Lionel Barrymore
Known for
Acting
Life
1878 – 1954 (aged 76)
Born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Credits
View on IMDb223 acting credits
Biography
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.
Known For
It's a Wonderful Life
20 Dec 1946
Key Largo
16 Jul 1948
You Can't Take It with You
01 Sep 1938
Grand Hotel
11 Sep 1932
Duel in the Sun
31 Dec 1946
Captains Courageous
25 Jun 1937
Camille
26 Dec 1936
Mark of the Vampire
26 Apr 1935
Photos
Filmography
2003
- The Mesmeristas The Innkeeper (archive footage)
1976
- That's Entertainment, Part IIas (archive footage)
1974
- That's Entertainment!as (archive footage) (uncredited)
1956
- Our Mr. Sunas Father Time (voice)
1955
- Film Funas (archive footage)
1953
- Yesterday and Todayas (archive footage)
1952
- Lone Staras Andrew Jackson
1951
- Bannerlineas Hugo Trimble
1950
- Right Crossas Sean O'Malley
1949
- Malayaas John Manchester
- Down to the Sea in Shipsas Bering Joy
1948
- Key Largoas James Temple
1947
- Dark Delusionas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- The Way of the Worldas Grizzley Fallon (Archive Footage)
1946
- Duel in the Sunas Sen. Jackson McCanles
- The Secret Heartas Dr. Rossiger
- It's a Wonderful Lifeas Mr. Potter
- Three Wise Foolsas Dr. Richard Gaunght
1945
- The Valley of Decisionas Pat Rafferty
- Between Two Womenas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1944
- Dragon Seedas Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- Since You Went Awayas Clergyman
- 3 Men in Whiteas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- A Guy Named Joeas The General
- Twenty Years Afteras (archive footage)
1943
- The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smithas Gramps
- Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Caseas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1942
- Tennessee Johnsonas Thaddeus Stevens
- Dr. Gillespie's New Assistantas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- Calling Dr. Gillespieas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- Dr. Kildare's Victoryas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1941
- Lady Be Goodas Judge Murdock
- Dr. Kildare's Wedding Dayas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- The People Vs. Dr. Kildareas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- The Bad Manas Uncle Henry Jones
- The Penaltyas 'Grandpop' Logan
1940
- Dr. Kildare's Crisisas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- Dr. Kildare Goes Homeas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- Dr. Kildare's Strange Caseas Leonard Gillespie
- The Stars Look Downas Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
1939
- The Secret of Dr. Kildareas Leonard Gillespie
- On Borrowed Timeas Julian Northrup aka Gramps
- Land of Libertyas (archive footage)
- Calling Dr. Kildareas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- Let Freedom Ringas Thomas Logan
1938
- Young Dr. Kildareas Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- You Can't Take It with Youas Martin Vanderhof
- Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12as Lionel Barrymore
- Test Pilotas Howard B. Drake
- A Yank at Oxfordas Dan Sheridan
1937
- Navy Blue and Goldas Captain 'Skinny' Dawes
- Saratogaas Grandpa Clayton
- Captains Courageousas Captain Disko Troop
- A Family Affairas Judge Hardy
1936
- Camilleas Monsieur Duval
- The Road to Gloryas Papa La Roche
- The Gorgeous Hussyas Andrew Jackson
- The Devil-Dollas Paul Lavond
- The Voice of Bugle Annas Springfield Davis
1935
- Ah, Wilderness!as Nat Miller
- The Return Of Peter Grimmas Peter Grimm
- Public Hero Number 1as Dr. Josiah Glass
- Mark of the Vampireas Professor Zelin
- The Little Colonelas Colonel Lloyd
- David Copperfieldas Dan Peggotty
1934
- Treasure Islandas Billy Bones
- The Girl from Missourias T.R. Paige
- This Side of Heavenas Martin Turner
- Carolinaas Bob Connelly
1933
- Dinner at Eightas Oliver Jordan
- Should Ladies Behaveas Augustus Merrick
- Christopher Beanas Dr. Milton Haggett
- Night Flightas Robineau
- One Man's Journeyas Eli Watt
- The Stranger's Returnas Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
- Looking Forwardas Tim Benton
- Sweepingsas Daniel Pardway
1932
- Rasputin and the Empressas Grigori Rasputin
- Grand Hotelas Otto Kringelein
- The Washington Masqueradeas Jefferson "Jeff" Keane
- The Movie Albumas (archive footage)
- Arsène Lupinas Detective Guerchard
- Broken Lullabyas Dr. H. Holderlin
1931
- Mata Harias General Serge Shubin
- The Yellow Ticketas Baron Igor Andreeff
- Guilty Handsas Richard Grant
- A Free Soulas Stephen Ashe
1930
- Free and Easyas Bedroom Scene
1929
- The Mysterious Islandas Andre Dakkar
1928
- The River Womanas Bill Lefty
- West of Zanzibaras Crane
- Alias Jimmy Valentineas Doyle
- Road Houseas Henry Grayson
- The Lion and the Mouseas John Ryder
- Drums of Loveas Duke Cathos de Alvia
- Sadie Thompsonas Alfred Davidson
1927
- The Thirteenth Houras Prof. Leroy
- Body and Soulas Dr. Leyden
- Women Love Diamondsas Hugo Harlan
- The Showas The Greek
1926
- The Temptressas Canterac
- The Bellsas Mathias
- The Lucky Ladyas Count Ferranzo
- Paris at Midnightas Vautrin
- Wife Tamersas Mr. Barry
- The Barrieras Stark Bennett
- Brooding Eyesas Slim Jim Carey
1925
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christas Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
- The Splendid Roadas Dan Clehollis
- The Woman Who Didas Allan Merrick
- Fifty-Fiftyas Frederick Harmon
- The Wrongdoersas Daniel Abbott
- The Girl Who Wouldn't Workas Gordon Kent
- Children of the Whirlwindas Joe Ellison
- A Man of Ironas Philip Durban
1924
- I Am the Manas James McQuade
- Meddling Womenas Edwin Ainsworth
- Americaas Capt. Walter Butler
- Decameron Nightsas Saladin
1923
- The Eternal Cityas Baron Bonelli
- Unseeing Eyesas Conrad Dean
- Enemies of Womenas Prince Lubimoff
1922
- The Face in the Fogas Boston Blackie Dawson
- Boomerang Billas Boomerang Bill
1921
- Jim the Penmanas James Ralston
- The Great Adventureas Priam Farll
1920
- The Devil's Gardenas William Dale
- The Master Mindas Henry Allen
- The Copperheadas Milt Shanks
1917
- National Red Cross Pageant
- The Millionaire's Doubleas Bide Bennington
- His Father's Sonas J. Dabney Barro
- The End of the Touras Byron Bennett
1916
- The Brand of Cowardiceas Cyril Hamilton
- The Upheavalas Jim Gordon
- The Quitteras Happy Jack Lewis
- Dorian's Divorceas Richard Dorian
1915
- A Yellow Streakas Barry Dale
- Dora Thorneas Lord Earle
- The Flaming Swordas Steve
- The Romance of Elaineas Marcus Del Mar
- The Curious Conduct of Judge Legardeas Judge Randolph Legarde
- A Modern Magdalenas Lindsay
- Wildfireas John Keefe
1914
- The Exploits of Elaine
- The Span of Lifeas Richard Blunt
- The Seats of the Mightyas Monsieur Doltaire
- Under the Gaslightas William Byke
- The Woman in Blackas Robert Crane
- The Power of the Pressas Steve Carson
- Men and Womenas Stephen Rodman
- The Cracksman's Gratitude
- Woman Against Womanas Gilbert Craven
- Judith of Bethuliaas Extra (uncredited)
- Strongheartas Billy Saunders
- Her Father's Silent Partner
- Classmatesas Bubby Dumble
- The Bartered Crownas The Landlord
1913
- The House of Discordas The Husband
- All for Scienceas Detective
- So Runs the Way
- The Stolen Treatyas The Japanese Diplomat
- The Strong Man's Burdenas John - the Elder Brother
- The Crook and the Girlas The Nephew
- The Work Habitas The Father
- The Suffragette Minstrelsas (unconfirmed)
- An Indian's Loyaltyas The Cattle Buyer
- Under the Shadow of the Lawas Charles Darnton - the Employer
- I Was Meant for Youas Lavina's Father
- The Vengeance of Galora
- The Mirroras Daisy's Father
- Pa Saysas Teddy's Rival
- A Gamble with Deathas Jim Benton, the Bartender
- In Diplomatic Circlesas The Japanese Ambassador
- Almost a Wild Manas In Audience (uncredited)
- The Switchtoweras First Counterfeiter
- Death's Marathonas The Financial Backer
- The Wellas The Farmer
- The Enemy's Babyas Postmaster Ben Brown
- Red Hicks Defies the Worldas The Referee
- A Timely Interceptionas Uncle James - The Farmer's Brother
- The Ranchero's Revengeas The Ranchero
- Just Goldas The Stay-at-Home Brother
- The Yaqui Curas The Easterner
- The House of Darknessas The Doctor
- The Wandereras The Male Lover
- The Lady and the Mouseas The Father
- A Misunderstood Boyas The Father
- The Little Teaseas In Bar
- The Perfidy of Maryas Mary's Father
- The Sheriff's Babyas Third Bandit
- Fateas Father, Loving Family
- Near To Earthas Gato
- The Unwelcome Guestas At Auction (uncredited)
- The Wrong Bottleas The Father
- Love in an Apartment Hotelas In Hotel Lobby
- A Chance Deceptionas 2nd Policeman
- Oil and Wateras The Idealist's Friend
- The Tender Hearted Boyas (uncredited)
- An Adventure in the Autumn Woodsas The Father
- The Telephone Girl and the Ladyas The Desk Sergeant
- Three Friendsas Second Friend
1912
- The God Withinas The Woman of the Camp's Lover
- A Cry for Helpas The Tramp
- The Burglar’s Dilemmaas The Householder
- My Hero
- The New York Hatas Minister
- Brutalityas At Wedding
- The Informeras Union Soldier
- My Babyas At table
- Gold and Glitteras The Lover
- Heredityas Woodsman
- The Musketeers of Pig Alleyas The Musician's Friend
- The Painted Ladyas At Ice Cream Festival
- The One She Lovedas The Neighbor
- The Chief's Blanketas The Young Man
- So Near, Yet So Faras In Club
- Friendsas Grizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
1911
- The Miser's Heartas Jules - the Thief
- The Battleas Wagon Driver (uncredited)
- Fighting Blood