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Great Times, Good Times: The Odyssey of Maurice Barrymore
Maurice Barrymore began life as Herbert Blyth, amid the jumbled bazaars and golden temples of East India. Sent to England for proper schooling, he was expelled from Harrow, quit Oxford, became Britain's middle-weight boxing champion, then turned to acting. When his hyper-Victorian family of civil servants, soldiers, and clergymen disowned him, he took the name "Barrymore," and sailed for America, where he married Geogie, the brilliant daughter of the theatrical Drews.
- GenresBiography
538 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 28, 2008
I simply love this biography -- each time I pick it up "just to check something..." I get sucked into the wonderful insane beautiful world of English and American 19th century theatre and I cannot put it down. It's also a great kicking turnaround to have John and Lionel and Ethel as minor players in a story for once in their lives. To read this is to understand the Barrymores -- where they came from, where they were and how they got to be what they are today. Great biography.
July 10, 2020
This was such an interesting read. That gives great insight, into not just Maurice Barrymore's life, but we also get to know a lot about the Drew side, of the family as well. After reading the Barrymore sibling's autobiographies, this book gives a clearer look, into some of the stories they shared about their childhood. It's very neat, to read what is happening with their Parents, Grandmother, and Aunts and Uncles, being the center of the story. The Barrymore siblings, are just standing in the background as young children at first. Who by the end of the book, have reached their mid to early 20's. It's almost like, while reading through Maurice's years, we are also, watching them grow up as well.
This in no way, felt like it was over 500 pages. Even though, it took me almost 2 months to read it. I highly recommend reading this interesting story, if anyone has any interest in the Barrymore or Drew families.
This in no way, felt like it was over 500 pages. Even though, it took me almost 2 months to read it. I highly recommend reading this interesting story, if anyone has any interest in the Barrymore or Drew families.
May 2, 2013
I've been obsessed with the Barrymores for a long time, so I was really excited to read this bio of the paterfamilias and if you too are obsessed, that's reason enough to recommend this book, not to mention the rare photographs from the author's private collection. (Wow! Where did he find those photos?)
As a fan of well-written biographies, however, I had some trouble with this one. I enjoyed the facts and the family mythology that the author weaved together, but something about the writing didn't work for me. The language seemed stilted, as if the author was trying to make his book sound old-fashioned, just because he happened to be writing about a figure from the past.
And I sympathize about footnotes being a drag, but I actually wished for them while I was reading this book. Maybe more detailed endnotes would have worked. I guess I spent too much time in academia, but I love a well-written endnote.
Margot Peters's bio The House of Barrymore is a much easier read, and you get a fair amount of info on Maurice Barrymore, even if he's not the star of the show.
As a fan of well-written biographies, however, I had some trouble with this one. I enjoyed the facts and the family mythology that the author weaved together, but something about the writing didn't work for me. The language seemed stilted, as if the author was trying to make his book sound old-fashioned, just because he happened to be writing about a figure from the past.
And I sympathize about footnotes being a drag, but I actually wished for them while I was reading this book. Maybe more detailed endnotes would have worked. I guess I spent too much time in academia, but I love a well-written endnote.
Margot Peters's bio The House of Barrymore is a much easier read, and you get a fair amount of info on Maurice Barrymore, even if he's not the star of the show.
October 10, 2020
Author Kotsilibas-Davis is primarily a biographer, but he approaches his writing like a novelist. He thoroughly marshals the facts and doesn’t stray into interpretations and speculations about the subject; however, he develops the plotline like an artist, and writes with crystalline æsthetic clarity. The result is an exceedingly creative work of nonfiction. Every sentence is a linguistic pleasure. The overall organization is masterful. Kotsilibas-Davis writes as well as Dickens or Austen, a statement I don’t take lightly as a lifelong literary aficionado with a Master of Arts in literature. The present biography of Maurice Barrymore is a brilliant work of art, in addition to a being a fascinating window into late-nineteenth-century American society, stage, and even vaudeville.
I particularly appreciated the background, starting with Barrymore’s great-grandfather (the family name was Blythe—Maurice changed his name to Barrymore as a stage name, which became the actual last name of the family). The story begins in the 1780s and ends in the early 1900s. Developing the ancestors’ characters provided helpful insight into the personality of Maurice Barrymore. Barrymore’s rebellious nature and independent spirit was shared by his grandfather. Both of them “left the fold” of hearth and home and struck out on their own, without the blessing of their respective patriarchs.
Through Maurice Barrymore’s social circles, Kotsilibas-Davis provides enjoyable glimpses into the period. We meet Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Henry James, Charles Dickens, George Bernard Shaw, Ambrose Bierce, the Prince of Wales (who would become Edward VII), Tchaikovsky, President Grover Cleveland, and of course the other great actors of the time, such as Ellen Terry, Lillie Langtry, William Gillette, and then the less famous Joe Rickey who is the creator (or at least inspirer) of the very famous cocktail, the Gin Rickey. Barrymore socialized with all of the above, and they all considered themselves fortunate to socialize with Barrymore.
Aside from those stars flitting in and out of Barrymore’s social sphere, his own family overflowed with bright lights. When he married Georgie Drew, he married into the most famous acting family of the time. His mother-in-law Louisa Lane Drew (Mrs. John Drew) owned and managed Philadelphia’s Arch Street Theater, and was the most renowned actress of her generation in the US. As an interesting aside, in her younger years, Mrs. Drew had acted opposite a promising young actor, John Wilkes Booth, whose career was cut short when he was hanged for the assassination of President Lincoln. It’s just one of many historically fascinating anecdotes in this book.
Mrs. Drew’s daughter Georgie (who married Maurice) became just as renowned as her mother in her own generation. Her brother and cousins were all similarly famous. It was an amazing family of greats who were in the headlines and starring in theaters across America for two generations. As an author, Kotsilibas-Davis uses these compelling personalities and this fascinating time period to full advantage in his storyline. There is never a dull moment in this narrative.
Those who know about “life on the boards” in those days, know that the majority of actors’ lives were spent on trains and sketchy overnight lodgings in towns across America. This biography gives us plenty of insight into that railroad-bound nomadic lifestyle. Maurice was also a playwright, and often penned his plays on trains between towns. He wrote in both English and French when it was to be played in Paris, as Maurice was bilingual. As a result of their traveling lifestyle, families in show business might see each other a few times per year, if they played in shows that happened to be in the same town for a night or two, and then perhaps for a couple of weeks between runs. It was still the days of horse-and-buggies—even at the very end of the book, automobiles were a few years in the future.
As Maurice Barrymore’s health declined and was confined to the Long Island Home at Amityville, the last part of the book focuses on the rising stars of Barrymore’s three children: Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore. Like their parents’ and grandparents’ generations, all three Barrymore children became huge stars on the stage in their own right by their early 20s (around 1903–1904). Film was just a few years in the future—when it came, Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore became three of the biggest film stars in Hollywood. Their careers perfectly straddled the stage and film eras. Unlike many stage stars, the three Barrymore children made the transition seamlessly and successfully. If it involved acting, it was in the Barrymore blood, regardless of medium. Only one film was made that features all three Barrymores working together (Rasputin and the Empress [1932]), but several films star Lionel and John together.
Today in the twenty-first century, the most prominent representative of the family is Drew Blythe Barrymore (first name “Drew” from Maurice’s wife’s family; middle name “Blythe” from Maurice’s actual birth last name; “Barrymore” from Maurice’s adopted last name). She has carried on the Barrymore traditions in many respects.
In the final analysis, the present biography of Maurice Barrymore is a treasure. Rarely have I read a book with such an exciting story about such compelling lives. I felt I had a truly rewarding and rare experience after reading it. This is a testament to Kotsilibas-Davis’s superior writing—a preëminent writer’s treatment of the era’s preëminent actor. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of their preferences of genre or period. Witnessing the life of Maurice Barrymore is to witness a parade of wit, brilliance, and creativity, the likes of which we will never see again. But, thanks to author Kotsilibas-Davis, we can always look back and enjoy Maurice Barrymore’s nineteenth-century life on the boards, the trains, and his demimonde of genius.
I particularly appreciated the background, starting with Barrymore’s great-grandfather (the family name was Blythe—Maurice changed his name to Barrymore as a stage name, which became the actual last name of the family). The story begins in the 1780s and ends in the early 1900s. Developing the ancestors’ characters provided helpful insight into the personality of Maurice Barrymore. Barrymore’s rebellious nature and independent spirit was shared by his grandfather. Both of them “left the fold” of hearth and home and struck out on their own, without the blessing of their respective patriarchs.
Through Maurice Barrymore’s social circles, Kotsilibas-Davis provides enjoyable glimpses into the period. We meet Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Henry James, Charles Dickens, George Bernard Shaw, Ambrose Bierce, the Prince of Wales (who would become Edward VII), Tchaikovsky, President Grover Cleveland, and of course the other great actors of the time, such as Ellen Terry, Lillie Langtry, William Gillette, and then the less famous Joe Rickey who is the creator (or at least inspirer) of the very famous cocktail, the Gin Rickey. Barrymore socialized with all of the above, and they all considered themselves fortunate to socialize with Barrymore.
Aside from those stars flitting in and out of Barrymore’s social sphere, his own family overflowed with bright lights. When he married Georgie Drew, he married into the most famous acting family of the time. His mother-in-law Louisa Lane Drew (Mrs. John Drew) owned and managed Philadelphia’s Arch Street Theater, and was the most renowned actress of her generation in the US. As an interesting aside, in her younger years, Mrs. Drew had acted opposite a promising young actor, John Wilkes Booth, whose career was cut short when he was hanged for the assassination of President Lincoln. It’s just one of many historically fascinating anecdotes in this book.
Mrs. Drew’s daughter Georgie (who married Maurice) became just as renowned as her mother in her own generation. Her brother and cousins were all similarly famous. It was an amazing family of greats who were in the headlines and starring in theaters across America for two generations. As an author, Kotsilibas-Davis uses these compelling personalities and this fascinating time period to full advantage in his storyline. There is never a dull moment in this narrative.
Those who know about “life on the boards” in those days, know that the majority of actors’ lives were spent on trains and sketchy overnight lodgings in towns across America. This biography gives us plenty of insight into that railroad-bound nomadic lifestyle. Maurice was also a playwright, and often penned his plays on trains between towns. He wrote in both English and French when it was to be played in Paris, as Maurice was bilingual. As a result of their traveling lifestyle, families in show business might see each other a few times per year, if they played in shows that happened to be in the same town for a night or two, and then perhaps for a couple of weeks between runs. It was still the days of horse-and-buggies—even at the very end of the book, automobiles were a few years in the future.
As Maurice Barrymore’s health declined and was confined to the Long Island Home at Amityville, the last part of the book focuses on the rising stars of Barrymore’s three children: Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore. Like their parents’ and grandparents’ generations, all three Barrymore children became huge stars on the stage in their own right by their early 20s (around 1903–1904). Film was just a few years in the future—when it came, Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore became three of the biggest film stars in Hollywood. Their careers perfectly straddled the stage and film eras. Unlike many stage stars, the three Barrymore children made the transition seamlessly and successfully. If it involved acting, it was in the Barrymore blood, regardless of medium. Only one film was made that features all three Barrymores working together (Rasputin and the Empress [1932]), but several films star Lionel and John together.
Today in the twenty-first century, the most prominent representative of the family is Drew Blythe Barrymore (first name “Drew” from Maurice’s wife’s family; middle name “Blythe” from Maurice’s actual birth last name; “Barrymore” from Maurice’s adopted last name). She has carried on the Barrymore traditions in many respects.
In the final analysis, the present biography of Maurice Barrymore is a treasure. Rarely have I read a book with such an exciting story about such compelling lives. I felt I had a truly rewarding and rare experience after reading it. This is a testament to Kotsilibas-Davis’s superior writing—a preëminent writer’s treatment of the era’s preëminent actor. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of their preferences of genre or period. Witnessing the life of Maurice Barrymore is to witness a parade of wit, brilliance, and creativity, the likes of which we will never see again. But, thanks to author Kotsilibas-Davis, we can always look back and enjoy Maurice Barrymore’s nineteenth-century life on the boards, the trains, and his demimonde of genius.
February 27, 2016
An absolutely outstanding blend of highly-enjoyable easy-to-read narrative history and painstakingly accurate factual account. It captures superbly the personalities of all involved, as well as the conditions of late 19th-century theatrical practice, both in Philadelphia and New York circles, and in touring companies. A classic of American theatre history, undeservedly forgotten, and well worthy of a reissue.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews