I'm a big fan of John. He's one of the greatest film actors of his generation. It must have been quite a treat to have seen him live on stage. I saw
A Bill of Divorcement
for the first time a few weeks ago, John broke my heart in that.
Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly
.

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That's very interesting. A Booth knew a Barrymore.
John Barrymore's earliest known surviving film, THE INCORRIGIBLE DUKANE [1915].

His father, Maurice, played Laertes to Edwin Booth's Hamlet.

Does anyone think that John Barrymore would have made an excellent John Wilkes Booth? He was handsome like Booth, he was a legend in the theater like Booth and he came from a great acting family like Booth. He just wasn't evil like Booth.

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yeah, I agree with ther est of your. I wish that he had lived at least another 20 or even 30 years. That way he would have been available to do some early television. Maybe a guest comic appearance on I Love Lucy as o5b4ne of Fred's old drinking buddies(smiles). Gosh do you realise that if he had lived into the 60s he would have been in his 80s. He was the youngest of the three siblings and the first to die. I personally think he got into some very bad liquor in the 1920s when alcohol was illegal and people were selling ANYTHING. To a severe/chronic alcoholic he/she is going to drink anything no matter where it comes from and not question what he's drinking. Rot gut alcohol they called it and I think JB's health problems in the 30s stemmed from the garbage he drank in the 20s. If he had lived into the 1970s he might have lived to see his granddaughter Drew born. Ever think about that. Hmmm!.

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Thanks, i have (what a coincidence) just watched Svengali, and i haven't seen his films for almost two months. so thanks a lot for your comment:-)

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That's a movie I'm trying to get but it's difficult. I have seen many movies starring Barrymore,one of my favorites is "Svengali". When I see this movie I don't realize I'm just watching a film but as if I were having a lesson in acting by the best actor in the world. I've seen today "the beloved rogue" and probably in two weeks i'll be able to watch "true confession".
I read about his life, his bitterness and joy and at least i can say that this man touched hell and heaven, he lived at full grasping the drama and the joy in all his life. He was a genius in many ways. Eccentric and passionate. His alcoholism was one of his weakness but the actor he was will remain forever.

I love the guy. I wouldn't call him one of my favourites, but he's given some great performances and his personal life was very interesting. I love the job he did in "Dinner at Eight". The death scence was amazing.

Hi all, The Incorrigible Dukane is JB's earliest surviving silent film(vintage 1915). I would love to see it and have written Kino thinking they might want to release it and Raffles the Amateur Cracksman. Dukane is listed on the web as being available from a company called Kavel.

I agree. The sob he gives near the end of that movie goes through me like a knife.

I watched the 1930 version of "Moby Dick" and I thought that it was great. Some purists didn't like the added love interest or the vindictive brother sub-plots, but I thought that they worked well quite well and made the story more interesting.

Hi!
Incorrigible Dukane is available if you look hard enough for a copy.
I have it. I'm only missing 1 of his films - have everything else.
I'm a big big big collector/fan of his. Check out my website devoted to the one man in my life ;-
www.johnbarrymore.co.uk

Yesiree..he was my favorite over Lionel & Ethel. He broke my heart in "Dinner at Eight" an excellent, albeit heartbreaking performance
Cake or death?

I love any Barrymore to tell you the truth. But I think John Barrymore was the best followed by his brother. If you look hard enough you can find many of his movies on DVD. I have 5 already.

Another fan here. Actually went through a Barrymore phase (along with his siblings Ethel & Lionel), read all the bios, watched all the available films etc. Even his lesser works during the last, self-destructive years have some merit. Try "Invisible Woman": he talked to that cat like Mercutio to his home-boys! But opposite the up and coming young stars like Henry Fonda in "Spawn of North", it's obvious he was out of steam. Think i still have that sensational "autobiography" by his last wife/girlfriend lying around somewhere, about How the Great John Romanced Me LOL.

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Any JB fans out there?

• me. John Barrymore is my favourite actor. A true master.
  I've seen a number of his films, although no silents - not yet anyway (that's something I'll have to remedy).
  donnez-moi 2005

Just seen Grand Hotel again!
Wonderful, tragic performance by him. Resembles his real life so much.
Like Dinner at Eight.
Love this guy. But really a tragic end to such an impressive character.