John Barrymore Interview
(Noah Turner)
1. So John, what was life like?
A. Well, life wasn't so easy starting out for me. When I was only 11 years old my mom died. That was very hard on my whole family. After my mother died my father continued to act until one night when he was starring in a production of "Vaudeville Engagement" when he dropped a line and began to rave. After that incident he was never the same. I lured him into an insane ward, where we learned he was suffering from syphilis. My sister was greatly affected by his death, which really only hurt me.
Even though my life with my family was hard doesn't mean the times were bad when I was acting. I reached my peak during the roaring 20's. The twenties was a great time for America! There was the invention of penicillin and home refrigeration which sent America into the modern age. People were just starting to urbanize as you would call it now. That's when acting was truly at its prime to me.
2. What made you want to become an actor at an early age?
A. Well my father being a famous actor really inspired me. My father played many big roles as an actor. He joined the Augustin's Daly's troupe, a highly respected acting troupe. Even though my father wasn't the best man because he left my brother and I in the care of the man who took care of his exotic animals I still respect him greatly. He was still a great man for caring for us when he did.
Not only was my father a great man to my mother and my brother and sister, he was also an amazing play wright. He wrote a beautiful play entitled Nadjezda. The meaning of this title meaning "hope". He wrote this play while he was sailing with my family and I. If only Victorien Sardou didn't plagiarize my fathers work and don't tell me that, that accusation was never proven true, because I know it was.
3. Who mentored you and how?
A. Well as I've been mentioning my father Maurice was a big mentor to me. He gave me my first major role in a play of his when I was just 18. I believe that was the moment I really saw him as a mentor and father. He's was an amazing actor who was directly related to me so its only natural I take after him and learn from him. My father really helped my name get out there too.
My family name of Barrymore became a very famous name as you know all starting with my father. With my granddaughter Drew Barrymore acting now. I hope she becomes a strong mentor someday. Just like my father was to me. I hope that the Barrymore name lives on not just with mentoring or acting but as a proud family name.
4. What was acting like during your time?
A. The acting life was booming in the 20's for America! Originally we were behind in Hollywood on acting compared to Italy and other European countries. Due to the impact World War 1 had on Europe and its countries they fell behind in acting. Therefor Acting was at its prime when I was acting. Lucky for me right! This only improved my family's title
This was also a prime time for my movie career to take off. In 1920, I stared in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. I portrayed the role of Dr. Jekyll. That where my pro film acting truly began. After that I went on to do many other films like, Grand Hotel, Twentieth Century, and Dinner at Eight. I think ill always prefer stage acting though. that's where I earned my famous role of Hamlet. Oh well Im getting a little off topic.
5. How did World War 1 impact your acting/all acting?
A. As I somewhat stated before, greatly. World war 1 put Europe behind in acting achievements. And also put America ahead of the pack. I believe WW1 was horrible for America overall but it certainly didn't hurt the acting aspect. I cant say the same for England. Personally I don't think WW1 impacted me that hard.
Yes acting was most likely greatly effected around me but I truly didn't notice any change to my career. I think in all honesty the acting world was oblivious to the war. Well except for the actors who were deployed. I wasn't though so I really cant say much.
6. Any major accomplishments?
A. This is the question ive been waiting for! Yes!, I've earned many titles ive mentioned one of which is, The Great Profile. I earned this title through my great picture of me taken in a profile position (side of the face). Ive also had a play made about mine and my families life in 1927. The play is entitled, The Royal Family.
An actor by the name Fredric March portrayed me and I was quite pleased. The play was staged in London in 1934 as Theatre Royal as the new name. Before this though the play was adapted into a movie in 1930 where March portrayed me. Once again I was pleased with the performance. Even if I wasn't the one in the starring role.
7. What was a major role that led to a rise in you acting career?
A. Well my major role would have to be Hamlet. Its the role everyone knows me for and what gave me my second best title to me, a great Shakespearian tragedian. I think my rendition of Hamlet was the best interpretation of what Shakespearian wanted. As a review of my performance of Hamlet says, "The all-important spark of genius was there..." (critics for the NY Times 2015)
Another review of my Hamlet portrayal, "It seemed to me that he [John Barrymore] breathed life into the character..." (nj.com no named editor) I think my major role film wise would be Oscar Jaffe in Twentieth Century. That film had the highest review from people loving my performance as I had the lead role in it. That's when I peaked film wise.
8.What roadblocks did face with your career?
A. My roadblock in life would probably be my alcoholism and my fathers alcoholism and abuse. I had had a drinking problem for as long as I could remember. I learned to keep it under control for the sake of my career but I still struggled. a review of me says, " A huge talent and a mess of a man."
I was very sad to have heard of this. I'm not the only one who struggle with alcoholism.
My father also struggle from his alcoholism. Im afraid he couldn't keep it under control for the sake of a show like I could. At the age of 14 I suffered from alcohol abuse from him. Like I've stated I still respect him. He truly wasn't a horrible man.
9. Anything that's meaningful to you about your life?
A. I think a time in my life where I was very deep in myself was when there was rumor I was returning to stage. At this time my alcoholism was destroying my life. all my money was going down the drain. The money was gone due to a non-intelligent idea of mine buying a Hollywood mansion. I was frightened of a live audience. (tcm.com 2015)I hid behind the screen that was film acting. People disgraced me for this.
Ironically, as I would like to mention I never liked playing the lovers in a play. Though my dying words for stage were from Romeo and Juliet, Romeos line(tcm.com 2015). I believe the decline of my life was disgraceful and I wish I could've been a better mentor/role model to someone. Perhaps that was my biggest roadblock.
10. How have you impacted Acting/Actors today?
A. I think my early acting stages and my peak of acting have inspired people today. While I may be an old actor to some. A drunken fool to others. Or the Great Profile to another. All I was, was an actor. Not a life changing activists or here just a simple entertainer.
I wont talk all bad about myself I did inspire actors I can insure that. And I had just hoped to do better for everyone in my later years. I'm only human and I cant always be strong enough to conquer my weaknesses. But I know I could've improved my strengths for future actors.
A. Well, life wasn't so easy starting out for me. When I was only 11 years old my mom died. That was very hard on my whole family. After my mother died my father continued to act until one night when he was starring in a production of "Vaudeville Engagement" when he dropped a line and began to rave. After that incident he was never the same. I lured him into an insane ward, where we learned he was suffering from syphilis. My sister was greatly affected by his death, which really only hurt me.
Even though my life with my family was hard doesn't mean the times were bad when I was acting. I reached my peak during the roaring 20's. The twenties was a great time for America! There was the invention of penicillin and home refrigeration which sent America into the modern age. People were just starting to urbanize as you would call it now. That's when acting was truly at its prime to me.
2. What made you want to become an actor at an early age?
A. Well my father being a famous actor really inspired me. My father played many big roles as an actor. He joined the Augustin's Daly's troupe, a highly respected acting troupe. Even though my father wasn't the best man because he left my brother and I in the care of the man who took care of his exotic animals I still respect him greatly. He was still a great man for caring for us when he did.
Not only was my father a great man to my mother and my brother and sister, he was also an amazing play wright. He wrote a beautiful play entitled Nadjezda. The meaning of this title meaning "hope". He wrote this play while he was sailing with my family and I. If only Victorien Sardou didn't plagiarize my fathers work and don't tell me that, that accusation was never proven true, because I know it was.
3. Who mentored you and how?
A. Well as I've been mentioning my father Maurice was a big mentor to me. He gave me my first major role in a play of his when I was just 18. I believe that was the moment I really saw him as a mentor and father. He's was an amazing actor who was directly related to me so its only natural I take after him and learn from him. My father really helped my name get out there too.
My family name of Barrymore became a very famous name as you know all starting with my father. With my granddaughter Drew Barrymore acting now. I hope she becomes a strong mentor someday. Just like my father was to me. I hope that the Barrymore name lives on not just with mentoring or acting but as a proud family name.
4. What was acting like during your time?
A. The acting life was booming in the 20's for America! Originally we were behind in Hollywood on acting compared to Italy and other European countries. Due to the impact World War 1 had on Europe and its countries they fell behind in acting. Therefor Acting was at its prime when I was acting. Lucky for me right! This only improved my family's title
This was also a prime time for my movie career to take off. In 1920, I stared in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. I portrayed the role of Dr. Jekyll. That where my pro film acting truly began. After that I went on to do many other films like, Grand Hotel, Twentieth Century, and Dinner at Eight. I think ill always prefer stage acting though. that's where I earned my famous role of Hamlet. Oh well Im getting a little off topic.
5. How did World War 1 impact your acting/all acting?
A. As I somewhat stated before, greatly. World war 1 put Europe behind in acting achievements. And also put America ahead of the pack. I believe WW1 was horrible for America overall but it certainly didn't hurt the acting aspect. I cant say the same for England. Personally I don't think WW1 impacted me that hard.
Yes acting was most likely greatly effected around me but I truly didn't notice any change to my career. I think in all honesty the acting world was oblivious to the war. Well except for the actors who were deployed. I wasn't though so I really cant say much.
6. Any major accomplishments?
A. This is the question ive been waiting for! Yes!, I've earned many titles ive mentioned one of which is, The Great Profile. I earned this title through my great picture of me taken in a profile position (side of the face). Ive also had a play made about mine and my families life in 1927. The play is entitled, The Royal Family.
An actor by the name Fredric March portrayed me and I was quite pleased. The play was staged in London in 1934 as Theatre Royal as the new name. Before this though the play was adapted into a movie in 1930 where March portrayed me. Once again I was pleased with the performance. Even if I wasn't the one in the starring role.
7. What was a major role that led to a rise in you acting career?
A. Well my major role would have to be Hamlet. Its the role everyone knows me for and what gave me my second best title to me, a great Shakespearian tragedian. I think my rendition of Hamlet was the best interpretation of what Shakespearian wanted. As a review of my performance of Hamlet says, "The all-important spark of genius was there..." (critics for the NY Times 2015)
Another review of my Hamlet portrayal, "It seemed to me that he [John Barrymore] breathed life into the character..." (nj.com no named editor) I think my major role film wise would be Oscar Jaffe in Twentieth Century. That film had the highest review from people loving my performance as I had the lead role in it. That's when I peaked film wise.
8.What roadblocks did face with your career?
A. My roadblock in life would probably be my alcoholism and my fathers alcoholism and abuse. I had had a drinking problem for as long as I could remember. I learned to keep it under control for the sake of my career but I still struggled. a review of me says, " A huge talent and a mess of a man."
I was very sad to have heard of this. I'm not the only one who struggle with alcoholism.
My father also struggle from his alcoholism. Im afraid he couldn't keep it under control for the sake of a show like I could. At the age of 14 I suffered from alcohol abuse from him. Like I've stated I still respect him. He truly wasn't a horrible man.
9. Anything that's meaningful to you about your life?
A. I think a time in my life where I was very deep in myself was when there was rumor I was returning to stage. At this time my alcoholism was destroying my life. all my money was going down the drain. The money was gone due to a non-intelligent idea of mine buying a Hollywood mansion. I was frightened of a live audience. (tcm.com 2015)I hid behind the screen that was film acting. People disgraced me for this.
Ironically, as I would like to mention I never liked playing the lovers in a play. Though my dying words for stage were from Romeo and Juliet, Romeos line(tcm.com 2015). I believe the decline of my life was disgraceful and I wish I could've been a better mentor/role model to someone. Perhaps that was my biggest roadblock.
10. How have you impacted Acting/Actors today?
A. I think my early acting stages and my peak of acting have inspired people today. While I may be an old actor to some. A drunken fool to others. Or the Great Profile to another. All I was, was an actor. Not a life changing activists or here just a simple entertainer.
I wont talk all bad about myself I did inspire actors I can insure that. And I had just hoped to do better for everyone in my later years. I'm only human and I cant always be strong enough to conquer my weaknesses. But I know I could've improved my strengths for future actors.
Cites:
Britannica.com // 2015
livegamelabs.com//Adam Norbuck//2015
imdb.com//2015 (last updated)
slideshare.net//2012 (last updated 3 years ago)// Hammad Kamai
2012historyf.wikiplaces.com//2012// Valeria Vergani
nj.com//2009// Star-ledger Staff
tcm.com//2015
biography.com// editor
youtube// John Barrymore//2006
Wikipedia//John barrymore//2015
