The legendary Lionel Barrymore, one of the great cinema character actors, was the oldest of the three Barrymore siblings. Along with Ethel Barrymore and John Barrymore, he shares a prominent place in American acting in the first half of the 20th Century.
He was born Lionel Herbert Blythe on April 28, 1878 in Philadelphia, the son of actors Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew Barrymore. ("Barrymore" was a stage name). Though raised a Catholic, he attended Philadelphia's Episcopal Academy. He joined the family business and in the mid-1890s, acting.
Lionel never developed a reputation as a stage actor as did his siblings John (who still reigns as the definitive American Hamlet) and sister Ethel. As a screen actor, he was ranked among the best.
In the 1930s, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt was asked if he thought Lionel Barrymore was the greatest actor in America, FDR replied, "I am the greatest actor in America." Both were masters of the radio waves, FDR with his fireside chats, Lionel with his annual broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" in which he played Scrooge.
He died on November 15, 1954 at the age of 76 after suffering a heart attack.
Featured Eurovision connections: Lionel is 33 degrees from Agnetha Fältskog, 14 degrees from Anni-Frid Synni Reuß, 28 degrees from Corry Brokken, 21 degrees from Céline Dion, 21 degrees from Françoise Dorin, 22 degrees from France Gall, 28 degrees from Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, 27 degrees from Lill-Babs Svensson, 19 degrees from Olivia Newton-John, 29 degrees from Henriette Nanette Paërl, 32 degrees from Annie Schmidt and 18 degrees from Moira Kennedy on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
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