Saint Ursula Academy - Scroll Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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fooflgfzf Royalty . .. HE name, Barrymore, expresses the American theater itself, for, from the early beginning of the theater up to our present time, the two words have been incorporated. Lionel, Ethel, john, and the rising star, Diana, are familiar characters to the American public. Theirs have been generous con- tributions to the drama. At the ripe old age of five, an actor endeared to us today, made his screen debut in the role of a crying child in one of his parents' plays. This was a far cry from the adult debut of Lionel Barrymore in 1897. Lionel had nine- teen years to his Credit when Cumber- land '6l introduced him to the public. Born in Philadelphia, he was destined for the stage where his parents, Georgi- anna Drew and Matlrice Barrymore, had preceded him. In recognition of his many talents, lVIr. Barrymore may be dubbed dean of American actors, painter, musician, and composer. One of his compositions was recently played by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and many exhibits have bestowed high hon- ors on him for his etchings. VVe think of Lionel as a charming, generous person with a talent for ex- pressing his thoughts in a brusque man- ner. The applause and homage bestowed on him by the public do not impress this modest actor whom we have as- sociated with the movies for twenty years. Down on Fourteenth Street in New York in the year l909, he was contributing his share to the moving picture. Though the aristocrats of the- theatrical world considered pictures be- neath contempt, D. W. Griffith had a willing worker in Lionel Barrymore. Both the stage and the screen had to be content with sharing Lionelis time in the years to follow. A great stroke of luck for him was the advent of the talkies. He was in great demand as were other competent actors with stage experience. Proof of - PATRICIA WILDE '43 his success in the movies is found in the throng which mobs the box office when one of Lionel Barrymoreis pictures is playing. lklovie moguls decided that this actor, famed for his ability to use the precise amount of emotion or re- straint, a willing and humble worker, should devote his talents and the bene- Ht of his stage experience to directing. Though the change was not too agree- able- to lVIr. Barrymore, and the advent of age was received with a little resent- ment, he accepted the job. He directed many successful productions before he decided to go back to acting and take the parts available. Lionel Barrymore was welcomed heartily and in the years following he did not disappoint his public. ln 1931 he was given the award for the best screen performance. Recent years boast of a beloved Di: Gillespiel' whom we know to be Lionel Barry- more. And broadcasts on Christmas morning brings us Dickens, immortal Christmas Caroln with our favorite in the part of Scrooge. We hope that his portrayal of this character will brighten many a Christmas in the future and that Dr. Gillespie will continue to diagnose and administer to the wishes of the American theater-goers. Another Barrymore youngster also re- ceived her start by growing up back- stage. Ethel Barrymore was destined to spend her life presenting the drama for the lovers of the drama. She made her first appearance at the Empire theater in 'fThe Rivals , at the age of fifteen. Stardom was not hers at first and she had to be satisfied to accept small parts and spend several years understudying. finally achieving success in her great screen debut, HCaptain -linksn, in l900. At that time Ethel was twenty-one years old. Her fine acting is truly a jewel in the crown of the royal family of the theater. Ethel receives credit from Lionel for 10 THE SCROLL

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James F. Byrnes director. Immediately upon taking office, Director Byrnes is- sued a statement that he would exer- cise even tighter control over the na- tionls wages and salaries than was out- lined in the Presidentls stabilization order. Finally, we have the OCD-Office of Civilian Defense-which has as its slogan- lt is wiser to have a good defense and not need it . . . than to need it and not have it. Klany people ask What can I do?'l Ml-low can l help to win this War?', The answer is the OCD. The OCD lists as being valu- able to the war effort: teachers, clergy- men, doctors, nurses, librarians, lawyers, musicians, artists, architects. entertain- ers, engineers, photographers, and skilled factory workers. When we think of our boys in the armed forces and what a tremendous job they are doing, we naturally wish to do our part also. Even if we think we are too old, or would be in the Way, there is some phase of defense work we can do for the OCD. There are many things that we can do in our everyday living to help crush the Axis. We can save scrap metal, tin cans, and waste kitchen fats. Do QContinued on page 41D Yes You Can . . . Did someone say You canlt read a play and see it, or did I dream that myself? lVIany will disagree with me on that point, but when you get right down to it, itls a fact. When you read a book you create your own pictures of the settings and characters. You be- gin to regard the hero and heroine- of the play as your ideals, and picture them living in a mystical fairyland where nothing that occurs could ever possibly happen in the same way to ordinary us. However, when you see the play, your wonderful characters turn out to be common, everyday people. The mys- tical fairyland you created for them seems to look exactly like- any street in your neighborhood. Furthermore you discover that what happened to them in the book could happen to us. All their troubles will not eventually turn out all right. Oh, the reality of it all! Therefore, if you ever see a movie of a play you once read, forget all the pic- tures you dreamed, or you'll surely be disillusioned. -TERRIE SINION '44 i X AMERICA'S CREED By Willizlln Tyler Page I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the con- sent of the governeclg a democracy in a Republicg a sovereign Nation of many sovereign Statesg a. perfect Union, one and inseparableg established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American pa- triots sacrificed their lives and fortunes, I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love itg to support its constitutiong to obey its lawsg to respect its Hagg and to defend it against all enemies. THE SCROLL 9

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helping him into his first big pa1't. He expressed the result of he-r influence in his own Words: 1 burst like a chrysalis on Broadway and knocked them for a row of Chinese pagodas . . . I've never been so good sincef' If this performance could be judged by one of Ethel's own performances it must have been superb. Ethel, however, unlike her brothers, was not lured from the stage to the screen. The greater freedom of the legitimate stage and closer contact with her aud- ience appealed to her. It was her pref- erence and, as has been proved, a wise one. She has scored great personal tri- umphs on the stage, one of which was her portrayal of the centenarian in Whiteoaks . In 1941 this royal actress celebrated her fortieth anniversary. To- day Ethel Barrymore is the only active player on Broadway to have a theater named in his or her honor. Too much cannot be said of this actress whose fine contributions at the present time are so timely for illustrating the culture which must be preserved. In 1903 the Clown Prince of the Royal Family of the American Theater, he of profile fame, made his debut at the age of twenty-one in the presenta- tion, lVIagda . This member of the Barrymore clan was not aware of his real destiny on that first birthday in 1882. As the years passed, his ambition to be an artist changed to that of being an actor. Thus it was that John Barry- more Went on the stage following in the footsteps of his fore-bears. John pleased the public in 1903 with his presentation of the hit, Glad of ltll. Barrymore was a gay young blade and a dashing comedian of the early 1900ls. In the first years of his career he spent dozens of seasons in comedy, later turn- ing to serious tragedy. Galsworthy's Justice brought him great fame when he was thirty-four. This success was followed by nine great years, in which he gave us 'fPeter Ibbetsonn, Redemp- tionu, The jest , Richard HIM, and Hamlet,'. At forty-three John was the greatest actor on the English-speaking stage. He contributed thirty-one stage roles to his public before he deserted the stage for the movies. After his performance in Hamletl', which was unforgettable, he went to Hollywood where he portrayed Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Jekyll, Beau Brummel, Don Juan, Arsine Lupin, Francois Vil- lon, and Svengali. lVIany remember him in Grand Hotel, Dinner at Eight, and Twentieth Century. He became the star of the screen as he had been the star of the stage. llr. Barrymore made his only return to the stage in 1939 in the' presentation, 'Ally Dear Children , after which he went on the air. There, too, he won acclaim by becoming one of radio's most beloved comedians. Ever gracious and friendly with the press, John often called himself a 'ham'. How- ever, his reputation as an actor contra- dicted any such statement. An actor who was a star in fifty-two movies could hardly be a 'ham'. It is a regret- ful thing that we shall have no more contributions from this great actor. For John Barrymore died on May 29, 1942, and was buried from the Roman Catho- lic Church, in the faith of his fathers. During his lifetime John Barrymore paid his debt to his theatrical ancestors by becoming one of the most credited actors in the American theatre. fContinued on page 461 THE SCROLL 11 I