John Barrymore Net Worth

What Was John Barrymore's Net Worth and Salary?

John Barrymore was an American stage and film actor who had a net worth of $5,000 at the time of his death in 1942. That's the same as around $100,000 today, after adjusting for inflation.

Known as "The Great Profile," Barrymore was one of the most celebrated American actors of the early 20th century and a central member of the family once described as the Royal Family of the American Stage.

Barrymore first became a Broadway star through light comedy and romantic leading roles before proving himself as a major classical actor in acclaimed productions of "Richard III" and "Hamlet." His interpretation of Hamlet became one of the defining American Shakespearean performances of its era and influenced a generation of British and American actors.

He later became a major silent-film star in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," "Sherlock Holmes," "Beau Brummel," "The Sea Beast," and "Don Juan." Unlike many silent performers, Barrymore possessed a trained and commanding voice that allowed him to transition successfully into talking pictures. His sound-film credits included "Grand Hotel," "Dinner at Eight," "Twentieth Century," "A Bill of Divorcement," and "Midnight."

At his peak, Barrymore commanded some of the largest acting salaries in Hollywood. He nevertheless died with little remaining wealth after years of extravagant spending, divorces, declining health, and alcoholism. Actress Drew Barrymore is his granddaughter.

Early Life and the Barrymore Dynasty

John Sidney Blyth was born on February 14 or 15, 1882, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family Bible listed February 15, while his birth certificate recorded February 14.

His father, Herbert Blyth, performed under the name Maurice Barrymore. His mother, Georgiana "Georgie" Drew, belonged to the prominent Drew theatrical family. John's older siblings were actors Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore.

John initially resisted the family profession and wanted to become an artist. He studied art in England and worked briefly as a newspaper illustrator and cartoonist. His artistic career did not provide a dependable living, however, and he eventually followed his parents and siblings onto the stage.

Barrymore appeared with his father in "A Man of the World" in 1900 and began working regularly in touring companies and Broadway productions. His combination of comic timing, physical elegance, and striking features made him a successful romantic lead.

Broadway Stardom

Barrymore spent much of his early stage career in comedies, including "The Fortune Hunter," "The Affairs of Anatol," "Believe Me, Xantippe," and "The Dictator." By 1912, he was earning $600 per week, an enormous theatrical salary for the period.

Although audiences regarded him as a matinee idol, Barrymore wanted to demonstrate that his talent extended beyond light entertainment. He began choosing more demanding dramatic roles and won praise for "Justice," "Peter Ibbetson," and "The Jest," the latter of which co-starred Lionel.

His transformation into a serious classical actor became complete when he played the title role in "Richard III" in 1920. The production showcased his physical intensity and rich speaking voice and established him as a major interpreter of Shakespeare.

"Hamlet"

Barrymore began starring in "Hamlet" on Broadway in November 1922. His production broke from some of the rigid theatrical traditions surrounding the play and emphasized Hamlet's psychological conflict, intelligence, humor, and physical energy.

The revival became a major critical and commercial success. Barrymore returned to the role during the 1923 Broadway season and later performed it in London, where his work influenced actors including John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness, and others who would shape British Shakespearean performance.

His Hamlet remained the artistic high point of his stage career. Although Barrymore continued acting for nearly two decades, he increasingly chose financially lucrative film work over the discipline required for major classical productions.

Silent Film Career

Barrymore began appearing in motion pictures during the 1910s while continuing his stage career. He achieved one of his first major screen triumphs by playing both title characters in the 1920 adaptation of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

He followed it with roles in "The Lotus Eater," "Sherlock Holmes," and "Beau Brummel." The success of "Beau Brummel" prompted Warner Bros. to offer him a three-picture contract paying $76,250 per film.

Barrymore's Warner films included "The Sea Beast," a loose adaptation of "Moby-Dick," and "Don Juan." Released in 1926, "Don Juan" featured a synchronized musical score and sound effects using Warner Bros.' Vitaphone system, although it contained no spoken dialogue.

He then signed a three-picture deal with United Artists and starred in "The Beloved Rogue," "Tempest," and "Eternal Love." Barrymore received $150,000 for "Eternal Love," placing him among the best-paid actors in the business.

Talking Pictures

The arrival of sound destroyed the careers of many silent-film stars, but Barrymore's theatrical training made him particularly valuable. Warner Bros. signed him to a five-picture agreement paying $150,000 per film plus a share of profits.

His early sound films included "General Crack," "The Man from Blankley's," "Moby Dick," "Svengali," and "The Mad Genius." His performance as the manipulative voice teacher in "Svengali" became one of his most acclaimed film roles.

When Warner Bros. declined to renew his contract on the same terms, Barrymore moved to MGM. He joined Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, and Lionel in the 1932 ensemble drama "Grand Hotel," which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

He reunited with Ethel and Lionel in "Rasputin and the Empress" and appeared with Lionel again in "Dinner at Eight." In 1934, Barrymore delivered one of his finest comic performances as the theatrical producer Oscar Jaffe opposite Carole Lombard in Howard Hawks' "Twentieth Century."

Salaries and Career Earnings

Barrymore's earnings rose dramatically as he moved from Broadway into silent films. His post-"Beau Brummel" Warner contract was worth $228,750 for three films. His later five-picture sound agreement carried a base value of $750,000 before profit participation.

He earned $150,000 for "Eternal Love" and reportedly generated close to $500,000 in income during 1931. In modern purchasing power, his best years produced the equivalent of several million dollars annually.

Despite earning millions over his lifetime, Barrymore saved little. His money supported elaborate homes, servants, travel, artwork, animals, a yacht, collecting, entertaining, divorce settlements, and an increasingly destructive lifestyle.

Career Decline

Barrymore's drinking gradually damaged his health, memory, appearance, and reliability. He increasingly required cue cards and struggled to remember dialogue that he once would have mastered with ease.

Studios became reluctant to insure or employ him in demanding leading roles. He continued appearing in films such as "Topaze," "Counsellor at Law," "Romeo and Juliet," "Marie Antoinette," "Spawn of the North," and "Midnight," but his parts became smaller and more dependent on his famous persona.

His final Broadway appearance came in the 1939–1940 comedy "My Dear Children." The production drew audiences eager to see the legendary actor, although Barrymore often improvised, mocked the material, and turned his declining reputation into part of the entertainment.

His last films, "The Great Profile" and "Playmates," required him to parody a once-great actor whose personal problems had overwhelmed his career. He also appeared regularly on Rudy Vallée's radio program, making jokes about his drinking, marriages, fading memory, and financial troubles.

Real Estate

In 1917, Barrymore rented the top floor of a townhouse at 132 West Fourth Street in Greenwich Village. He transformed the apartment and roof into an eccentric retreat filled with nautical objects, theatrical decoration, beehives, plants, a fountain, and a small crooked cabin. He called the home the Alchemist's Corner.

In 1927, Barrymore purchased Bella Vista, a Spanish Colonial estate built for director King Vidor on a hill above Beverly Hills. He and his third wife, actress Dolores Costello, expanded the property into a lavish compound.

At its peak, Bella Vista reportedly contained 16 structures and 55 rooms spread across several acres. The grounds featured swimming pools, fountains, gardens, an aviary housing hundreds of birds, a skeet range, a bowling green, guesthouses, a pub, libraries, and a trophy room.

Barrymore filled the estate with art and unusual objects, including shrunken heads, a dinosaur egg, and a Tlingit totem pole removed from Alaska during a voyage aboard his yacht, the "Infanta."

The surviving one-acre portion of Bella Vista contained 6,976 square feet across the main residence and several guest buildings. Long after Barrymore's death, the property belonged to "Top Gun" director Tony Scott. In 2015, Tony's widow Donna put the home on the market for $42 million. She ultimately sold the property in 2021 for $14.7 million to filmmaker McG, who directed Barrymore's granddaughter Drew Barrymore in the "Charlie's Angels" films.

Marriages and Children

Barrymore married actress Katherine Corri Harris in 1910. They separated in 1916 and divorced the following year.

In 1920, he married poet and playwright Blanche Oelrichs, who wrote under the name Michael Strange. Their daughter, Diana Barrymore, was born in 1921. The marriage ended in divorce in 1928.

Later that year, Barrymore married silent-film actress Dolores Costello. They had a daughter, Dolores Ethel Mae "Dee Dee" Barrymore, in 1930 and a son, John Drew Barrymore, in 1932. John Drew became an actor and was the father of Drew Barrymore. John and Costello divorced in 1935.

Barrymore's fourth and final wife was actress Elaine Barrie, whom he married in 1936. Their volatile relationship produced multiple separations and reconciliations before ending in divorce in 1940.

Who Inherited John Barrymore's Estate?

John Barrymore did not leave behind the kind of great Hollywood fortune his peak salaries might suggest. By the end of his life, he had sold his yacht, pawned or disposed of valuable possessions, accumulated debts, and was widely described as bankrupt.

His surviving children were Diana, Dee Dee, and John Drew Barrymore. Public accounts confirm that Diana received an inheritance from her father, although no reliable public record establishes its exact value or provides a complete breakdown of the estate among the three children.

Creditors, taxes, medical expenses, and other obligations would have been paid before heirs received any remaining property. None of Barrymore's former wives is known to have inherited a major share, and Bella Vista did not remain a permanent family estate.

Drew Barrymore did not inherit directly from John. She was born in 1975, more than three decades after his death, and descended through his son John Drew.

Death and Legacy

On May 19, 1942, Barrymore collapsed while rehearsing material from "Romeo and Juliet" for Rudy Vallée's radio show. He was taken to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital.

Barrymore died on May 29, 1942, at the age of 60. His health problems included cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure, pneumonia, ulcers, and cardiovascular disease.

He was initially buried at Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles. In 1980, John Drew Barrymore had his father's remains moved to the Barrymore family plot at Mount Vernon Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Barrymore's decline often overshadowed discussion of his talent, but his finest performances helped bridge 19th-century theatrical traditions, modern Shakespearean acting, silent cinema, and the early sound era. His influence survives through his films, his reputation as one of America's great Hamlets, and the acting dynasty continued by his descendants.

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