John Drew Barrymore

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Biography

American actor with a sporadic career, the son of stage and screen legend 'John Barrymore .

Music

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TV

Trivia

Born at 3:42pm-PDT.

Son of actor John Barrymore and actress Dolores Costello.

Father of actress Drew Barrymore.

His career was ruined by drug busts.

When they were both 13 years old, John and his cousin, Dirk Drew Davenport, successfully enlisted in the US Navy (it was during WW2), presenting themselves as 17 year olds. Being tall and well-built (especially for thirteen), it was several weeks before the Navy (and their family) uncovered their patriotic charade.

Was cast in the starring role of Lazarus in a "Star Trek" episode called the "Alternative Factor." He walked off the set and didnt return. Another actor had to be found at the last minute to replace him.

Father of John Blyth Barrymore.

Nephew of Helene Costello - his mothers sibling.

Nephew of Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore - his fathers siblings.

In 2003, wheelchair bound, he appeared in a Los Angeles court hearing to determine who will act as his guardian. He suffers from both physical and mental illness.

He inherited a chest full of family memorabilia and collectibles when his mother, actress Dolores Costello , died in 1979. They included family photos, journals, movie stills, and letters. He had a friend, Carol Stein Hoffman, turn the archives into a coffee table book entitled "The Barrymores: Hollywoods First Family," which was published in 2001.

In daughter Drews memoir "Little Girl Lost," she offered a blistering account of her absent father, including his considerable brushes with the law, his alcoholism, drug abuse and penchant for domestic violence. She summed up their relationship as "abusive" and "chaotic." Drew herself battled alcohol and substance abuse at age 12. Ironically, in his final years, daughter Drew helped pay his bills for an assisted-living facility.

Father of Blythe Dolores Barrymore (born October 28, 1962) with Gabriella Palazzoli.

His father, the legendary actor John Barrymore , had left specific instructions in his will that his body be cremated and his ashes be laid to rest next to his father and mother in the family cemetery in Philadelphia. However, due to the fact that his brother Lionel Barrymore and sister Ethel Barrymore were Catholic and cremation had not at that time been sanctioned by the Catholic Church, the executors (Lionel and Mervyn LeRoy ) pulled some fancy judicial manipulations, and Barrymores remains were entombed at Calvary Cemetery, in Los Angeles after his death in 1942. In 1980, Barrymore decided -- after hearing a rendition of "The Cremation of Sam McGee" -- that it was high time to have his Dad cremated. He recruited his son, John Blyth Barrymore , to help. The gravediggers removed the "Good Night, Sweet Prince" marble monument from the front of the crypt, and the smell assaulted them. Barrymore had been dead for 38 years, and the body was still decomposing. The casket was solid bronze, and although it had a glass liner, it must have cracked or something, because the fluids from the body had leaked out and had formed a kind of glue between the casket and the floor of the crypt. They muscled the coffin up on the hand truck and wheeled it down a long ramp to a van they had waiting outside. The body fluids were leaking out all the way. They cruised over to the Odd Fellows Cemetery, which had the nearest crematorium, and made the cremation preparations. John Jr. insisted on having a look inside the casket before they left. After viewing the body, he came out white as a sheet and crying. He got in the car and said to his son, "Thank God Im drunk; Ill never remember it." John Blyth Barrymore got a graphic description later from one of the eye-witnesses. Apparently, all the bouncing around during the move had sort of busted the jaw apart from what was left of the head. They were convinced it was John Barrymore by the very high quality dental work, and because, although most of the flesh on the nose had decomposed, an incredibly long nose cartilage remained.

Had a daughter, (Brahma) Jessica (Blyth) Barrymore (1966-2014) with actress Nina Wayne.

Former father-in-law of Tom Green , Jeremy Thomas , Jacqueline Barrymore and Rebecca Pogrow.

Made his TV debut on Pantomime Quiz on February 22, 1952.

Grandfather of Olive and Frankie Barrymore Kopelman, Drews daughters.

Father-in-law of Will Kopelman third husband of his daughter Drew.

Father-in-law of Antonio Gioffredi (Dolores husband). Grandfather of Gabriella and Nicole Gioffredi.

Grandfather of John Blyth Barrymore IV, Sabrina Brooke and Blyth Lane Barrymore (Johns children).

Daughter Jessica, whom he fathered with third wife Nina Wayne, was found dead from a drug overdose in her car in July 2014. She was two days away from her 48th birthday.

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