John Drew, Jr. Gallery 

The Mummy and the Humming Bird -- with Lionel Barrymore Oct.-1902

The Mummy and the Humming Bird at the Empire Theater. John Drew played Lord Lumley with Miss Margaret Dale who was Lady Lumley. "I can't understand it."

 

Mr. Isaac Henderson wrote "The Mummy and the Humming Bird". the basis of Mr. Henderson's play is the resentment felt by young Lady Lumley at her husband's neglect. She looks for devotion elsewhere, and thinks she has found it in Signor d' Orelli, an ingratiating Italian who writes passionate romances. But this gentleman, the "humming bird," as, before the play begins, debached and deserted the wife of Giuseppe, the organgrinder (Lionel Barrymore); the woman has died in shame and misery, and these are the facts which Lord Lumley, the "mummy," elicits from Giuseppe, just after discovering that his own wife has a too friendly regard for d'Orelli. This is the situation at the end of the first act. The rest of the play, by means of exceedingly adroit and effective devices, shows how the scientific nobleman is transformed into a detective; how, in saving his wife, the mummy becomes a man; how d'Orelli is entrapped in his own snares, and how the shadow of the vendetta is left looming in the background as the final curtain falls. Disparagers says that Mr. Drew, instead of sinking himself in a part, does the opposite. But very rarely is the actor found who can get so far away from his own personality that the personalities he assumes cannot be detected as having any relation to it.

The wonder is that an actor not notorious for charm of presence can deeply interest multitudes in roles that do not greatly v ary. This could not be done without the sparks that Mr. Drew occasionally strikes out, and they flew, when necessary, from his Lord Lumley. Lionel Barrymore's large ability for tragic acting was limited to act one, and shook the house. He is not only the stage; he is an actor. Where Miss Dale's graceful and pleasing power more robust, it is doubtful whether her Lady Lumley would get so much sympathy.

Portrait of Augustin Daly reading a new play to the members of his company. Portait depicts from left to right, John Moore, William Gilbert, Charles Leclercq, John Drew, Augustin Daly, Charles Fisher, May Fielding, James Lewis, George Parkes, Mrs. G. H. Gilbert, Ada Rehan, and Virginia Dreher.

 
Threatened by the President of the Republic, who is engaged in a little revolution, Travers sends out to sea over the wireless an appeal for an American warship, which arrives in time to effect a rescue. John Barrymore is in white and Fuller Mellish and Harry Senton are seating. Other actors included Lucille Watson, George Nash, William Collier, Nanette Comstock, Thomas McGrath and Edward Abeles.

Letters to Actors I have Never Seen to John Drew from Millicent Moon, at the Academy for Young Ladies--on the Hudson:
My Dear John Drew:

"Wasn't it a shame? I came awfully near seeing you last week. I mean, of course, behind the footlights, and then just missed it....I know if I saw you act I'd enjoy you immensely. I adore that bored expression you always wear. It suggests a thorough man of the world. And the way you fix your hair so much hair as you have, when so many younger men, if not as talented as you are, are compelled to wear false fronts. Do you use any patent tonic? I argued (with a friend) you didn't, that if you did there would be a great big picture of you having your head scrubbed on every elevated station in New York.

"My brother says you're a great society pet, and that you have the entree to all the best houses; that you call lots of scions of our oldest families by their Christian names. One day when I was driving in the Park, I saw you on your cob. I thought you looked just too cute for anything. A friend of mine..told me she saw you in a play, but you need a change of parts. For five years now, she declares, you've done nothing but prevent foolish and thoughtless young wives from taking the irreparable step. Those are her own words, for I don't exactly know what she means. She says she would like to see you naughty just once on your own account. But thought I'm very fond of her, I think she's gone out so much she's become cynical.

"But the picture of you on that cob lives in my memory yet, and what I'd love would be to have Mr. Frohman present you in a sporting comedy, in which you could appear on a pony in a polo match. ...They say you are awfully good to your family and relatives, and that one year there was hardly a member of your company who was more distantly related to you than as a first cousin...I shall see you next fall surely, even if I have to have the measles to get away from this stupid place. Very sincerely yours, " Millicent Moone.

John Drew and his Daughter, Miss Louise Drew, Who made her debute on the state two years ago, and now appearing in "The Whitewashing of Julia." In 1914 the papers reported: "It is to be expected that a daughter of John Drew should make a name for herself as a clever actress, purly on her own merit. This Louis Drew set about to accomplish, and she is proving her ability every day by the laurels she is winning in the rollicking farce at the George M. Cohan Theatre, "It Pays to Advertise." Here Miss Drew arouses hearty laughter as the phone Comtesse de Beaurien, who sends off streams of French volubility that does not betray, at the time, an undercurrent of Bowery slang. Her more than superficial knowledge of French Miss Drew owes to her education abroad. She was born in New York and went to a convent in Philadelphia. After graduating she studied in France for two years, and then, being a Drew, went on the stage. Her first appearance was with her father in "The Second in Command," followed by "Iris" in which she played Aurea Vyse. For a year and a half after that she played Molly in "Strongheart" with Robert Edeson, and then played with her cousin, Ethel Barrymore, in teh Clyde Fitch play, "her Sister," taking the part of Miss Minety. "Love Watches" came next, with Billie Burke, and then she returned to her father to appear with him as Isabella in "The Single Man." Again she appeared with Ethel Barrymore in "Midchannel," "Trelawney of the Wells," and "Alice-Sit-by-the-Fire." Last summer she was seen as Sally Swift in Philip Barholomae's "Kiss-Me-Quick," remaining in the part after it had been turned into a musicial comedy, and later in the season played in 'What Would You Do?'"
John Drew is Hilary Jesson, with Hope Latham as Mlle Thome, Derek as Leona Powers, Made Girdlestone as Geraldine Ridgeley and C.M. Halland as Filmer Jesson. The title of this photograph is Hilary Jesson finds the wife supplanted by the sister-in-law.
Hilary Jesson pleads with the persecuted Nina not to revenge herself by exposing the illicit relations of the first Mrs. Jesson.
Hillary Jesson (John Drew) and Nina (Margaret Illington. Act III, Nina shows her husband's brother the damaging letters.
John Drew after a photograph by Sarony - 1909