Part of the American History & Genealogy Project

Ethel Barrymore  1879 ~ 1959

Ethel Barrymore

Daughter of the late Maurice Barrymore and Georgic Drew Barrymore, and niece of the well-known actor, John Drew. She was born in Philadelphia, August 15, 1879, and made her first appearance on the stage on January 25, 1894. At the Empire Theatre, New York, during the autumn of 1894 she played the part of Kate Fennell, in "The Bauble Shop," with her uncle, John Drew, in the leading part. She has appeared in "The Imprudent Young Couple," "The Squire of Dames," Priscilla, in "Rosemary," and on May 15, 1897, made her debut in England as Miss Kittridge, in "Secret Service," with W. H. Gillette.

She was then engaged by the late Sir Henry Irving for the Lyceum Company, going on a tour with this company, playing the part of Annette, in "The Bells." On her return to London she appeared at the Lyceum, January 1, 1896, as Euphrosine, in "Peter the Great." She then returned to America, and her next appearance was at the Garrick Theatre, October 24, 1898, as Madeleine, in "Catherine," with Annie Russell. She appeared later in "His Excellency, the Governor," and was promoted to the rank of "star" by Charles Frohman, making her first appearance as such in "Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines." Since then she has appeared as Angela Muir, in "A Country Mouse"; Kate Curtis, in "Cousin Kate"; Sunday, in the play of that name; Gwendolyn Cobb, in "The Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holes"; Nora Helmer, in "A Doll's House"; Mrs. Grey, in "Alice Sit-by-the-Fire," and in 1894 returned to London, and appeared as Cynthia, in a play by that name, by H. H. Davies.

This was followed by another season of "Alice Sit-by-the-Fire," "Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines," Mrs. Jones, in "The Silver Box," and in September, 1907, she started on a tour with a new play entitled "Her Sister," written by Clyde Fitch. She is the wife of R. Griswold Colt.

Women of America

Source: The Part Taken by Women in American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.