ACTOR
Lionel Barrymore
Known for That's Entertainment! · Broken Lullaby · That's Entertainment, Part II
Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul (1931), and remains best known to modern audiences for the role of villainous Mr. Potter in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. He is also particularly remembered as Ebenezer Scrooge in annual…
Snapshot 2026-10-16
- Born
- Apr 28, 1878
- Died
- Nov 15, 1954
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul (1931), and remains best known to modern audiences for the role of villainous Mr. Potter in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. He is also particularly remembered as Ebenezer Scrooge in annual broadcasts of A Christmas Carol during his last two decades. He is also known for playing Dr. Leonard Gillespie in MGM's nine Dr. Kildare films, a role he reprised in a further six films focusing solely on Gillespie and in a radio series entitled The Story of Dr. Kildare. He was a member of the theatrical Barrymore family.
Advertisement
Known For
MOVIE
That's Entertainment!(archive footage) (uncredited) · 1974
★ 7.4
★ 7.4
MOVIE
Broken LullabyDr. H. Holderlin · 1932
★ 7.4
★ 7.4
MOVIE
That's Entertainment, Part II(archive footage) · 1976
★ 7.0
★ 7.0
TV
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 1948
★ 6.8
★ 6.8
TV
HollywoodSelf (archive footage, uncredited) · 1980
★ 8.4
★ 8.4
MOVIE
Complicated WomenSelf (archive footage) · 2003
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
MOVIE
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of SoundSelf · 1940
★ 6.8
★ 6.8
MOVIE
Hollywood: The Dream FactorySelf (archive footage) · 1972
★ 7.4
★ 7.4
Filmography
Movies
The White Caps
1905
Fighting Blood
1911
The BattleWagon Driver (uncredited)
1911
The Miser's HeartJules - the Thief
1911
A Cry for HelpThe Tramp
1912
BrutalityAt Wedding
1912
FriendsGrizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
1912
Gold and GlitterThe Lover
1912
HeredityWoodsman
1912
My BabyAt table
1912MH
My Hero
1912
So Near, Yet So FarIn Club
1912
The Burglar’s DilemmaThe Householder
1912The Burglar’s DilemmaWriter
1912
The Chief's BlanketThe Young Man
1912TG
The God WithinThe Woman of the Camp's Lover
1912
The InformerUnion Soldier
1912
The Musketeers of Pig AlleyThe Musician's Friend
1912
The New York HatMinister
1912TO
The One She LovedThe Neighbor
1912
The Painted LadyAt Ice Cream Festival
1912AC
A Chance Deception2nd Policeman
1913AG
A Gamble with DeathJim Benton, the Bartender
1913AM
A Misunderstood BoyThe Father
1913
A Timely InterceptionUncle James - The Farmer's Brother
1913AF
All for ScienceDetective
1913AA
Almost a Wild ManIn Audience (uncredited)
1913AA
An Adventure in the Autumn WoodsThe Father
1913
An Indian's LoyaltyThe Cattle Buyer
1913
Death's MarathonThe Financial Backer
1913
FateFather, Loving Family
1913
His SecretDirector
1913IW
I Was Meant for YouLavina's Father
1913ID
In Diplomatic CirclesThe Japanese Ambassador
1913JG
Just GoldThe Stay-at-Home Brother
1913LI
Love in an Apartment HotelIn Hotel Lobby
1913
Near To EarthGato
1913
Oil and WaterThe Idealist's Friend
1913PS
Pa SaysTeddy's Rival
1913RH
Red Hicks Defies the WorldThe Referee
1913SR
So Runs the Way
1913TC
The Crook and the GirlThe Nephew
1913TE
The Enemy's BabyPostmaster Ben Brown
1913
The House of DarknessThe Doctor
1913
The House of DiscordThe Husband
1913
The Lady and the MouseThe Father
1913
The Little TeaseIn Bar
1913TM
The MirrorDaisy's Father
1913TP
The Perfidy of MaryMary's Father
1913TR
The Ranchero's RevengeThe Ranchero
1913
The Sheriff's BabyThird Bandit
1913TS
The Stolen TreatyThe Japanese Diplomat
1913
The Strong Man's BurdenJohn - the Elder Brother
1913TS
The Suffragette Minstrels(unconfirmed)
1913
The SwitchtowerFirst Counterfeiter
1913
The Telephone Girl and the LadyThe Desk Sergeant
1913TT
The Tender Hearted Boy(uncredited)
1913TT
The Tender Hearted BoyWriter
1913
The Unwelcome GuestAt Auction (uncredited)
1913TV
The Vengeance of Galora
1913TV
The Vengeance of GaloraWriter
1913
The WandererThe Male Lover
1913TW
The WellThe Farmer
1913TW
The Work HabitThe Father
1913TW
The Wrong BottleThe Father
1913
The Yaqui CurThe Easterner
1913
Three FriendsSecond Friend
1913UT
Under the Shadow of the LawCharles Darnton - the Employer
1913C
ClassmatesBubby Dumble
1914
Her Father's Silent Partner
1914
Judith of BethuliaExtra (uncredited)
1914
Men and WomenStephen Rodman / Robert Stevens
1914
StrongheartBilly Saunders
1914TB
The Bartered CrownThe Landlord
1914TC
The Cracksman's Gratitude
1914
The Exploits of Elaine
1914
The Power of the PressSteve Carson
1914
The Seats of the MightyMonsieur Doltaire
1914TS
The Span of LifeRichard Blunt
1914
The Woman in BlackRobert Crane
1914
Under the GaslightWilliam Byke
1914WA
Woman Against WomanGilbert Craven
1914
A Modern MagdalenLindsay
1915
A Yellow StreakBarry Dale
1915
Dora ThorneLord Earle
1915
The Curious Conduct of Judge LegardeJudge Randolph Legarde
1915
The Flaming SwordSteve
1915
The Romance of ElaineMarcus Del Mar / Mr. X
1915
WildfireJohn Keefe
1915
Dorian's DivorceRichard Dorian
1916
The Brand of CowardiceCyril Hamilton
1916
The QuitterHappy Jack Lewis
1916
The UpheavalJim Gordon
1916
His Father's SonJ. Dabney Barro
1917
Life's WhirlpoolDirector
1917Life's WhirlpoolWriter
1917
National Red Cross Pageant
1917
The End of the TourByron Bennett
1917
The Millionaire's DoubleBide Bennington
1917
The CopperheadMilt Shanks
1920
The Devil's GardenWilliam Dale
1920
The Master MindHenry Allen
1920
Jim the PenmanJames Ralston
1921
The Great AdventurePriam Farll
1921
Boomerang BillBoomerang Bill
1922
The Face in the FogBoston Blackie Dawson
1922
Enemies of WomenPrince Lubimoff
1923
The Eternal CityBaron Bonelli
1923
Unseeing EyesConrad Dean
1923
AmericaCapt. Walter Butler
1924
Decameron NightsSaladin
1924IA
I Am the ManJames McQuade
1924
Meddling WomenEdwin Ainsworth / John Wells (duel role)
1924
A Man of IronPhilip Durban
1925
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the ChristChariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
1925
Children of the WhirlwindJoe Ellison
1925
Fifty-FiftyFrederick Harmon
1925
The Girl Who Wouldn't WorkGordon Kent
1925
The Splendid RoadDan Clehollis
1925TW
The Woman Who DidAllan Merrick
1925
The WrongdoersDaniel Abbott
1925BE
Brooding EyesSlim Jim Carey
1926
Paris at MidnightVautrin
1926
The BarrierStark Bennett
1926
The BellsMathias
1926
The Lucky LadyCount Ferranzo
1926
The TemptressCanterac
1926
Wife TamersMr. Barry
1926
Body and SoulDr. Leyden
1927
The ShowThe Greek
1927
The Thirteenth HourProf. Leroy
1927
Women Love DiamondsHugo Harlan
1927
Alias Jimmy ValentineDoyle
1928
Drums of LoveDuke Cathos de Alvia
1928
Road HouseHenry Grayson
1928
Sadie ThompsonAlfred Davidson
1928
The Lion and the MouseJohn Ryder
1928
The River WomanBill Lefty
1928
West of ZanzibarCrane
1928
His Glorious NightDirector
1929His Glorious NightMusic
1929
Madame XDirector
1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929Self - Director of 'Romeo and Juliet' (uncredited)
1929
The Mysterious IslandAndre Dakkar
1929
The Unholy NightDirector
1929
EstrelladosSelf (Guest Appearance)
1930
Free and EasyBedroom Scene
1930
RedemptionDirector
1930
Si l'empereur savait çaMusic
1930
The Rogue SongDirector
1930
The Sea BatDirector
1930
A Free SoulStephen Ashe
1931
Guilty HandsRichard Grant
1931
Mata HariGeneral Serge Shubin
1931
Ten Cents a DanceDirector
1931
The Christmas PartyHimself (uncredited)
1931
The Yellow TicketBaron Igor Andreeff
1931
Arsène LupinDetective Guerchard
1932
Broken LullabyDr. H. Holderlin
1932
Grand HotelOtto Kringelein
1932
Rasputin and the EmpressGrigori Rasputin
1932
The Movie Album(archive footage)
1932
The Washington MasqueradeJefferson "Jeff" Keane
1932
Christopher BeanDr. Milton Haggett
1933
Dinner at EightOliver Jordan
1933
Looking ForwardTim Benton
1933
Night FlightRobineau
1933
One Man's JourneyEli Watt
1933
Should Ladies BehaveAugustus Merrick
1933
SweepingsDaniel Pardway
1933
The Stranger's ReturnGrandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
1933
CarolinaBob Connelly
1934
The Girl from MissouriT.R. Paige
1934
This Side of HeavenMartin Turner
1934
Treasure IslandBilly Bones
1934
Ah, Wilderness!Nat Miller
1935
David CopperfieldDan Peggotty
1935
Mark of the VampireProfessor Zelin
1935
Public Hero Number 1Dr. Josiah Glass
1935
The Little ColonelColonel Lloyd
1935
The Return Of Peter GrimmPeter Grimm
1935
CamilleMonsieur Duval
1936
The Devil-DollPaul Lavond
1936
The Gorgeous HussyAndrew Jackson
1936
The Road to GloryPapa La Roche / Pvt. Morin
1936
The Voice of Bugle AnnSpringfield Davis
1936
A Family AffairJudge Hardy
1937
Captains CourageousCaptain Disko Troop
1937
Navy Blue and GoldCaptain 'Skinny' Dawes
1937
SaratogaGrandpa Clayton
1937AF
A Fireside Chat with Lionel BarrymoreSelf
1938
A Yank at OxfordDan Sheridan
1938
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12Lionel Barrymore
1938
Test PilotHoward B. Drake
1938
You Can't Take It with YouMartin Vanderhof
1938
Young Dr. KildareDr. Leonard Gillespie
1938
Calling Dr. KildareDr. Leonard Gillespie
1939
From the Ends of the EarthSelf
1939
Land of Liberty(archive footage)
1939
Let Freedom RingThomas Logan
1939
On Borrowed TimeJulian Northrup aka Gramps
1939
The Movies March OnSelf (segment The New York Hat) (archive footage)
1939
The Secret of Dr. KildareLeonard Gillespie
1939
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of SoundSelf
1940
Cavalcade of the Academy AwardsSelf (archive footage)
1940
Dr. Kildare Goes HomeDr. Leonard Gillespie
1940
Dr. Kildare's CrisisDr. Leonard Gillespie
1940
Dr. Kildare's Strange CaseLeonard Gillespie
1940
Hollywood: Style Center of the WorldSelf
1940
The Stars Look DownNarrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
1940
Dr. Kildare's Wedding DayDr. Leonard Gillespie
1941
Lady Be GoodJudge Murdock
1941
The Bad ManUncle Henry Jones
1941
The Penalty'Grandpop' Logan
1941
The People Vs. Dr. KildareDr. Leonard Gillespie
1941
Calling Dr. GillespieDr. Leonard Gillespie
1942
Dr. Gillespie's New AssistantDr. Leonard Gillespie
1942
Dr. Kildare's VictoryDr. Leonard Gillespie
1942
Tennessee JohnsonThaddeus Stevens
1942
Dr. Gillespie's Criminal CaseDr. Leonard Gillespie
1943
The Last Will and Testament of Tom SmithGramps
1943
3 Men in WhiteDr. Leonard Gillespie
1944
A Guy Named JoeThe General
1944
Dragon SeedNarrator (voice) (uncredited)
1944
Since You Went AwayClergyman
1944
Twenty Years After(archive footage)
1944
Between Two WomenDr. Leonard Gillespie
1945
The Valley of DecisionPat Rafferty
1945
Duel in the SunSen. Jackson McCanles
1946
It's a Wonderful LifeMr. Potter
1946
The Secret HeartDr. Rossiger
1946
Three Wise FoolsDr. Richard Gaunght
1946
Dark DelusionDr. Leonard Gillespie
1947
The Way of the WorldGrizzley Fallon (Archive Footage)
1947
Key LargoJames Temple
1948
Breakdowns of 1949Self
1949
Down to the Sea in ShipsBering Joy
1949
MalayaJohn Manchester
1949
Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture LeadershipHimself
1949
Right CrossSean O'Malley
1950SA
Screen ActorsSelf (uncredited)
1950
BannerlineHugo Trimble
1951
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer StoryHimself - Giving Introduction
1951
Lone StarAndrew Jackson
1952
Main Street to BroadwaySelf
1953
Yesterday and Today(archive footage)
1953FF
Film Fun(archive footage)
1955
Our Mr. SunFather Time (voice)
1956
Brasileiros em HollywoodSelf (archive footage)
1970
Hollywood: The Dream FactorySelf (archive footage)
1972
That's Entertainment!(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
Hooray for HollywoodSelf (archive footage)
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II(archive footage)
1976
Super Duper BloopersSelf
1986
James Stewart: A Wonderful LifeSelf (archive footage)
1987
D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913
2002
Complicated WomenSelf (archive footage)
2003
The MesmeristThe Innkeeper (archive footage)
2003CO
Checking Out: Grand HotelSelf / Various roles (archive footage)
2004
Irving Thalberg: Prince of HollywoodSelf (archive footage)
2005
Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with YouSelf (archive footage)
2008
Photos
Advertisement
Catalog data and artwork by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.