Maurice Barrymore
Indian-born British stage actor and patriarch of the Barrymore family.
Herbert Arthur Chamberlayne Blyth, who performed as Maurice Barrymore, was a stage actor born in British India to English parents. He became the founding figure of the Barrymore acting dynasty, fathering John, Lionel, and Ethel.
He was born in Amritsar, India, the youngest of seven children. His father worked as a surveyor for the British East India Company; his mother died shortly after his birth. Raised initially by an aunt, he was later sent to England for school. He attended Harrow and studied law at Oxford, where he captained his class football team and developed a passion for boxing. In 1872, he won the English middleweight boxing championship. His father wanted him to become a barrister, but Herbert instead fell in with actors, causing a family scandal. To spare his father embarrassment, he adopted the stage name Maurice Barrymore, inspired by a conversation about an earlier actor named William Barrymore. He preferred the French pronunciation of his first name, but friends simply called him "Barry."
Barrymore emigrated to the United States in late 1874, joining Augustin Daly's troupe and making his Broadway debut the following year. In that production, he met actress Georgiana Drew, who was introduced to him by her brother, John Drew Jr. After a short courtship, they married on New Year's Eve 1876. They had three children: Lionel, Ethel, and John. While their parents toured, the children lived with Georgiana's mother in Philadelphia. Barrymore loved animals and bought a Staten Island farm in the 1890s to house his exotic collection. Georgiana died of consumption in 1893, leaving him a widower with teenagers. A year later, he married Mamie Floyd, which upset Ethel.
In March 1879, while in Marshall, Texas, Barrymore and fellow actor Ben Porter were shot by a gunman named Jim Currie. Currie had lost money to them at cards and, drunk, provoked a fight at a saloon. Barrymore challenged him to a fistfight, but Currie shot him in the chest and Porter in the stomach. Porter died; Barrymore survived after surgery. Georgiana, pregnant with Ethel, made a long train ride to Texas to be with him. Currie was acquitted after a brief jury deliberation, reportedly due to his brother's political influence. An angry Barrymore swore never to return to Texas.
After the shooting, Barrymore asked Georgiana to tour with him and actress Helena Modjeska in a play he had wr
- born
- 21 September 1849, Amritsar, India
- died
- 25 March 1905
- field
- Stage actor
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Patriarch of the Barrymore acting family; father of John, Lionel, and Ethel Barrymore
Lore & Background
Born in Amritsar, India, to William Edward Blythe, a surveyor for the British East India Company, and Charlotte Matilda Chamberlayne de Tankerville, Herbert was the youngest of seven children. His mother died shortly after his birth, and he was raised by his aunt Amelia Blyth and other family members. He was sent to England for education at Harrow School and studied law at Oxford University, where he was captain of his class football team in 1868. He also became enamored of boxing, winning the middleweight boxing championship of England on 21 March 1872. His father expected him to become a barrister, but Herbert fell in with actors, taking the stage name Maurice Barrymore to spare his father shame. He emigrated to the United States on 29 December 1874, joining Augustin Daly's troupe and making his Broadway début in December 1875 in Pique. He married Georgiana Drew on 31 December 1876, and they had three children: Lionel, Ethel, and John. Georgiana died on 2 July 1893 from consumption. Barrymore married Mamie Floyd one year later, much to Ethel's consternation.
Reader's Guide
Maurice Barrymore's significance lies in his role as the founder of the Barrymore acting dynasty, which profoundly influenced American theater and film through his children John, Lionel, and Ethel. His career spanned stage work in both England and the United States, including being the first major Broadway star to headline in vaudeville in 1896. He wrote the play Nadjezda in 1884 and later claimed it was plagiarized by Victorien Sardou's La Tosca, though the court found no merit in the claim. His life was marked by a notorious shooting incident in 1879 in Marshall, Texas, where he was shot by gunfighter Jim Currie after a card game; his fellow actor Ben Porter was killed. Barrymore made a full recovery. His later years were marred by a mental breakdown in 1901, during which he delivered a rant on stage and was committed to Bellevue Hospital. He died on 25 March 1905. His legacy is that of a pioneering stage actor whose family name became synonymous with American theatrical excellence.
Did You Know?
- He won the middleweight boxing championship of England on 21 March 1872.
- He was shot in the chest by gunfighter Jim Currie in Marshall, Texas, on 19 March 1879; fellow actor Ben Porter was killed.
- He wrote a play titled Nadjezda in 1884 and later claimed it was plagiarized by Victorien Sardou's La Tosca.
- He was the first major Broadway star to headline in vaudeville, in 1896.
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