Lionel Barrymore
Acting1878Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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
Acting History
2008
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with You
as Self (archive footage)
2004
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
as Self / Various roles (archive footage)
2003
The Mesmerist
as The Innkeeper (archive footage)
Complicated Women
as Self (archive footage)
1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
as Self (archive footage)
1986
Super Duper Bloopers
as Self
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
Hooray for Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
1974
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
1972
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
as Self (archive footage)
1970
Brasileiros em Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
1956
Our Mr. Sun
as Father Time (voice)
MGM Parade
TVas self• 1 eps
1955
Film Fun
as (archive footage)
1954
The Ed Sullivan Show
TVas Self• 1 eps
1953
Main Street to Broadway
as Self
Yesterday and Today
as (archive footage)
1952
Lone Star
as Andrew Jackson
1951
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story
as Himself - Giving Introduction
Bannerline
as Hugo Trimble
1950
Right Cross
as Sean O'Malley
Screen Actors
as Self (uncredited)
1949
1948
Key Largo
as James Temple
1947
Dark Delusion
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Way of the World
as Grizzley Fallon (Archive Footage)
1946
Duel in the Sun
as Sen. Jackson McCanles
The Secret Heart
as Dr. Rossiger
It's a Wonderful Life
as Mr. Potter
Three Wise Fools
as Dr. Richard Gaunght
1945
Between Two Women
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Valley of Decision
as Pat Rafferty
1944
Since You Went Away
as Clergyman
A Guy Named Joe
as The General
3 Men in White
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dragon Seed
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
1943
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1942
Calling Dr. Gillespie
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Tennessee Johnson
as Thaddeus Stevens
Dr. Kildare's Victory
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1941
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Lady Be Good
as Judge Murdock
The Bad Man
as Uncle Henry Jones
The Penalty
as 'Grandpop' Logan
1940
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Stars Look Down
as Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
as Self (archive footage)
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1939
Calling Dr. Kildare
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Movies March On
as Self (segment The New York Hat) (archive footage)
On Borrowed Time
as Julian Northrup aka Gramps
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Let Freedom Ring
as Thomas Logan
Land of Liberty
as (archive footage)
From the Ends of the Earth
as Self
1938
Test Pilot
as Howard B. Drake
You Can't Take It with You
as Martin Vanderhof
A Yank at Oxford
as Dan Sheridan
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
as Lionel Barrymore
Young Dr. Kildare
as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
1937
Navy Blue and Gold
as Captain 'Skinny' Dawes
Saratoga
as Grandpa Clayton
A Family Affair
as Judge Hardy
Captains Courageous
as Captain Disko Troop
1936
The Devil-Doll
as Paul Lavond
Camille
as Monsieur Duval
The Road to Glory
as Papa La Roche / Pvt. Morin
The Gorgeous Hussy
as Andrew Jackson
The Voice of Bugle Ann
as Springfield Davis
1935
Ah, Wilderness!
as Nat Miller
The Return Of Peter Grimm
as Peter Grimm
David Copperfield
as Dan Peggotty
Public Hero Number 1
as Dr. Josiah Glass
Mark of the Vampire
as Professor Zelin
The Little Colonel
as Colonel Lloyd
1934
This Side of Heaven
as Martin Turner
Treasure Island
as Billy Bones
The Girl from Missouri
as T.R. Paige
Carolina
as Bob Connelly
1933
Should Ladies Behave
as Augustus Merrick
Christopher Bean
as Dr. Milton Haggett
Night Flight
as Robineau
The Stranger's Return
as Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
Dinner at Eight
as Oliver Jordan
Looking Forward
as Tim Benton
One Man's Journey
as Eli Watt
Sweepings
as Daniel Pardway
1932
Broken Lullaby
as Dr. H. Holderlin
Rasputin and the Empress
as Grigori Rasputin
Arsène Lupin
as Detective Guerchard
The Washington Masquerade
as Jefferson "Jeff" Keane
Grand Hotel
as Otto Kringelein
1931
Mata Hari
as General Serge Shubin
The Yellow Ticket
as Baron Igor Andreeff
The Christmas Party
as Himself (uncredited)
A Free Soul
as Stephen Ashe
Guilty Hands
as Richard Grant
Ten Cents a Dance
Director
1930
Free and Easy
as Bedroom Scene
Estrellados
as Self (Guest Appearance)
Redemption
Director
The Rogue Song
Director
The Sea Bat
Director
1929
The Mysterious Island
as Andre Dakkar
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
as Self - Director of 'Romeo and Juliet' (uncredited)
Madame X
Director
The Unholy Night
Director
His Glorious Night
Music
His Glorious Night
Director
1928
The Lion and the Mouse
as John Ryder
West of Zanzibar
as Crane
Drums of Love
as Duke Cathos de Alvia
Sadie Thompson
as Alfred Davidson
Alias Jimmy Valentine
as Doyle
Road House
as Henry Grayson
The River Woman
as Bill Lefty
1927
The Show
as The Greek
The Thirteenth Hour
as Prof. Leroy
Body and Soul
as Dr. Leyden
Women Love Diamonds
as Hugo Harlan
1926
Brooding Eyes
as Slim Jim Carey
Paris at Midnight
as Vautrin
The Lucky Lady
as Count Ferranzo
The Temptress
as Canterac
The Barrier
as Stark Bennett
The Bells
as Mathias
Wife Tamers
as Mr. Barry
1925
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
as Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
Children of the Whirlwind
as Joe Ellison
The Girl Who Wouldn't Work
as Gordon Kent
A Man of Iron
as Philip Durban
The Splendid Road
as Dan Clehollis
The Woman Who Did
as Allan Merrick
The Wrongdoers
as Daniel Abbott
Fifty-Fifty
as Frederick Harmon
1924
America
as Capt. Walter Butler
I Am the Man
as James McQuade
Decameron Nights
as Saladin
Meddling Women
as Edwin Ainsworth / John Wells (duel role)
1923
1922
Boomerang Bill
as Boomerang Bill
The Face in the Fog
as Boston Blackie Dawson
1921
The Great Adventure
as Priam Farll
Jim the Penman
as James Ralston
1920
1917
The Millionaire's Double
as Bide Bennington
The End of the Tour
as Byron Bennett
His Father's Son
as J. Dabney Barro
Life's Whirlpool
Director
Life's Whirlpool
Writer
1916
The Upheaval
as Jim Gordon
The Brand of Cowardice
as Cyril Hamilton
The Quitter
as Happy Jack Lewis
Dorian's Divorce
as Richard Dorian
1915
Wildfire
as John Keefe
The Romance of Elaine
as Marcus Del Mar / Mr. X
The Flaming Sword
as Steve
The Curious Conduct of Judge Legarde
as Judge Randolph Legarde
A Yellow Streak
as Barry Dale
Dora Thorne
as Lord Earle
A Modern Magdalen
as Lindsay
1914
Judith of Bethulia
as Extra (uncredited)
Men and Women
as Stephen Rodman / Robert Stevens
Classmates
as Bubby Dumble
Woman Against Woman
as Gilbert Craven
The Bartered Crown
as The Landlord
The Power of the Press
as Steve Carson
The Seats of the Mighty
as Monsieur Doltaire
The Span of Life
as Richard Blunt
Under the Gaslight
as William Byke
Strongheart
as Billy Saunders
The Woman in Black
as Robert Crane
1913
The Sheriff's Baby
as Third Bandit
An Indian's Loyalty
as The Cattle Buyer
The Strong Man's Burden
as John - the Elder Brother
Fate
as Father, Loving Family
The Telephone Girl and the Lady
as The Desk Sergeant
A Timely Interception
as Uncle James - The Farmer's Brother
Near To Earth
as Gato
The Lady and the Mouse
as The Father
All for Science
as Detective
The Stolen Treaty
as The Japanese Diplomat
The Wrong Bottle
as The Father
The Ranchero's Revenge
as The Ranchero
The Switchtower
as First Counterfeiter
The Little Tease
as In Bar
The Perfidy of Mary
as Mary's Father
Oil and Water
as The Idealist's Friend
Love in an Apartment Hotel
as In Hotel Lobby
A Chance Deception
as 2nd Policeman
An Adventure in the Autumn Woods
as The Father
Just Gold
as The Stay-at-Home Brother
The Unwelcome Guest
as At Auction (uncredited)
The Well
as The Farmer
Red Hicks Defies the World
as The Referee
In Diplomatic Circles
as The Japanese Ambassador
A Gamble with Death
as Jim Benton, the Bartender
The Enemy's Baby
as Postmaster Ben Brown
The Mirror
as Daisy's Father
I Was Meant for You
as Lavina's Father
Under the Shadow of the Law
as Charles Darnton - the Employer
The Crook and the Girl
as The Nephew
The Work Habit
as The Father
A Misunderstood Boy
as The Father
Death's Marathon
as The Financial Backer
The Tender Hearted Boy
as (uncredited)
Pa Says
as Teddy's Rival
The Suffragette Minstrels
as (unconfirmed)
The House of Discord
as The Husband
The Yaqui Cur
as The Easterner
The Wanderer
as The Male Lover
Almost a Wild Man
as In Audience (uncredited)
Three Friends
as Second Friend
The House of Darkness
as The Doctor
The Vengeance of Galora
Writer
The Tender Hearted Boy
Writer
His Secret
Director
1912
Gold and Glitter
as The Lover
Heredity
as Woodsman
The New York Hat
as Minister
The Musketeers of Pig Alley
as The Musician's Friend
My Baby
as At table
The One She Loved
as The Neighbor
So Near, Yet So Far
as In Club
A Cry for Help
as The Tramp
The Informer
as Union Soldier
Brutality
as At Wedding
The Painted Lady
as At Ice Cream Festival
The Chief's Blanket
as The Young Man
Friends
as Grizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
The Burglar’s Dilemma
as The Householder
The God Within
as The Woman of the Camp's Lover
The Burglar’s Dilemma
Writer
1911
1905