Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
🎨

Ethel Barrymore

arts Maturity 11-13 death dying war conflict Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: death_dying, war_conflict. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Ethel Barrymore was a legendary American actress.

Ethel Barrymore, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front
Ethel Barrymore, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front

Her career lasted for six whole decades. People called her "The First Lady of the American Theatre."

Ethel Barrymore LOC
Ethel Barrymore LOC

She performed on stage, in movies, and on the radio. Ethel was part of a famous family of actors. Her brothers, John and Lionel, were also famous stars.

Ethel Barrymore family 1914
Ethel Barrymore family 1914

Even her great-aunt, Drew Barrymore, came from this talented family line.

Ethel's life was not always easy. She was born Ethel Mae Blyth in Philadelphia.

EthelBarrymore1896
EthelBarrymore1896

Her mother, Georgiana Drew, died when Ethel was quite young. This meant Ethel and her brother Lionel had to start working in their teens. Because of this, Ethel did not finish high school. She began her first Broadway appearance in 1895. This was in a play called The Imprudent Young Couple. She also traveled to London to perform in several plays.

Becoming a star took great skill and hard work. In 1901, she played Madame Trentoni in Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines.

Ethel Barrymore, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front
Ethel Barrymore, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front

This role made her a huge success at the Garrick Theatre. During this time, her father saw her perform for the first time. He gave her a big hug after the show. Ethel became so popular that she even out-drew famous actresses like Minnie Maddern Fiske. She often used a famous catchphrase: "That's all there is, there isn't any more!"

Ethel did much more than just act in plays. She acted in many silent movies between 1914 and 1919.

The Shadows Metro Pictures 1915
The Shadows Metro Pictures 1915

Later, she won an Academy Award for her role in the 1944 film None but the Lonely Heart.

Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore

She was also a strong supporter of the Actors' Equity Association. She helped during a big strike in 1919 to help performers. Ethel even had a theater named after her in New York. The Ethel Barrymore Theatre still operates today.

Outside of acting, Ethel had many interesting interests. She was a big fan of baseball and boxing.

EthelBarrymoreCarrots
EthelBarrymoreCarrots

She loved watching baseball because her father took her to a game when she was small. She once watched a very rough boxing match in 1919. After seeing that fight, she decided not to watch boxing in person again. She still enjoyed watching it on television later in life. Ethel's life was full of many different stories and adventures.

379 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Georgie Drew Barrymore with Ethel, Lionel, and Jack Barrymore.jpg
Georgie Drew Barrymore with Ethel,...
File:EthelBarrymore1896.jpg
EthelBarrymore1896.jpg
File:Ethel Barrymore, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front.jpg
Ethel Barrymore, three-quarter length...
File:EthelBarrymoreCarrots.jpg
EthelBarrymoreCarrots.jpg
File:TIMEMagazine10Nov1924.jpg
TIMEMagazine10Nov1924.jpg
File:Ethel Barrymore LOC.jpg
Ethel Barrymore LOC.jpg
File:The Shadows Metro Pictures 1915.jpg
The Shadows Metro Pictures 1915.jpg
File:Ethel Barrymore family 1914.jpg
Ethel Barrymore family 1914.jpg
File:Ethel Barrymore.jpg
Ethel Barrymore.jpg
File:Ethel Barrymore Grave.JPG
Ethel Barrymore Grave.JPG
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.