CineScope
Lionel Barrymore picture

Lionel Barrymore

Acting
Known For

76 Years Old

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.

Born

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA on 28th April 1878

Died

15th November 1954

All Credits

The Ed Sullivan Show Image
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
It's a Wonderful Life Image
It's a Wonderful Life
Mr. Potter
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life Image
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Self (archive footage)
The Quitter Image
The Quitter
Happy Jack Lewis
Captains Courageous Image
Captains Courageous
Captain Disko Troop
America Image
America
Capt. Walter Butler
Unseeing Eyes Image
Unseeing Eyes
Conrad Dean
Christopher Bean Image
Christopher Bean
Dr. Milton Haggett
Dragon Seed Image
Dragon Seed
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Down to the Sea in Ships Image
Down to the Sea in Ships
Bering Joy
The Bells Image
The Bells
Mathias
Guilty Hands Image
Guilty Hands
Richard Grant
Mata Hari Image
Mata Hari
General Serge Shubin
Test Pilot Image
Test Pilot
Howard B. Drake
Treasure Island Image
Treasure Island
Billy Bones
An Indian's Loyalty Image
An Indian's Loyalty
The Cattle Buyer
Lone Star Image
Lone Star
Andrew Jackson
Young Dr. Kildare Image
Young Dr. Kildare
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Ah, Wilderness! Image
Ah, Wilderness!
Nat Miller
Wildfire Image
Wildfire
John Keefe
Sadie Thompson Image
Sadie Thompson
Alfred Davidson
Night Flight Image
Night Flight
Robineau
The Christmas Party Image
The Christmas Party
Himself (uncredited)
Tennessee Johnson Image
Tennessee Johnson
Thaddeus Stevens
The Painted Lady Image
The Painted Lady
At Ice Cream Festival
Land of Liberty Image
Land of Liberty
(archive footage)
Three Wise Fools Image
Three Wise Fools
Dr. Richard Gaunght
No Image
A Misunderstood Boy
The Father
Death's Marathon Image
Death's Marathon
The Financial Backer
Wife Tamers Image
Wife Tamers
Mr. Barry
Arsène Lupin Image
Arsène Lupin
Detective Guerchard
The One She Loved Image
The One She Loved
The Neighbor
West of Zanzibar Image
West of Zanzibar
Crane
A Free Soul Image
A Free Soul
Stephen Ashe
Estrellados Image
Estrellados
Self (Guest Appearance)
The Gorgeous Hussy Image
The Gorgeous Hussy
Andrew Jackson
No Image
I Am the Man
James McQuade
Fate Image
Fate
Father, Loving Family
3 Men in White Image
3 Men in White
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Breakdowns of 1949 Image
Breakdowns of 1949
Self
Twenty Years After Image
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
Since You Went Away Image
Since You Went Away
Clergyman
The White Caps Image
The White Caps
No Image
So Runs the Way
A Timely Interception Image
A Timely Interception
Uncle James - The Farmer's Brother
The Mysterious Island Image
The Mysterious Island
Andre Dakkar
Carolina Image
Carolina
Bob Connelly
Fifty-Fifty Image
Fifty-Fifty
Frederick Harmon
No Image
I Was Meant for You
Lavina's Father
MGM Parade Image
MGM Parade
self
MGM Parade Image
MGM Parade
Self
MGM Parade Image
MGM Parade
The Thirteenth Hour Image
The Thirteenth Hour
Prof. Leroy
Jim the Penman Image
Jim the Penman
James Ralston
National Red Cross Pageant Image
National Red Cross Pageant
Malaya Image
Malaya
John Manchester
The House of Discord Image
The House of Discord
The Husband
Duel in the Sun Image
Duel in the Sun
Sen. Jackson McCanles
No Image
Almost a Wild Man
In Audience (uncredited)
No Image
In Diplomatic Circles
The Japanese Ambassador
Judith of Bethulia Image
Judith of Bethulia
Extra (uncredited)
Women Love Diamonds Image
Women Love Diamonds
Hugo Harlan
My Baby Image
My Baby
At table
Drums of Love Image
Drums of Love
Duke Cathos de Alvia
Free and Easy Image
Free and Easy
Bedroom Scene
The Mesmerist Image
The Mesmerist
The Innkeeper (archive footage)
No Image
My Hero
Key Largo Image
Key Largo
James Temple
Decameron Nights Image
Decameron Nights
Saladin
Oil and Water Image
Oil and Water
The Idealist's Friend
Gold and Glitter Image
Gold and Glitter
The Lover
Sweepings Image
Sweepings
Daniel Pardway
Grand Hotel Image
Grand Hotel
Otto Kringelein
Brutality Image
Brutality
At Wedding
No Image
Classmates
Bubby Dumble
Our Mr. Sun Image
Our Mr. Sun
Father Time (voice)
You Can't Take It with You Image
You Can't Take It with You
Martin Vanderhof
Broken Lullaby Image
Broken Lullaby
Dr. H. Holderlin
Friends Image
Friends
Grizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
No Image
The Tender Hearted Boy
(uncredited)
Alias Jimmy Valentine Image
Alias Jimmy Valentine
Doyle
No Image
Just Gold
The Stay-at-Home Brother
Strongheart Image
Strongheart
Billy Saunders
The Stars Look Down Image
The Stars Look Down
Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
Bannerline Image
Bannerline
Hugo Trimble
Looking Forward Image
Looking Forward
Tim Benton
So Near, Yet So Far Image
So Near, Yet So Far
In Club
Mark of the Vampire Image
Mark of the Vampire
Professor Zelin
Road House Image
Road House
Henry Grayson
No Image
Screen Actors
Self (uncredited)
Camille Image
Camille
Monsieur Duval
The Secret Heart Image
The Secret Heart
Dr. Rossiger
Right Cross Image
Right Cross
Sean O'Malley
This Side of Heaven Image
This Side of Heaven
Martin Turner
Three Friends Image
Three Friends
Second Friend
The Little Colonel Image
The Little Colonel
Colonel Lloyd
Rasputin and the Empress Image
Rasputin and the Empress
Grigori Rasputin
No Image
Red Hicks Defies the World
The Referee
A Yank at Oxford Image
A Yank at Oxford
Dan Sheridan
The Brand of Cowardice Image
The Brand of Cowardice
Cyril Hamilton
Hollywood: The Dream Factory Image
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! Image
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
The New York Hat Image
The New York Hat
Minister
No Image
The Mirror
Daisy's Father
The Millionaire's Double Image
The Millionaire's Double
Bide Bennington
Near To Earth Image
Near To Earth
Gato
No Image
Pa Says
Teddy's Rival
No Image
A Chance Deception
2nd Policeman
David Copperfield Image
David Copperfield
Dan Peggotty
Men and Women Image
Men and Women
Stephen Rodman / Robert Stevens
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Image
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
That's Entertainment, Part II Image
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
No Image
Film Fun
(archive footage)
On Borrowed Time Image
On Borrowed Time
Julian Northrup aka Gramps
The Washington Masquerade Image
The Washington Masquerade
Jefferson "Jeff" Keane
The Little Tease Image
The Little Tease
In Bar
The Road to Glory Image
The Road to Glory
Papa La Roche / Pvt. Morin
Super Duper Bloopers Image
Super Duper Bloopers
Self
No Image
Her Father's Silent Partner
Dark Delusion Image
Dark Delusion
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Lucky Lady Image
The Lucky Lady
Count Ferranzo
A Guy Named Joe Image
A Guy Named Joe
The General
The Devil's Garden Image
The Devil's Garden
William Dale
His Father's Son Image
His Father's Son
J. Dabney Barro
Dinner at Eight Image
Dinner at Eight
Oliver Jordan
No Image
The Wrong Bottle
The Father
The Valley of Decision Image
The Valley of Decision
Pat Rafferty
Saratoga Image
Saratoga
Grandpa Clayton
The Girl from Missouri Image
The Girl from Missouri
T.R. Paige
Calling Dr. Kildare Image
Calling Dr. Kildare
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
No Image
The Stolen Treaty
The Japanese Diplomat
The Woman in Black Image
The Woman in Black
Robert Crane
A Man of Iron Image
A Man of Iron
Philip Durban
Between Two Women Image
Between Two Women
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The House of Darkness Image
The House of Darkness
The Doctor
Children of the Whirlwind Image
Children of the Whirlwind
Joe Ellison
Paris at Midnight Image
Paris at Midnight
Vautrin
The Seats of the Mighty Image
The Seats of the Mighty
Monsieur Doltaire
Hollywood: Style Center of the World Image
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Self
The Upheaval Image
The Upheaval
Jim Gordon
No Image
The Crook and the Girl
The Nephew
Complicated Women Image
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
No Image
The Well
The Farmer
No Image
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Self / Various roles (archive footage)
The Musketeers of Pig Alley Image
The Musketeers of Pig Alley
The Musician's Friend
No Image
A Gamble with Death
Jim Benton, the Bartender
A Modern Magdalen Image
A Modern Magdalen
Lindsay
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case Image
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Show Image
The Show
The Greek
The Devil-Doll Image
The Devil-Doll
Paul Lavond
The Way of the World Image
The Way of the World
Grizzley Fallon (Archive Footage)
Enemies of Women Image
Enemies of Women
Prince Lubimoff
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case Image
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
One Man's Journey Image
One Man's Journey
Eli Watt
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards Image
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Self (archive footage)
Main Street to Broadway Image
Main Street to Broadway
Self
The Eternal City Image
The Eternal City
Baron Bonelli
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound Image
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Self
No Image
The Perfidy of Mary
Mary's Father
From the Ends of the Earth Image
From the Ends of the Earth
Self
Meddling Women Image
Meddling Women
Edwin Ainsworth / John Wells (duel role)
No Image
The Cracksman's Gratitude
Dora Thorne Image
Dora Thorne
Lord Earle
Dr. Kildare Goes Home Image
Dr. Kildare Goes Home
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Hooray for Hollywood Image
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
No Image
The Ranchero's Revenge
The Ranchero
The Stranger's Return Image
The Stranger's Return
Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
Navy Blue and Gold Image
Navy Blue and Gold
Captain 'Skinny' Dawes
No Image
The God Within
The Woman of the Camp's Lover
Let Freedom Ring Image
Let Freedom Ring
Thomas Logan
Dr. Kildare's Crisis Image
Dr. Kildare's Crisis
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Boomerang Bill Image
Boomerang Bill
Boomerang Bill
The Secret of Dr. Kildare Image
The Secret of Dr. Kildare
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Barrier Image
The Barrier
Stark Bennett
The Splendid Road Image
The Splendid Road
Dan Clehollis
The Bad Man Image
The Bad Man
Uncle Henry Jones
The Miser's Heart Image
The Miser's Heart
Jules - the Thief
The Romance of Elaine Image
The Romance of Elaine
Marcus Del Mar / Mr. X
The Wrongdoers Image
The Wrongdoers
Daniel Abbott
The Great Adventure Image
The Great Adventure
Priam Farll
Lady Be Good Image
Lady Be Good
Judge Murdock
No Image
The Span of Life
Richard Blunt
No Image
Under the Shadow of the Law
Charles Darnton - the Employer
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare Image
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
No Image
The Suffragette Minstrels
(unconfirmed)
A Yellow Streak Image
A Yellow Streak
Barry Dale
A Family Affair Image
A Family Affair
Judge Hardy
Heredity Image
Heredity
Woodsman
The Informer Image
The Informer
Union Soldier
Under the Gaslight Image
Under the Gaslight
William Byke
The Telephone Girl and the Lady Image
The Telephone Girl and the Lady
The Desk Sergeant
The Temptress Image
The Temptress
Canterac
The Master Mind Image
The Master Mind
Henry Allen
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 Image
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
Self - Director of 'Romeo and Juliet' (uncredited)
The Burglar’s Dilemma Image
The Burglar’s Dilemma
The Householder
The Lady and the Mouse Image
The Lady and the Mouse
The Father
The Voice of Bugle Ann Image
The Voice of Bugle Ann
Springfield Davis
Dorian's Divorce Image
Dorian's Divorce
Richard Dorian
The Battle Image
The Battle
Wagon Driver (uncredited)
The Chief's Blanket Image
The Chief's Blanket
The Young Man
Public Hero Number 1 Image
Public Hero Number 1
Dr. Josiah Glass
The Return Of Peter Grimm Image
The Return Of Peter Grimm
Peter Grimm
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant Image
Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Copperhead Image
The Copperhead
Milt Shanks
The Yellow Ticket Image
The Yellow Ticket
Baron Igor Andreeff
Fighting Blood Image
Fighting Blood
The Switchtower Image
The Switchtower
First Counterfeiter
Calling Dr. Gillespie Image
Calling Dr. Gillespie
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Unwelcome Guest Image
The Unwelcome Guest
At Auction (uncredited)
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day Image
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
The Sheriff's Baby Image
The Sheriff's Baby
Third Bandit
The Lion and the Mouse Image
The Lion and the Mouse
John Ryder
The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith Image
The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith
Gramps
No Image
Love in an Apartment Hotel
In Hotel Lobby
The River Woman Image
The River Woman
Bill Lefty
A Cry for Help Image
A Cry for Help
The Tramp
The Strong Man's Burden Image
The Strong Man's Burden
John - the Elder Brother
Yesterday and Today Image
Yesterday and Today
(archive footage)
The Flaming Sword Image
The Flaming Sword
Steve
The End of the Tour Image
The End of the Tour
Byron Bennett
The Wanderer Image
The Wanderer
The Male Lover
Dr. Kildare's Victory Image
Dr. Kildare's Victory
Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 Image
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12
Lionel Barrymore
The Exploits of Elaine Image
The Exploits of Elaine
No Image
The Woman Who Did
Allan Merrick
Body and Soul Image
Body and Soul
Dr. Leyden
The Penalty Image
The Penalty
'Grandpop' Logan
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It With You Image
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It With You
Self (archive footage)
The Yaqui Cur Image
The Yaqui Cur
The Easterner
D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913 Image
D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913
No Image
The Vengeance of Galora
No Image
An Adventure in the Autumn Woods
The Father
The Power of the Press Image
The Power of the Press
Steve Carson
Should Ladies Behave Image
Should Ladies Behave
Augustus Merrick
No Image
The Enemy's Baby
Postmaster Ben Brown
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story Image
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story
Himself - Giving Introduction
Brasileiros em Hollywood Image
Brasileiros em Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
The Movies March On Image
The Movies March On
Self (segment The New York Hat) (archive footage)
No Image
Brooding Eyes
Slim Jim Carey
No Image
A Fireside Chat with Lionel Barrymore
Self
No Image
The Work Habit
The Father
The Face in the Fog Image
The Face in the Fog
Boston Blackie Dawson
The Girl Who Wouldn't Work Image
The Girl Who Wouldn't Work
Gordon Kent
No Image
Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership
Himself
The Curious Conduct of Judge Legarde Image
The Curious Conduct of Judge Legarde
Judge Randolph Legarde
No Image
Woman Against Woman
Gilbert Craven
No Image
All for Science
Detective
No Image
The Bartered Crown
The Landlord