Lionel Barrymore
ActingAbout Lionel Barrymore
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.
Best Lionel Barrymore Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Lionel Barrymore's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Lionel Barrymore.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Checking Out: Grand Hotel | Self / Various roles (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | The Mesmerist | The Innkeeper (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Complicated Women | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1976 | That's Entertainment, Part II | (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1974 | That's Entertainment! | (archive footage) (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Our Mr. Sun | Father Time (voice) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1953 | Main Street to Broadway | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1950 | Right Cross | Sean O'Malley | Hit | Similar → |
| 1949 | Malaya | John Manchester | Hit | Similar → |
| 1949 | Down to the Sea in Ships | Bering Joy | Hit | Similar → |
| 1949 | A Guy Named Joe | The General | Hit | Similar → |
| 1948 | Key Largo | James Temple | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1946 | It's a Wonderful Life | Mr. Potter | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1945 | The Valley of Decision | Pat Rafferty | Hit | Similar → |
| 1944 | Dragon Seed | Narrator (voice) (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1944 | Since You Went Away | Clergyman | Hit | Similar → |
| 1943 | The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith | Gramps | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1942 | Calling Dr. Gillespie | Dr. Leonard Gillespie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day | Dr. Leonard Gillespie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1941 | The People Vs. Dr. Kildare | Dr. Leonard Gillespie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1940 | A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1940 | Dr. Kildare Goes Home | Dr. Leonard Gillespie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1940 | Cavalcade of the Academy Awards | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1940 | The Stars Look Down | Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice) | Average | Similar → |
| 1939 | On Borrowed Time | Julian Northrup aka Gramps | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | Young Dr. Kildare | Dr. Leonard Gillespie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | You Can't Take It with You | Martin Vanderhof | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | Test Pilot | Howard B. Drake | Hit | Similar → |
| 1938 | A Yank at Oxford | Dan Sheridan | Hit | Similar → |
| 1937 | Captains Courageous | Captain Disko Troop | Hit | Similar → |
| 1936 | Camille | Monsieur Duval | Hit | Similar → |
| 1936 | The Devil-Doll | Paul Lavond | Hit | Similar → |
| 1935 | Ah, Wilderness! | Nat Miller | Hit | Similar → |
| 1935 | The Little Colonel | Colonel Lloyd | Hit | Similar → |
| 1935 | David Copperfield | Dan Peggotty | Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | Treasure Island | Billy Bones | Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | The Girl from Missouri | T.R. Paige | Hit | Similar → |
| 1934 | This Side of Heaven | Martin Turner | Hit | Similar → |
| 1933 | Dinner at Eight | Oliver Jordan | Hit | Similar → |
| 1933 | One Man's Journey | Eli Watt | Hit | Similar → |
| 1932 | The Washington Masquerade | Jefferson "Jeff" Keane | Hit | Similar → |
| 1932 | Grand Hotel | Otto Kringelein | Hit | Similar → |
| 1932 | Arsène Lupin | Detective Guerchard | Hit | Similar → |
| 1932 | Broken Lullaby | Dr. H. Holderlin | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1928 | West of Zanzibar | Crane | Hit | Similar → |
| 1928 | Sadie Thompson | Alfred Davidson | Hit | Similar → |
| 1927 | The Thirteenth Hour | Prof. Leroy | Hit | Similar → |
| 1926 | The Temptress | Canterac | Hit | Similar → |
| 1926 | Paris at Midnight | Vautrin | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1925 | Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ | Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
Lionel Barrymore - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Lionel Barrymore?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Lionel Barrymore is "The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Lionel Barrymore acted in?
Lionel Barrymore has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Lionel Barrymore?
Other notable films include "Paris at Midnight", "It's a Wonderful Life", and "The Mesmerist".