Ethel Barrymore
American actress and 'First Lady of the American Theatre.'
Ethel Barrymore, born Ethel Mae Blyth on August 15, 1879, in Philadelphia, was an American actress who worked in theater, film, and radio for six decades. A member of the famous Barrymore-Drew acting dynasty, she earned the title "The First Lady of the American Theatre." She was nominated four times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, winning once for *None but the Lonely Heart* (1944).
Barrymore was the second child of actors Maurice Barrymore (born Herbert Blythe) and Georgiana Drew. She was named after a character her father admired in William Makepeace Thackeray's novel *The Newcomes*. Her siblings were actors John and Lionel Barrymore; she was also the aunt of John Drew Barrymore and great-aunt of Drew Barrymore. Her grandmother was actress and theater manager Louisa Lane Drew, and her uncles included Broadway star John Drew Jr. and Vitagraph actor Sidney Drew. She grew up in Philadelphia and attended Roman Catholic schools there. In 1884, the family moved to England for two years, where her father staged a play and performed at London's Haymarket Theatre. After returning to the U.S. in 1886, her father took her to her first baseball game, sparking a lifelong love of the sport.
In the summer of 1893, Barrymore traveled with her mother, Georgie, who was suffering from tuberculosis and sought treatment in Santa Barbara, California, near the retreat of family friend Helena Modjeska. Georgie died that July at age 36. Her death effectively ended the childhoods of Ethel and Lionel, who left school and began working in their teens. John, younger, stayed with their grandmother and other relatives. Barrymore made her Broadway debut in 1895 in *The Imprudent Young Couple*, starring her uncle John Drew Jr. and Maude Adams. She appeared with them again in 1896 in *Rosemary*.
In 1897, she traveled to London with William Gillette to play Miss Kittridge in *Secret Service*. As she prepared to return to the U.S., Henry Irving and Ellen Terry offered her the role of Annette in *The Bells*. She then toured London and, on New Year's Day 1898, created the role of Euphrosine in *Peter the Great* at the Lyceum, written by Irving's son. Many men were captivated by her, including Winston Churchill, who proposed marriage. She declined, not wanting to be a politician's wife. Churchill later married Clementine Hozier, who resembled Barrymore, and they remained f
- born
- August 15, 1879
- died
- June 18, 1959
- field
- Actress
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Stage, screen, and radio actress; 'First Lady of the American Theatre'; Academy Award winner for *None but the Lonely Heart*
Lore & Background
Barrymore was born in Philadelphia, the second child of actors Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew. She was named for her father's favorite character in Thackeray's *The Newcomes*. Her childhood ended abruptly when her mother died of tuberculosis in 1893; she and her brother Lionel were forced to work in their teens, neither finishing high school. Her first Broadway appearance was in 1895 in *The Imprudent Young Couple*, starring her uncle John Drew Jr. and Maude Adams.
In 1897 she traveled to London with William Gillette, and while there was offered a role by Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. During her London season, Winston Churchill proposed marriage; she refused, not wishing to be a politician's wife. She became a star in 1901 with *Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines*, a performance witnessed by her father—the only time he saw her on stage professionally. She later uttered her famous line, 'That's all there is, there isn't any more,' in Thomas Raceward's *Sunday*.
Barrymore was a strong supporter of the Actors' Equity Association and had a high-profile role in the 1919 strike, which cost her the friendship of George M. Cohan. She scored successes in *Déclassée* (1919–1920) and *The Constant Wife* (1926). In 1928, the Shuberts opened the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, which operates under that name to the present day. She became the first artistic director of the Olney Theatre Center in 1938.
Reader's Guide
Ethel Barrymore's significance lies in her six-decade career as a stage, screen, and radio actress, earning her the title 'First Lady of the American Theatre.' Her Academy Award for *None but the Lonely Heart* and three additional nominations for Best Supporting Actress underscore her film legacy. She was a key figure in the Actors' Equity strike of 1919, advocating for performers' rights. Her famous catchphrase, 'That's all there is—there isn't any more,' became a cultural touchstone in the 1920s and 1930s. The Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York remains a lasting monument to her name. Her refusal of Winston Churchill's marriage proposal and her lifelong love of baseball add personal depth to her public persona. She appeared in films with her brothers John and Lionel, and her family's theatrical dynasty continued through later generations.
Did You Know?
- Winston Churchill asked Ethel Barrymore to marry him; she refused because she did not want to be a politician's wife.
- She uttered the famous line 'That's all there is, there isn't any more' in the play *Sunday* by Thomas Raceward.
- The Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York was opened by the Shuberts in 1928 and still operates under that name.
- She was a strong supporter of the Actors' Equity Association and had a high-profile role in the 1919 strike.
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