Thanks to GotNet.com for Non Profit website for Gunilla Williams who worked very hard to produce it!!!

In England the Barrymore family died out in 1827 near the time that Louisa Lane first came to the United States and later married John Drew, Sr. Click here for the British Barrymore family history: here

In America the Barrymore family began by [Maurice Barrymore] aka Herbert A. C. Blythe the patriarch of the Barrymore family. Click here for the United States Barrymore family history: here

Click here for Maurice Barrymore's biography: here

Sit Down With the Barrymore, Drew and Costello Family's and Visit.

100 Years Since the Great Earthquake of San Francicco - Eleven Years later John Barrymore acted as Saint Assisi.

Saint Francis Assisi is the man and saint whom the City of San Francisco was named after. In 1905 when John's father was dying, Maurice Barrymore said on his death bed, para-phrased "Don't go to San Francisco haven't you heard it has fallen into the sea." This was 1905 a year before the worst earthquake in U.S. History, as far as damage is concerned on April 18, 1906 at 5:12 am. Eighty percent of the homes were destroyed.

The worst earthquake, that we know of was in 1811-12 as far as strength goes was "The New Madrid" earthquake in Missouri. All of the major shocks came on a Full Moon. One shaker lasted an hour and the famous artist of bird John Audobon was knocked off his feet.

The photograph to the right is John Barrymore as Saint Francis Assisi in 1917. This photograph was taken ten years before motion pictures would develope sound. John Barrymore was then a Saint! If you are interested in honoring the memory of Saint Francis' of Assisi and John Barrymore. A decade later John Barrymore would meet his wife Dolores Costello who starred in a version of the film San Francisco. Yet, before he did he starred in the film Don Juan and the Chief Camera Engineer at Vitaphone was a grand-uncle Ernest Martin. In the mid 1930s Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald and Spencer Tracy were in a great film San Francisco.

Click here to read the biography of Saint Francis Assisi.

----Click here to read more about John Drew Barrymore, Jr. who passed away Nov. 29, 2004-- Almost 100 years since grandfather Maruice said "Have you not heard San Francisco fell into the sea." When I would visit John, Jr. he would enjoy feeding the birds on his balcony overlooking the hills on the other side of Latigo Canyon, in Malibu. I did not know he had cancerClick on link to read more >>>>

This website is intended as a digital museum of sorts, where you can read about, see pictures of, and soon even hear these legends of the stage. Click on the buttons on the left for more detailed information about the Barrymore, Costello, and Drew families.

Mrs. John Barrymore - Doloros Costello was a real beauty and her father Maurice Costello was responsible for introducing Moe Howard into acting and thus later on The Three Stooges were created.

Photograph of Mrs. John Drew circa 1840s. Photography was invented in 1839. One of the first photographs of that era. Twenty years later she would act together with John Wilkes Booth who was Macbeth and she was Lady Macbeth. Abraham Lincoln's favorite play was Macbeth.

Mrs. John Drew who is the founding member of their family within the United States. She came to the United States in March of 1827 as a young Miss Louisa Lane playing five different parts in a single act. Louisa was then very funny and the American public then loved her. If it was not for Louisa Lane's marriage to John Drew there would be no Barrymore's today as we have come to know. Photograph on the right is Mrs. John Drew in 1863 the year that she was on stage with John Wilkes Booth for a fair well performance to his honor. John W. Booth and Robert Todd Lincoln both dated the same women, Lucy P. Hale as did Oliver W. Holmes and John Hay. They all Loved Lucy Hale except Ricky Ricardo. They were way ahead of their time. This is a true story. Do you want to know what the sad thing is? Macbeth killed a great grandfather King Duncan in 1039. On mother's side of the family.

-NEW Click here to read more about Louisa Drew and family.

Another interesting tidbit is that I grew up with Pat Hale whose father was Richard Hale, a well known actor and worked in Jupiter's Darling. Before Drew Barrymore was even born, in 1969 Steven Spielberg directored a Night Series in which Richard Hale acted in. This was Spielberg's first film he would direct. Spielberg would in more than ten years become Drew's godfather. One of friends Michael Augustine went to high school with Spielberg.--Click here to read more about Richard Hale's film Career.

There are an estimated 300 photographs linked into the Barrymore, Costello and Drew families. One may wonder, why would Adamson spend more time on their family website, than his own? While taking care of my aunt "Gretchen" who died in 2002 at age of 90, I was her caregiver and checked out 12 books on the family history. Aunt Gretchen was also an actress under George M. Cohen and George S. Kaufman and was taught by Lee Strasberg. Ironic as it may seem it was Kaufman's play "You Can't Take It With You" 1938, which was one of the best films I have ever seen. Starring Lionel Barrymore, Jimmy Stewart and the Black Crow from "It's A Wonderful Life." Frank Capra's masterpiece was made seven odd years before "It's A Wonderful Life," and was similar in theme. I personally love films with a message and Capra and Kaufman delivered.

Click here to read more about Kaufman's career;

Because there was so much photographic material to work with the Barrymores, Costello and Drew families. I got hooked, hopefully you will too. The Barrymore's were not the only other acting family I became associated with. I went to school and hung out with Virginia and George Morgan the grandchildren of Frank Morgan known as "The Wizard of Oz."

In 1907 It was John Drew the son of Louisa Drew who first acted with Billie Burk in "My Wife." Burke was best known for her role as The Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. It was the Easton Family Castle in the USA that inspired Frank L. Baum to write the series on The Wizard of Oz. Robert Easton a cousin of Adamson was a dialect coach to John Barrymore III, and Drew Barrymore when she was 12 years old. More on Billie Burke: "Her father was the internationally famous clown, Billy Burke, and she would spend most of her early years touring Europe before the family settled in London. In 1903, she appeared on the stage as an actress and came to America in 1907 to star opposite John Drew in "My Wife". A red-haired beauty, she became the toast of Broadway and married promoter Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. in April 1914. Billie was signed in 1915 to make the film Peggy (1916). Of the next 15 films that she made, she would make 14 in New York." Billie In 1933 six years before Os, Burke received great recognition in the film Dinner at Eight with Jean Harlow, Wallace Beery, Lional and John Barrymore.

I remember a very spirital experience where I spent the night at the Morgan's Malibu home on a Full Moon. We stayed up all night. I do recall driving home to Santa Monica and witnessed the most colorful sight where the sunrise and the ocean were purple. Frank Morgan and the Barrymore's both worked for MGM and were all great actors. Interesting note about George and Virginia's great uncle "Ralph Morgan" he was the "Czar" in the film Rasputin and the Empress. This is the only film in which Ethel, John and Lionel Barrymore acted in, together. Another great film.

Ethel Barrymore who was close to Maude Adams the original Peter Pan was smart when it came to marriage for she married into the Colt family. Her papers as well as some of her family's are at the Univeristy of Rhode Island. Adamson has been through their collection in 1995 when studying the JFK Assassination. If you were to visit Rhode Island first go to link details Click here to See more on Colt family.'

While in Santa Cruz while having a beer I met Ethel Barrymore from Santa Monica on July 23, 2012. Ethel lives on 3rd and Washington about a block from Whitey Bulger used to live. FBI most wanted list Bulger was in same circles as BcA prior to his arrest! We know he worked for FBI as an assassin, yet what about the CIA? Click to see Ethel Barrymore.

Robert Easton a cousin of Adamson was a dialect coach to John Barrymore III, and Drew Barrymore when she was 12 years old. I think the two films that he taught Drew were Everafter and The Long Island Lolita.

Adamson came across jewelry belonging to Dolores Costello. Adamson gave the jewelry to Robert Easton who was suppose to give it to Drew Barrymore. Adamson never received jewelry or any acknowledgment. I believed that a granddaughter of Dolores Costello would be thrilled to have the items. Click here to read Letter from Robert Easton. Click to read Robert Easton's letter.

I remember a very spirital experience where I spent the night at the Morgan's Malibu home on a Full Moon. We stayed up all night. I do recall driving home to Santa Monica and witnessed the most colorful sight where the sunrise and the ocean were purple. Frank Morgan and the Barrymore's both worked for MGM and were all great actors. Interesting note about George and Virginia's great uncle "Ralph Morgan" he was the "Czar" in the film Rasputin and the Empress. This is the only film in which Ethel, John and Lionel acted in, together.

Ethel Barrymore who was close to Maude Adams the original Peter Pan was smart when it came to marriage for she married into the Colt family. Her papers as well as some of her family's are at the Univeristy of Rhode Island. Adamson has been through their collection in 1995 when studying the JFK Assassination. If you were to visit Rhode Island first go to link details

John Barrymore plays "Paul" whom was in reality Grand Duke Dimtri. Today Dimtri's son, Paul Romanov Ilyinsky was the former Mayor of Palm Beach, Florida. Ilyinsky was friends with George de Mohrenschildt and the Cassinis. The Cassini's grandfather was the first ambassador to the USA for Czarist Russia and he worked with John Hay. Rasputin and the Empress is definitly worth watching a great film. Click here to read more about Frank Morgan's film career;.

In 1917 John Barrymore and Frank Morgan were great together in a silent film RAFFLES THE AMATEUR CRACKSMAN, based on the story by E. W. Hornung. Barrymore and Frank Morgan made a great team and Barrymore's energy for a silent film is terrific. He says so much with his movements and without ever saying a word. Click here to read more Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman film;.

This website took a couple of years to put together and Adamson went on a couple of trips to dig up many of the photographs. This site is still under construction. It has been overwhelming when dealing with so many interesting family members in the film and stage industry. If I have, overlooked a fact or important point, please share it with me. I am sure you will enjoy the photographic and portrait galleries. See Resourses and Links button for an excellent photographic book on John Barrymore and Dolores Costello.

Just click on the icon button at the bottom or on side.

John Barrymore	Dolores Costello	John Drew