My Take
Lionel Barrymore is one of those figures who deserves way more recognition than he typically gets today — the man was a genuine triple threat long before that phrase existed. Born into the legendary Barrymore acting dynasty, he could have coasted on the family name, but instead he worked his way up through stage and early silent film before absolutely owning the sound era. His Academy Award win for A Free Soul in 1931 is well-earned, but honestly, most people know him as the wheelchair-bound villain Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life, and what a performance that is — cold, calculating, utterly memorable. What I love is that he didn't stop at acting: he directed, composed music, wrote screenplays. A genuine craftsman who seemed compelled to create in every medium available to him. Hollywood doesn't produce careers quite like that anymore.
Overview
Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blyth; 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 is known to modern audiences for the role of villainous Mr. Potter in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lionel Barrymore
- Name (Japanese)
- ライオネル・バリモア
- Reading
- らいおねる・ばりもあ
- Born
- April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Tiger
- Origin
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film director / composer / musician / screenwriter / stage actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1931 Academy Award for Best Actor
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.