Barrymore family

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Designations
Official name
Barrymores, The
TypeCity
CriteriaPerformers
DesignatedOctober 1, 1996[1]
Location
NW corner, N 6th & Arch Sts., Philadelphia
39°57′10″N 75°09′00″W / 39.95279°N 75.15013°W / 39.95279; -75.15013
Marker text
"Three famous actors, Philadelphia-born, were the third generation of this 'Royal Family of the American Stage.' Lionel (1878–1954), Ethel (1879–1959), and John (1882–1942) performed on stage, screen, radio. Their grandparents, the Drews, managed the Arch Street Theatre here."
Etymology
From the surname of actor William Barrymore

The Barrymore family, and the related Drew family, form a British–American acting dynasty that traces its acting roots to the mid-19th-century London stage. After migrating across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, members of the family subsequently appeared in motion pictures, beginning with the silent film period of the 1890s to 1929 and then into the modern era of sound film.[2]

The surname Barrymore originated with an actor named William Barrymore (c. 1759–1830). The related Drew family traces back to the Irish actor John Drew Sr. (1827–1862).

Notable members

First generation

Second generation

Third generation

Lionel Barrymore branch

Ethel Barrymore branch

  • Ethel Barrymore (1879–1959)
    • Married Russell Griswold Colt
      • Samuel Peabody Colt
      • John Drew Colt
      • Ethel Barrymore Colt
        • Married John Romeo Miglietta
          • John Drew Miglietta (born 1946)

John Barrymore branch

For the maternal Drew acting dynasty, see Drew family.

Legacy

The Ethel Barrymore Theatre was opened in 1928, named for Ethel Barrymore. It is a Broadway theater at 243 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S.[3] A crater on the planet Venus is also named for Ethel.[4]

In February 2010, an intersection in Fort Lee, New Jersey, was renamed John Barrymore Way on what would have been the actor's 128th birthday. The intersection marked the spot of the former Buckheister's Hotel, where Barrymore had his 1900 stage debut in "A Man of the World".[5]

References

  1. "Pennsylvania Historical Marker Search". PHMC. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  2. Briese, Nicole (22 Feb 2025). "Meet Drew Barrymore's Famous Family! All About the Actress' Hollywood Dynasty (That Goes Back Two Centuries)". People. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  3. Times, Special to The New York (1959-06-19). "Ethel Barrymore Is Dead at 79; One of Stage's 'Royal Family'; Famed Actress Began Career at 14, Captivating Audiences With Voice and Manner Ethel Barrymore, the Famed Actress, Is Dead at 79". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  4. "Planetary Names". planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  5. Almenas, Maxim. "Council renames Central Road after actor John Barrymore". NorthJersey.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-30. Retrieved 2026-04-24.