Lionel Barrymore

Biography

Lionel Barrymore had a career as an American actor and director, working in theater, film, and radio. Born in Philadelphia into the Barrymore acting family, he made his stage debut at 15 and later earned praise on Broadway in The Mummy and the Hummingbird. He entered films at Biograph in 1909, acted for D. W. Griffith, and also wrote and directed. After signing with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1926, he moved into sound pictures and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for A Free Soul (1931). He often played gruff but warm older roles in Grand Hotel (1932), Captains Courageous (1937), You Can't Take It with You (1938), and Key Largo (1948). He was the miserly Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played Dr. Leonard Gillespie in the Kildare films and radio series, and played Ebenezer Scrooge in yearly radio broadcasts of A Christmas Carol. His final movie appearance came in Main Street to Broadway (1953).

76years old at death

Born April 28, 1878Philadelphia
Died November 15, 1954Van Nuys
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Lionel Herbert Blythe (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 38
Career span: 28 years1925 to 1953

Genres

Drama79%, 30 films
Romance42%, 16 films
Adventure18%, 7 films
Family16%, 6 films
Comedy11%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Lionel Barrymore was credited with a first in filmmaking: he moved a microphone on a sound stage, something no other director had done before him.

Lionel Barrymore movies on Netflix

Main Street to Broadway1953IMDb rating 6.0as Lionel Barrymore
Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2as Andrew Jackson
Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4as Bering Joy
Key Largo1948IMDb rating 7.7as James Temple
Duel in the Sun1946IMDb rating 6.7as Sen. Jackson McCanles
It's a Wonderful Life1946IMDb rating 8.6as Mr. Potter
The Valley of Decision1945IMDb rating 7.3as Pat Rafferty
Since You Went Away1944IMDb rating 7.5as Clergyman
A Guy Named Joe1943IMDb rating 6.9as The General
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case1940IMDb rating 6.0as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
On Borrowed Time1939IMDb rating 7.7as Julian Northrup - Gramps
The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4as Dr. Leonard Barry Gillespie
Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8as Howard B. Drake
You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8as Martin Vanderhof
A Family Affair1937IMDb rating 6.7as Judge James K. Hardy
Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9as Disko
Saratoga1937IMDb rating 6.5as Grandpa Clayton
Camille1936IMDb rating 7.3as Monsieur Duval
The Devil-Doll1936IMDb rating 7.0as Paul Lavond
David Copperfield1935IMDb rating 7.3as Dan Peggotty
Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3as Professor Zelin
The Little Colonel1935IMDb rating 7.0as Colonel Lloyd
The Girl from Missouri1934IMDb rating 6.6as T.R. Paige
Treasure Island1934IMDb rating 7.1as Billy Bones
Dinner at Eight1933IMDb rating 7.5as Oliver Jordan
Night Flight1933IMDb rating 6.1as Robineau
The Stranger's Return1933IMDb rating 6.9as Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
Broken Lullaby1932IMDb rating 7.6as Dr. H. Holderlin
Grand Hotel1932IMDb rating 7.3as Otto Kringelein
A Free Soul1931IMDb rating 6.6as Stephen Ashe
Mata Hari1931IMDb rating 6.5as General Serge Shubin
The Mysterious Island1929IMDb rating 6.2as Andre Dakkar
Sadie Thompson1928IMDb rating 7.2as Alfred Davidson
West of Zanzibar1928IMDb rating 7.2as Crane
The Show1927IMDb rating 6.9as The Greek
The Temptress1926IMDb rating 6.9as Canterac
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ1925IMDb rating 7.8as Chariot Race Spectator
The Girl Who Wouldn't Work1925as Gordon Kent

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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It's a Wonderful Life1946 Drama, Family, Fantasyas Mr. Potter
IMDb rating 8.6559K votes
You Can't Take It with You1938 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Martin Vanderhof
IMDb rating 7.831K votes
Key Largo1948as James Temple
IMDb rating 7.748K votes
Grand Hotel1932as Otto Kringelein
IMDb rating 7.323K votes
Captains Courageous1937as Disko
IMDb rating 7.912K votes
Mark of the Vampire1935as Professor Zelin
IMDb rating 6.36.2K votes
The Devil-Doll1936as Paul Lavond
IMDb rating 7.05.5K votes
Camille1936as Monsieur Duval
IMDb rating 7.39.6K votes

Most often with

Victor Fleming directed four of these films, Tod Browning four and George Cukor three. Two actors appear in five of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Clark Gable

Samuel S. Hinds

Beulah Bondi

Grant Mitchell

Lewis Stone

John BarrymoreVictor FlemingDirector, 4 films

Tod BrowningDirector, 4 films

George CukorDirector, 3 films

Films together

Clark Gable5 films together, 1931 to 1952
Clark Gable's page
- Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2Barrymore as Andrew JacksonGable as Devereaux Burke
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Barrymore as Howard B. DrakeGable as Jim Lane
- Saratoga1937IMDb rating 6.5Barrymore as Grandpa ClaytonGable as Duke Bradley
- Night Flight1933IMDb rating 6.1Barrymore as RobineauGable as Jules
- A Free Soul1931IMDb rating 6.6Barrymore as Stephen AsheGable as Ace Wilfong
Samuel S. Hinds5 films together, 1938 to 1946
Samuel S. Hinds's page
- It's a Wonderful Life1946IMDb rating 8.6Barrymore as Mr. PotterHinds as Pa Bailey
- Dr. Kildare's Strange Case1940IMDb rating 6.0Barrymore as Dr. Leonard GillespieHinds as Dr. Stephen Kildare
- The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Barry GillespieHinds as Dr. Stephen Kildare
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Barrymore as Howard B. DrakeHinds as General Ross
- You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8Barrymore as Martin VanderhofHinds as Paul Sycamore
Beulah Bondi4 films together, 1933 to 1952
Beulah Bondi's page
- Lone Star1952IMDb rating 6.2Barrymore as Andrew JacksonBondi as Minniver Bryan
- It's a Wonderful Life1946IMDb rating 8.6Barrymore as Mr. PotterBondi as Mrs. Bailey
- On Borrowed Time1939IMDb rating 7.7Barrymore as Julian Northrup - GrampsBondi as Nellie - Granny
- The Stranger's Return1933IMDb rating 6.9Barrymore as Grandpa Cyrus Tatum StorrBondi as Beatrice
Grant Mitchell4 films together, 1933 to 1939
Grant Mitchell's page
- On Borrowed Time1939IMDb rating 7.7Barrymore as Julian Northrup - GrampsMitchell as Mr. Pilbeam
- The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Barry GillespieMitchell as John Xerxes Archley
- Dinner at Eight1933IMDb rating 7.5Barrymore as Oliver JordanMitchell as Ed Loomis
- The Stranger's Return1933IMDb rating 6.9Barrymore as Grandpa Cyrus Tatum StorrMitchell as Allen
Lewis Stone4 films together, 1931 to 1934
Lewis Stone's page
- The Girl from Missouri1934IMDb rating 6.6Barrymore as T.R. PaigeStone as Frank Cousins
- Treasure Island1934IMDb rating 7.1Barrymore as Billy BonesStone as Captain Smollett
- Grand Hotel1932IMDb rating 7.3Barrymore as Otto KringeleinStone as Doctor Otternschlag
- Mata Hari1931IMDb rating 6.5Barrymore as General Serge ShubinStone as Andriani
John Barrymore4 films together, 1925 to 1933
John Barrymore's page
- Dinner at Eight1933IMDb rating 7.5Barrymore as Oliver JordanBarrymore as Larry Renault
- Night Flight1933IMDb rating 6.1Barrymore as RobineauBarrymore as Riviere
- Grand Hotel1932IMDb rating 7.3Barrymore as Otto KringeleinBarrymore as Baron Felix von Gaigern
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ1925IMDb rating 7.8Barrymore as Chariot Race SpectatorBarrymore as Chariot Race Spectator
Victor FlemingDirector, 4 films, 1934 to 1943
All films by Victor Fleming
- A Guy Named Joe1943IMDb rating 6.9Barrymore as The General
- Test Pilot1938IMDb rating 6.8Barrymore as Howard B. Drake
- Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9Barrymore as Disko
- Treasure Island1934IMDb rating 7.1Barrymore as Billy Bones
Tod BrowningDirector, 4 films, 1927 to 1936
All films by Tod Browning
- The Devil-Doll1936IMDb rating 7.0Barrymore as Paul Lavond
- Mark of the Vampire1935IMDb rating 6.3Barrymore as Professor Zelin
- West of Zanzibar1928IMDb rating 7.2Barrymore as Crane
- The Show1927IMDb rating 6.9Barrymore as The Greek
George CukorDirector, 3 films, 1933 to 1936
All films by George Cukor
- Camille1936IMDb rating 7.3Barrymore as Monsieur Duval
- David Copperfield1935IMDb rating 7.3Barrymore as Dan Peggotty
- Dinner at Eight1933IMDb rating 7.5Barrymore as Oliver Jordan
Also four films together2 more actors
- Greta GarboCamille (1936), Grand Hotel (1932), Mata Hari (1931) and The Temptress (1926)
- Nat PendletonDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940), On Borrowed Time (1939), The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939) and The Girl from Missouri (1934)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Lionel Barrymore's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$82.4 million

15 of the 38 films have a worldwide figure.

15Worldwide figure
3US gross only
20Figure not found

Top grosser

Duel in the Sun1946Sen. Jackson McCanles$20.4 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 86% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Duel in the Sun1946as Sen. Jackson McCanles
$20M24.8% of the total
2
It's a Wonderful Life1946as Mr. Potter
$9.6M11.7% of the total
3
The Valley of Decision1945as Pat Rafferty
$9.1M11.1% of the total
4
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ1925as Chariot Race Spectator
$9.0M10.9% of the total
5
You Can't Take It with You1938as Martin Vanderhof
$7.4M9.0% of the total
6
Sadie Thompson1928as Alfred Davidson
$7.0M8.5% of the total
7
A Guy Named Joe1943as The General
$5.4M6.5% of the total
8
Saratoga1937as Grandpa Clayton
$3.3M3.9% of the total