Actor

Lionel Barrymore

Birthday: April 28, 1878

Born in: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul (1931), and remains best known to modern audiences for the role of villainous Mr. Potter in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. He is also particularly remembered as Ebenezer Scrooge in annual broadcasts of A Christmas Carol during his last two decades. He is also known for playing Dr. Leonard Gillespie in MGM's nine Dr. Kildare films, a role he reprised in a further six films focusing solely on Gillespie and in a radio series entitled The Story of Dr. Kildare. He was a member of the theatrical Barrymore family.

Movie Credits

Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It With You (2008) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 130
Checking Out: Grand Hotel (2004) as Self / Various roles (archive footage)
Age: 125
The Mesmerist (2003) as The Innkeeper (archive footage)
Age: 125
Complicated Women (2003) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 125
D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913 (2002)
Age: 124
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 108
Super Duper Bloopers (1986) as Self
Age: 107
That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) as (archive footage)
Age: 98
Hooray for Hollywood (1976) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 97
That's Entertainment! (1974) as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Age: 96
Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 93
Brasileiros em Hollywood (1970) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 91
Our Mr. Sun (1956) as Father Time (voice)
Age: 78
Film Fun (1955) as (archive footage)
Age: 77
Yesterday and Today (1953) as (archive footage)
Age: 75
Main Street to Broadway (1953) as Self
Age: 75
Lone Star (1952) as Andrew Jackson
Age: 74
Bannerline (1951) as Hugo Trimble
Age: 73
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story (1951) as Himself - Giving Introduction
Age: 72
Right Cross (1950) as Sean O'Malley
Age: 72
Screen Actors (1950) as Self (uncredited)
Age: 72
Breakdowns of 1949 (1949) as Self
Age: 71
Malaya (1949) as John Manchester
Age: 71
Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership (1949) as Himself
Age: 71
Down to the Sea in Ships (1949) as Bering Joy
Age: 70
Key Largo (1948) as James Temple
Age: 70
Dark Delusion (1947) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 69
The Way of the World (1947) as Grizzley Fallon (Archive Footage)
Age: 68
Duel in the Sun (1946) as Sen. Jackson McCanles
Age: 68
The Secret Heart (1946) as Dr. Rossiger
Age: 68
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Mr. Potter
Age: 68
Three Wise Fools (1946) as Dr. Richard Gaunght
Age: 68
The Valley of Decision (1945) as Pat Rafferty
Age: 67
Between Two Women (1945) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 66
Dragon Seed (1944) as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Age: 66
Since You Went Away (1944) as Clergyman
Age: 66
3 Men in White (1944) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 66
A Guy Named Joe (1944) as The General
Age: 65
Twenty Years After (1944) as (archive footage)
Age: 65
The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith (1943) as Gramps
Age: 65
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 65
Tennessee Johnson (1942) as Thaddeus Stevens
Age: 64
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 64
Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 64
Dr. Kildare's Victory (1942) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 63
Lady Be Good (1941) as Judge Murdock
Age: 63
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day (1941) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 63
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare (1941) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 63
The Bad Man (1941) as Uncle Henry Jones
Age: 62
The Penalty (1941) as 'Grandpop' Logan
Age: 62
Dr. Kildare's Crisis (1940) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 62
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound (1940) as Self
Age: 62
Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 62
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards (1940) as Self (archive footage)
Age: 62
Hollywood: Style Center of the World (1940) as Self
Age: 62
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 61
The Stars Look Down (1940) as Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
Age: 61
The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 61
On Borrowed Time (1939) as Julian Northrup aka Gramps
Age: 61
The Movies March On (1939) as Self (segment The New York Hat) (archive footage)
Age: 61
Land of Liberty (1939) as (archive footage)
Age: 61
From the Ends of the Earth (1939) as Self
Age: 61
Calling Dr. Kildare (1939) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 61
Let Freedom Ring (1939) as Thomas Logan
Age: 60
A Fireside Chat with Lionel Barrymore (1938) as Self
Age: 60
Young Dr. Kildare (1938) as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Age: 60
You Can't Take It with You (1938) as Martin Vanderhof
Age: 60
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 (1938) as Lionel Barrymore
Age: 60
Test Pilot (1938) as Howard B. Drake
Age: 59
A Yank at Oxford (1938) as Dan Sheridan
Age: 59
Navy Blue and Gold (1937) as Captain 'Skinny' Dawes
Age: 59
Saratoga (1937) as Grandpa Clayton
Age: 59
Captains Courageous (1937) as Captain Disko Troop
Age: 59
A Family Affair (1937) as Judge Hardy
Age: 58
Camille (1936) as Monsieur Duval
Age: 58
The Road to Glory (1936) as Papa La Roche / Pvt. Morin
Age: 58
The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) as Andrew Jackson
Age: 58
The Devil-Doll (1936) as Paul Lavond
Age: 58
The Voice of Bugle Ann (1936) as Springfield Davis
Age: 57
Ah, Wilderness! (1935) as Nat Miller
Age: 57
The Return Of Peter Grimm (1935) as Peter Grimm
Age: 57
Public Hero Number 1 (1935) as Dr. Josiah Glass
Age: 57
Mark of the Vampire (1935) as Professor Zelin
Age: 56
The Little Colonel (1935) as Colonel Lloyd
Age: 56
David Copperfield (1935) as Dan Peggotty
Age: 56
Treasure Island (1934) as Billy Bones
Age: 56
The Girl from Missouri (1934) as T.R. Paige
Age: 56
This Side of Heaven (1934) as Martin Turner
Age: 55
Carolina (1934) as Bob Connelly
Age: 55
Dinner at Eight (1933) as Oliver Jordan
Age: 55
Should Ladies Behave (1933) as Augustus Merrick
Age: 55
Christopher Bean (1933) as Dr. Milton Haggett
Age: 55
Night Flight (1933) as Robineau
Age: 55
One Man's Journey (1933) as Eli Watt
Age: 55
The Stranger's Return (1933) as Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
Age: 55
Looking Forward (1933) as Tim Benton
Age: 55
Sweepings (1933) as Daniel Pardway
Age: 54
Rasputin and the Empress (1932) as Grigori Rasputin
Age: 54
The Washington Masquerade (1932) as Jefferson "Jeff" Keane
Age: 54
Grand Hotel (1932) as Otto Kringelein
Age: 54
Arsène Lupin (1932) as Detective Guerchard
Age: 53
Broken Lullaby (1932) as Dr. H. Holderlin
Age: 53
Mata Hari (1931) as General Serge Shubin
Age: 53
The Christmas Party (1931) as Himself (uncredited)
Age: 53
The Yellow Ticket (1931) as Baron Igor Andreeff
Age: 53
Guilty Hands (1931) as Richard Grant
Age: 53
A Free Soul (1931) as Stephen Ashe
Age: 53
Estrellados (1930) as Self (Guest Appearance)
Age: 52
Free and Easy (1930) as Bedroom Scene
Age: 51
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) as Self - Director of 'Romeo and Juliet' (uncredited)
Age: 51
The Mysterious Island (1929) as Andre Dakkar
Age: 51
The River Woman (1928) as Bill Lefty
Age: 50
West of Zanzibar (1928) as Crane
Age: 50
Alias Jimmy Valentine (1928) as Doyle
Age: 50
Road House (1928) as Henry Grayson
Age: 50
The Lion and the Mouse (1928) as John Ryder
Age: 50
Drums of Love (1928) as Duke Cathos de Alvia
Age: 49
Sadie Thompson (1928) as Alfred Davidson
Age: 49
The Thirteenth Hour (1927) as Prof. Leroy
Age: 49
Body and Soul (1927) as Dr. Leyden
Age: 49
Women Love Diamonds (1927) as Hugo Harlan
Age: 48
The Show (1927) as The Greek
Age: 48
The Temptress (1926) as Canterac
Age: 48
The Bells (1926) as Mathias
Age: 48
The Lucky Lady (1926) as Count Ferranzo
Age: 47
Paris at Midnight (1926) as Vautrin
Age: 47
Wife Tamers (1926) as Mr. Barry
Age: 47
The Barrier (1926) as Stark Bennett
Age: 47
Brooding Eyes (1926) as Slim Jim Carey
Age: 47
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Age: 47
The Splendid Road (1925) as Dan Clehollis
Age: 47
The Woman Who Did (1925) as Allan Merrick
Age: 47
Fifty-Fifty (1925) as Frederick Harmon
Age: 47
The Wrongdoers (1925) as Daniel Abbott
Age: 47
The Girl Who Wouldn't Work (1925) as Gordon Kent
Age: 47
Children of the Whirlwind (1925) as Joe Ellison
Age: 47
A Man of Iron (1925) as Philip Durban
Age: 47
I Am the Man (1924) as James McQuade
Age: 46
Meddling Women (1924) as Edwin Ainsworth / John Wells (duel role)
Age: 46
America (1924) as Capt. Walter Butler
Age: 45
Decameron Nights (1924) as Saladin
Age: 45
The Eternal City (1923) as Baron Bonelli
Age: 45
Unseeing Eyes (1923) as Conrad Dean
Age: 45
Enemies of Women (1923) as Prince Lubimoff
Age: 44
The Face in the Fog (1922) as Boston Blackie Dawson
Age: 44
Boomerang Bill (1922) as Boomerang Bill
Age: 43
Jim the Penman (1921) as James Ralston
Age: 42
The Great Adventure (1921) as Priam Farll
Age: 42
The Devil's Garden (1920) as William Dale
Age: 42
The Master Mind (1920) as Henry Allen
Age: 42
The Copperhead (1920) as Milt Shanks
Age: 41
National Red Cross Pageant (1917)
Age: 39
The Millionaire's Double (1917) as Bide Bennington
Age: 39
His Father's Son (1917) as J. Dabney Barro
Age: 38
The End of the Tour (1917) as Byron Bennett
Age: 38
The Brand of Cowardice (1916) as Cyril Hamilton
Age: 38
The Upheaval (1916) as Jim Gordon
Age: 38
The Quitter (1916) as Happy Jack Lewis
Age: 38
Dorian's Divorce (1916) as Richard Dorian
Age: 38
A Yellow Streak (1915) as Barry Dale
Age: 37
Dora Thorne (1915) as Lord Earle
Age: 37
The Flaming Sword (1915) as Steve
Age: 37
The Romance of Elaine (1915) as Marcus Del Mar / Mr. X
Age: 37
The Curious Conduct of Judge Legarde (1915) as Judge Randolph Legarde
Age: 36
A Modern Magdalen (1915) as Lindsay
Age: 36
Wildfire (1915) as John Keefe
Age: 36
The Exploits of Elaine (1914)
Age: 36
The Seats of the Mighty (1914) as Monsieur Doltaire
Age: 36
The Span of Life (1914) as Richard Blunt
Age: 36
Under the Gaslight (1914) as William Byke
Age: 36
The Woman in Black (1914) as Robert Crane
Age: 36
The Power of the Press (1914) as Steve Carson
Age: 36
Men and Women (1914) as Stephen Rodman / Robert Stevens
Age: 36
The Cracksman's Gratitude (1914)
Age: 36
Woman Against Woman (1914) as Gilbert Craven
Age: 36
Judith of Bethulia (1914) as Extra (uncredited)
Age: 35
Strongheart (1914) as Billy Saunders
Age: 35
Her Father's Silent Partner (1914)
Age: 35
Classmates (1914) as Bubby Dumble
Age: 35
The Bartered Crown (1914) as The Landlord
Age: 35
The House of Discord (1913) as The Husband
Age: 35
All for Science (1913) as Detective
Age: 35
So Runs the Way (1913)
Age: 35
The Stolen Treaty (1913) as The Japanese Diplomat
Age: 35
The Strong Man's Burden (1913) as John - the Elder Brother
Age: 35
The Crook and the Girl (1913) as The Nephew
Age: 35
The Work Habit (1913) as The Father
Age: 35
The Suffragette Minstrels (1913) as (unconfirmed)
Age: 35
An Indian's Loyalty (1913) as The Cattle Buyer
Age: 35
Under the Shadow of the Law (1913) as Charles Darnton - the Employer
Age: 35
I Was Meant for You (1913) as Lavina's Father
Age: 35
The Vengeance of Galora (1913)
Age: 35
The Mirror (1913) as Daisy's Father
Age: 35
Pa Says (1913) as Teddy's Rival
Age: 35
A Gamble with Death (1913) as Jim Benton, the Bartender
Age: 35
In Diplomatic Circles (1913) as The Japanese Ambassador
Age: 35
Almost a Wild Man (1913) as In Audience (uncredited)
Age: 35
The Switchtower (1913) as First Counterfeiter
Age: 35
Death's Marathon (1913) as The Financial Backer
Age: 35
The Well (1913) as The Farmer
Age: 35
The Enemy's Baby (1913) as Postmaster Ben Brown
Age: 35
Red Hicks Defies the World (1913) as The Referee
Age: 35
A Timely Interception (1913) as Uncle James - The Farmer's Brother
Age: 35
The Ranchero's Revenge (1913) as The Ranchero
Age: 35
Just Gold (1913) as The Stay-at-Home Brother
Age: 35
The Yaqui Cur (1913) as The Easterner
Age: 35
The House of Darkness (1913) as The Doctor
Age: 35
The Wanderer (1913) as The Male Lover
Age: 35
The Lady and the Mouse (1913) as The Father
Age: 34
A Misunderstood Boy (1913) as The Father
Age: 34
The Little Tease (1913) as In Bar
Age: 34
The Perfidy of Mary (1913) as Mary's Father
Age: 34
The Sheriff's Baby (1913) as Third Bandit
Age: 34
Fate (1913) as Father, Loving Family
Age: 34
Near To Earth (1913) as Gato
Age: 34
The Unwelcome Guest (1913) as At Auction (uncredited)
Age: 34
The Wrong Bottle (1913) as The Father
Age: 34
Love in an Apartment Hotel (1913) as In Hotel Lobby
Age: 34
A Chance Deception (1913) as 2nd Policeman
Age: 34
Oil and Water (1913) as The Idealist's Friend
Age: 34
The Tender Hearted Boy (1913) as (uncredited)
Age: 34
An Adventure in the Autumn Woods (1913) as The Father
Age: 34
The Telephone Girl and the Lady (1913) as The Desk Sergeant
Age: 34
Three Friends (1913) as Second Friend
Age: 34
The God Within (1912) as The Woman of the Camp's Lover
Age: 34
A Cry for Help (1912) as The Tramp
Age: 34
The Burglar’s Dilemma (1912) as The Householder
Age: 34
My Hero (1912)
Age: 34
The New York Hat (1912) as Minister
Age: 34
Brutality (1912) as At Wedding
Age: 34
The Informer (1912) as Union Soldier
Age: 34
My Baby (1912) as At table
Age: 34
Gold and Glitter (1912) as The Lover
Age: 34
Heredity (1912) as Woodsman
Age: 34
The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912) as The Musician's Friend
Age: 34
The Painted Lady (1912) as At Ice Cream Festival
Age: 34
The One She Loved (1912) as The Neighbor
Age: 34
The Chief's Blanket (1912) as The Young Man
Age: 34
So Near, Yet So Far (1912) as In Club
Age: 34
Friends (1912) as Grizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
Age: 34
The Miser's Heart (1911) as Jules - the Thief
Age: 33
The Battle (1911) as Wagon Driver (uncredited)
Age: 33
Fighting Blood (1911)
Age: 33
The White Caps (1905)
Age: 27