John Drew Barrymore

John Drew Barrymore, also known as John Barrymore, Jr., (June 4, 1929 – November 29, 2004) was an actor, one of The Barrymores, a family of actors that included his father, John Barrymore, and his father's siblings, his uncle Lionel and his aunt Ethel. He was also the father of 3 children, including actress Drew Barrymore.

Related Topics:
June 4 - 1929 - November 29 - 2004 - Actor - The Barrymores - John Barrymore - Lionel - Ethel - Drew Barrymore

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Born John Blythe Barrymore, Jr. in Beverly Hills, California in 1929, although he would later shave 3 years off his age; his mother was actress Dolores Costello. His parents divorced when John was around 6 years old in 1935, but he claimed (most likely fallaciously) to have met his father only once.

Related Topics:
Beverly Hills - California - Dolores Costello

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John and his cousin, Dirk Drew Davenport, enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. Due to their physical appearance, the military did not discover until several weeks later that the boys were underage. John ran away at age 17 and signed a film contract, but he repeatedly abandoned leading roles and had no major film career.

Related Topics:
US Navy - World War II

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In 1958, he changed his name to John Drew Barrymore and had a brief resurgence in film, appearing in several leading roles. However, his social behavior obstructed any professional progress. In the 1960s, he was occasionally incarcerated due to drug activity, public drunkenness, and spousal abuse. He married three times. Each of his three marriages produced one child, but all three marriages ended in divorce:

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• Cara Williams: married 1952, divorced 1959; son John Blythe Barrymore
• Gaby Palazzolo: married 1960, divorced 19??; daughter Blythe Barrymore
• Ildiko Jaid Mako: married 19??, divorced 19??; daughter Drew Barrymore

In the late 1960s, John Drew Barrymore accepted a major guest role as Lazarus in the Star Trek episode "The Alternative Factor". He failed to show up and was replaced at the last minute by Robert Brown, resulting in SAG suspending Barrymore for six months.

Related Topics:
Star Trek - The Alternative Factor - Robert Brown - SAG

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Although he continued to appear occasionally onscreen, he became more and more reclusive. Suffering from the same problems which had destroyed his father, John Drew Barrymore became a derelict by the 1970s. Estranged from his family, including his children, his lifestyle continued to worsen and his physical and mental health suffered. In 2003, his successful actress and producer daughter Drew Barrymore moved him near her home despite their estrangement, paying his medical bills until his death from cancer at the age of 75, in 2004, in Los Angeles, California.

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He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to television.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Walk of Fame - Television

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