty much a failed B-level actor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-barrymore-dead-no-its-not-1942/277258.md?page=2)