John Drew Barrymore

Barrymore in Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, 1953

Barrymore's film career began with a small role in The Sundowners (1950), a Western with Robert Preston.[7] As he was a minor, he needed his mother's permission. His fee was $7,500.[8][9] He was promoted to leading man in just his second movie, the Western, High Lonesome (1950), written and directed by Alan Le May, who also wrote Barrymore's next film, Quebec (1951).[10] He starred in The Big Night (1951), written and directed by Joseph Losey, and was in Thunderbirds (1952) with John Derek at Republic. In 1953, he was briefly jailed for failing to appear on three old traffic charges.[11]

Barrymore's films were not particularly successful. He moved into television, guest-starring on anthology shows, such as Schlitz Playhouse and The 20th Century-Fox Hour. He performed in TV movies, including The Reluctant Redeemer (1954), The Adventures of Lt. Contee (1955), and appeared in several episodes of Matinee Theatre. In 1957, he directed an episode of Matinee Theatre, "One for All". "Television gives me the chance to do what movies didn't," he said.[12] In 1955, Barrymore was sued by Lanny Budd Productions for not making a series of movies in Europe. Barrymore counter-sued.[13]

Barrymore returned to features with supporting parts in While the City Sleeps (1956) for director Fritz Lang, and The Shadow on the Window (1957). In 1957, he appeared with Margaret O'Brien in a production of Romeo and Juliet at the Pasadena Playhouse.[14] He guest starred in Playhouse 90 (the original production of The Miracle Worker), Climax!, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse and Wagon Train.

In 1958, he changed his middle name to Drew, although he had previously been credited in past works as Blyth. He had a supporting role in High School Confidential! (1958) at MGM, and the lead in Never Love a Stranger, as well as MGM's interracial drama, Night of the Quarter Moon (1959) with Julie London.[15] In December 1958, he was sentenced to three weekends in prison after a drunken public fight with his wife in a parking lot.[16] In January 1959, his ex-wife sued for nonpayment of alimony.[17] In March 1959, he was arrested for suspected hit-and-run drunk driving.[18] In October 1959, he quit the touring company of Look Homeward, Angel after a week and a half of rehearsals.[19]

Barrymore traveled to Italy to star in The Cossacks (1960) with Edmund Purdom. He stayed in Italy for the next few years, with lead or main cast roles, including appearances in The Night They Killed Rasputin (1960, playing Felix Yusupov), The Pharaohs' Woman (1961), The Centurion (1961), The Trojan Horse (1961, playing Ulysses), Pontius Pilate (1961, playing both Judas and Jesus), Invasion 1700 (1962) and Rome Against Rome (1964).

During his five years in Europe, Barrymore appeared in the U.K. film The Christine Keeler Story (1963, filmed in Denmark) as Stephen Ward.

Barrymore returned to Los Angeles. He announced he made 16 films abroad, but, "I'm not going to do anything bad any more. I feel I'm straightened out and down the block. Somewhere around the block I lost half my ego, so I don't work for applause."[20] He also said he had started to write scripts. He guest-starred on episodes of various television series, including Gunsmoke, Rawhide, The Wild Wild West, Run for Your Life,[21] Jericho and Dundee and the Culhane, and appeared in the 1967 television film Winchester '73.

Barrymore's antisocial and erratic behavior continued to obstruct his professional progress. In the 1960s, he was occasionally incarcerated for drug use, public drunkenness and spousal abuse.[1][22][23] In 1964, he went to prison for possession of marijuana.[15]

In 1966, Barrymore was signed to play a guest role as Lazarus in the Star Trek episode, "The Alternative Factor". However, he failed to show up (replaced at the last minute by Robert Brown), resulting in a SAG suspension of six months.[24]

Barrymore in 2001

After the SAG suspension was served to Barrymore in 1967, he sporadically worked on-screen, sometimes with a few years between appearances.

In 1967, he was imprisoned for possession of drugs following a car crash.[25] In 1969, he was again arrested for possession of drugs after another car accident.[26]

Barrymore eventually withdrew from acting, with his final two appearances being a 1974 episode of Kung Fu and an uncredited role in the 1976 film Baby Blue Marine. Barrymore suffered from the same addiction problems that had destroyed his father. Although he continued to appear occasionally onscreen, he became reclusive, disappearing into the wilderness to live a mystical existence that has also been described as derelict. He was estranged from his family, including his children, and his lifestyle continued to worsen as his physical and mental health deteriorated.[27][28]

In 2003, his daughter Drew moved him near her home, despite their estrangement. She paid his medical bills until his death from cancer the following year at age 72. She spread his ashes at Joshua Tree National Park, John's favorite place.[29] He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to television.