John Blyth Barrymore Jr.
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John Drew Barrymore, son of actor John Barrymore and father of actress Drew Barrymore, signed a movie contract at age 17 in 1949. He earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but drug busts and multiple incarcerations derailed his career. He died of cancer in Los Angeles in 2004 at age 72.
Names, aliases, and relatives of John Drew Barrymore — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
John Drew Barrymore by the numbers — life, work, and family.
John Drew Barrymore — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
John Drew Barrymore was born John Blyth Barrymore Jr. on June 4, 1932, in Los Angeles to actors Dolores Costello and John Barrymore. His parents divorced in his infancy, and his mother sent him to St. John’s Military Academy to keep him from acting. He rebelled and signed a movie contract at age 17. His aunt Ethel Barrymore was humiliated by his early failures but offered encouragement.
John Drew Barrymore made his TV debut on Pantomime Quiz on February 22, 1952. He appeared in leading roles on Rawhide 1959, Gunsmoke 1955, and The Wild Wild West 1965. In 1958 he changed his professional name to John Drew Barrymore. He was cast as Lazarus in Star Trek but did not show up on the first day, leading to a six-month suspension from the Screen Actors Guild. Drug busts in the 1960s effectively ended his acting career.
John Drew Barrymore married four times: Cara Williams 1952-1959, Gabriella Palazzoli 1960-1970, Jaid Barrymore 1971-1984, and Nina Wayne 1985-1994. He had four children, including actress Drew Barrymore with Jaid. He was estranged from Drew, who in her memoir Little Girl Lost described him as abusive and chaotic. In his final years, she helped pay for his assisted living. His daughter Jessica died of a drug overdose in 2014.
John Drew Barrymore received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, though his career never matched his father John Barrymore’s. His daughter Drew Barrymore became a major star, and his son John Blyth Barrymore repeated many of his patterns. The coffee table book The Barrymores: Hollywood’s First Family, drawn from archives he inherited, came out in 2001. He is remembered as the troubled link between two generations of Hollywood royalty.
The complete filmography of John Drew Barrymore — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by John Drew Barrymore — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
Little-known facts about John Drew Barrymore — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
John Drew Barrymore and his cousin Dirk Drew Davenport enlisted in the US Navy at age 13 during World War II by claiming to be 17. The Navy and family uncovered the charade weeks later when they realized his true age.
John Drew Barrymore had four children: son John Blyth Barrymore born May 15, 1954 with Cara Williams; Blyth Dolores Barrymore born October 28, 1962 with Gabriella Palazzoli; Brahma Jessica Blyth Barrymore July 31, 1966 – July 29, 2014 with Nina Wayne; and Drew Barrymore born February 22, 1975 with Jaid Barrymore.
Drew Barrymore’s memoir Little Girl Lost described her father as abusive and chaotic, detailing his legal troubles, alcoholism, drug abuse, and domestic violence. Drew herself battled alcohol and substance abuse at age 12. She later helped pay his bills for an assisted-living facility in his final years.
In 2003, wheelchair-bound and suffering from physical and mental illness, John Drew Barrymore appeared in a Los Angeles court hearing to determine his guardian.
His daughter Jessica, from his marriage to Nina Wayne, died from a drug overdose in her car in July 2014, two days before her 48th birthday.
He was cast as Lazarus in Star Trek but failed to report on the first day of filming. The producers filed a grievance with the Screen Actors Guild, resulting in a six-month suspension of his SAG membership. Robert Brown replaced him.
He was the son of actors John Barrymore and Dolores Costello.
After his mother Dolores Costello’s death in 1979, he inherited a chest of family memorabilia including photos, journals, stills, and letters. He had friend Carol Stein Hoffman compile them into the coffee table book The Barrymores: Hollywood’s First Family, published in 2001.
He was the nephew of Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore, his father’s siblings.
Drug busts ruined his acting career.
He made his television debut on Pantomime Quiz on February 22, 1952.
He was the grandfather of Olive Kopelman and Frankie Kopelman, the daughters of Drew Barrymore.
He was also the grandfather of John Sidney Blyth Barrymore IV, Sabrina Brooke Barrymore, and Blyth Lane Barrymore from his son John III.
He was the father-in-law of Will Kopelman, Drew Barrymore’s third husband.
He was the nephew of Helene Costello, his mother’s sister.
He was the father-in-law of Antonio Gioffredi, husband of his daughter Dolores, and grandfather of Gabriella and Nicole Gioffredi.
He was the former father-in-law of Tom Green, Jeremy Thomas, Jacqueline Barrymore, and Rebecca Pogrow.
He was born at 3:42 PM Pacific Daylight Time.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about John Drew Barrymore.
Celebrities similar to John Drew Barrymore — same craft, ranked by reach.
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