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.

Filmography

• 2003The Mesmerist — The Innkeeper (archive footage)
• 2002D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913
• Hollywood — Self (archive footage, uncredited)
• 1976That's Entertainment, Part II — (archive footage)
• 1974That's Entertainment! — (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1956Our Mr. Sun — Father Time (voice)
• 1955Film Fun — (archive footage)
• 1953Yesterday and Today — (archive footage)
• 1952Lone Star — Andrew Jackson
• 1951Bannerline — Hugo Trimble
• 1950Right Cross — Sean O'Malley
• 1949Down to the Sea in Ships — Bering Joy
• 1949Malaya — John Manchester
• 1948Key Largo — James Temple
• 1947Dark Delusion — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1947The Way of the World — Grizzley Fallon (Archive Footage)
• 1946Duel in the Sun — Sen. Jackson McCanles
• 1946It's a Wonderful Life — Mr. Potter
• 1946The Secret Heart — Dr. Rossiger
• 1946Three Wise Fools — Dr. Richard Gaunght
• 1945Between Two Women — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1945The Valley of Decision — Pat Rafferty
• 19443 Men in White — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1944A Guy Named Joe — The General
• 1944Dragon Seed — Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
• 1944Since You Went Away — Clergyman
• 1944Twenty Years After — (archive footage)
• 1943Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1943The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith — Gramps
• 1942Calling Dr. Gillespie — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1942Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1942Dr. Kildare's Victory — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1942Tennessee Johnson — Thaddeus Stevens
• 1941Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1941Lady Be Good — Judge Murdock
• 1941The Bad Man — Uncle Henry Jones
• 1941The Penalty — 'Grandpop' Logan
• 1941The People Vs. Dr. Kildare — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1940Dr. Kildare Goes Home — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1940Dr. Kildare's Crisis — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1940Dr. Kildare's Strange Case — Leonard Gillespie
• 1940The Stars Look Down — Narrator (U.S. release only) (voice)
• 1939Calling Dr. Kildare — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1939Land of Liberty — (archive footage)
• 1939Let Freedom Ring — Thomas Logan
• 1939On Borrowed Time — Julian Northrup aka Gramps
• 1939The Secret of Dr. Kildare — Leonard Gillespie
• 1938A Yank at Oxford — Dan Sheridan
• 1938Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 — Lionel Barrymore
• 1938Test Pilot — Howard B. Drake
• 1938You Can't Take It with You — Martin Vanderhof
• 1938Young Dr. Kildare — Dr. Leonard Gillespie
• 1937A Family Affair — Judge Hardy
• 1937Captains Courageous — Captain Disko Troop
• 1937Navy Blue and Gold — Captain 'Skinny' Dawes
• 1937Saratoga — Grandpa Clayton
• 1936Camille — Monsieur Duval
• 1936The Devil-Doll — Paul Lavond
• 1936The Gorgeous Hussy — Andrew Jackson
• 1936The Road to Glory — Papa La Roche / Pvt. Morin
• 1936The Voice of Bugle Ann — Springfield Davis
• 1935Ah, Wilderness! — Nat Miller
• 1935David Copperfield — Dan Peggotty
• 1935Mark of the Vampire — Professor Zelin
• 1935Public Hero Number 1 — Dr. Josiah Glass
• 1935The Little Colonel — Colonel Lloyd
• 1935The Return Of Peter Grimm — Peter Grimm
• 1934Carolina — Bob Connelly
• 1934The Girl from Missouri — T.R. Paige
• 1934This Side of Heaven — Martin Turner
• 1934Treasure Island — Billy Bones
• 1933Christopher Bean — Dr. Milton Haggett
• 1933Dinner at Eight — Oliver Jordan
• 1933Looking Forward — Tim Benton
• 1933Night Flight — Robineau
• 1933One Man's Journey — Eli Watt
• 1933Should Ladies Behave — Augustus Merrick
• 1933Sweepings — Daniel Pardway
• 1933The Stranger's Return — Grandpa Cyrus Tatum Storr
• 1932Arsène Lupin — Detective Guerchard
• 1932Broken Lullaby — Dr. H. Holderlin
• 1932Grand Hotel — Otto Kringelein
• 1932Rasputin and the Empress — Grigori Rasputin
• 1932The Movie Album — (archive footage)
• 1932The Washington Masquerade — Jefferson "Jeff" Keane
• 1931A Free Soul — Stephen Ashe
• 1931Guilty Hands — Richard Grant
• 1931Mata Hari — General Serge Shubin
• 1931Ten Cents a Dance — Director
• 1931The Yellow Ticket — Baron Igor Andreeff
• 1930Free and Easy — Bedroom Scene
• 1930Redemption — Director
• 1930Si l'empereur savait ça — Music
• 1930The Rogue Song — Director
• 1930The Sea Bat — Director
• 1929His Glorious Night — Director, Music
• 1929Madame X — Director
• 1929The Mysterious Island — Andre Dakkar
• 1929The Unholy Night — Director
• 1928Alias Jimmy Valentine — Doyle
• 1928Drums of Love — Duke Cathos de Alvia
• 1928Road House — Henry Grayson
• 1928Sadie Thompson — Alfred Davidson
• 1928The Lion and the Mouse — John Ryder
• 1928The River Woman — Bill Lefty
• 1928West of Zanzibar — Crane
• 1927Body and Soul — Dr. Leyden
• 1927The Show — The Greek
• 1927The Thirteenth Hour — Prof. Leroy
• 1927Women Love Diamonds — Hugo Harlan
• 1926Brooding Eyes — Slim Jim Carey
• 1926Paris at Midnight — Vautrin
• 1926The Barrier — Stark Bennett
• 1926The Bells — Mathias
• 1926The Lucky Lady — Count Ferranzo
• 1926The Temptress — Canterac
• 1926Wife Tamers — Mr. Barry
• 1925A Man of Iron — Philip Durban
• 1925Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ — Chariot Race Spectator (uncredited)
• 1925Children of the Whirlwind — Joe Ellison
• 1925Fifty-Fifty — Frederick Harmon
• 1925The Girl Who Wouldn't Work — Gordon Kent
• 1925The Splendid Road — Dan Clehollis
• 1925The Woman Who Did — Allan Merrick
• 1925The Wrongdoers — Daniel Abbott
• 1924America — Capt. Walter Butler
• 1924Decameron Nights — Saladin
• 1924I Am the Man — James McQuade
• 1924Meddling Women — Edwin Ainsworth / John Wells (duel role)
• 1923Enemies of Women — Prince Lubimoff
• 1923The Eternal City — Baron Bonelli
• 1923Unseeing Eyes — Conrad Dean
• 1922Boomerang Bill — Boomerang Bill
• 1922The Face in the Fog — Boston Blackie Dawson
• 1921Jim the Penman — James Ralston
• 1921The Great Adventure — Priam Farll
• 1920The Copperhead — Milt Shanks
• 1920The Devil's Garden — William Dale
• 1920The Master Mind — Henry Allen
• 1917His Father's Son — J. Dabney Barro
• 1917Life's Whirlpool — Director, Writer
• 1917National Red Cross Pageant
• 1917The End of the Tour — Byron Bennett
• 1917The Millionaire's Double — Bide Bennington
• 1916Dorian's Divorce — Richard Dorian
• 1916The Brand of Cowardice — Cyril Hamilton
• 1916The Quitter — Happy Jack Lewis
• 1916The Upheaval — Jim Gordon
• 1915A Modern Magdalen — Lindsay
• 1915A Yellow Streak — Barry Dale
• 1915Dora Thorne — Lord Earle
• 1915The Curious Conduct of Judge Legarde — Judge Randolph Legarde
• 1915The Flaming Sword — Steve
• 1915The Romance of Elaine — Marcus Del Mar / Mr. X
• 1915Wildfire — John Keefe
• 1914Classmates — Bubby Dumble
• 1914Her Father's Silent Partner
• 1914Judith of Bethulia — Extra (uncredited)
• 1914Men and Women — Stephen Rodman / Robert Stevens
• 1914Strongheart — Billy Saunders
• 1914The Bartered Crown — The Landlord
• 1914The Cracksman's Gratitude
• 1914The Exploits of Elaine
• 1914The Power of the Press — Steve Carson
• 1914The Seats of the Mighty — Monsieur Doltaire
• 1914The Span of Life — Richard Blunt
• 1914The Woman in Black — Robert Crane
• 1914Under the Gaslight — William Byke
• 1914Woman Against Woman — Gilbert Craven
• 1913A Chance Deception — 2nd Policeman
• 1913A Gamble with Death — Jim Benton, the Bartender
• 1913A Misunderstood Boy — The Father
• 1913A Timely Interception — Uncle James - The Farmer's Brother
• 1913All for Science — Detective
• 1913Almost a Wild Man — In Audience (uncredited)
• 1913An Adventure in the Autumn Woods — The Father
• 1913An Indian's Loyalty — The Cattle Buyer
• 1913Death's Marathon — The Financial Backer
• 1913Fate — Father, Loving Family
• 1913His Secret — Director
• 1913I Was Meant for You — Lavina's Father
• 1913In Diplomatic Circles — The Japanese Ambassador
• 1913Just Gold — The Stay-at-Home Brother
• 1913Love in an Apartment Hotel — In Hotel Lobby
• 1913Near To Earth — Gato
• 1913Oil and Water — The Idealist's Friend
• 1913Pa Says — Teddy's Rival
• 1913Red Hicks Defies the World — The Referee
• 1913So Runs the Way
• 1913The Crook and the Girl — The Nephew
• 1913The Enemy's Baby — Postmaster Ben Brown
• 1913The House of Darkness — The Doctor
• 1913The House of Discord — The Husband
• 1913The Lady and the Mouse — The Father
• 1913The Little Tease — In Bar
• 1913The Mirror — Daisy's Father
• 1913The Perfidy of Mary — Mary's Father
• 1913The Ranchero's Revenge — The Ranchero
• 1913The Sheriff's Baby — Third Bandit
• 1913The Stolen Treaty — The Japanese Diplomat
• 1913The Strong Man's Burden — John - the Elder Brother
• 1913The Suffragette Minstrels — (unconfirmed)
• 1913The Switchtower — First Counterfeiter
• 1913The Telephone Girl and the Lady — The Desk Sergeant
• 1913The Tender Hearted Boy — (uncredited), Writer
• 1913The Unwelcome Guest — At Auction (uncredited)
• 1913The Vengeance of Galora — Writer
• 1913The Wanderer — The Male Lover
• 1913The Well — The Farmer
• 1913The Work Habit — The Father
• 1913The Wrong Bottle — The Father
• 1913The Yaqui Cur — The Easterner
• 1913Three Friends — Second Friend
• 1913Under the Shadow of the Law — Charles Darnton - the Employer
• 1912A Cry for Help — The Tramp
• 1912Brutality — At Wedding
• 1912Friends — Grizzley Fallon - Dandy Jack's Friend
• 1912Gold and Glitter — The Lover
• 1912Heredity — Woodsman
• 1912My Baby — At table
• 1912My Hero
• 1912So Near, Yet So Far — In Club
• 1912The Burglar’s Dilemma — The Householder, Writer
• 1912The Chief's Blanket — The Young Man
• 1912The God Within — The Woman of the Camp's Lover
• 1912The Informer — Union Soldier
• 1912The Musketeers of Pig Alley — The Musician's Friend
• 1912The New York Hat — Minister
• 1912The One She Loved — The Neighbor
• 1912The Painted Lady — At Ice Cream Festival
• 1911Fighting Blood
• 1911The Battle — Wagon Driver (uncredited)
• 1911The Miser's Heart — Jules - the Thief
• 1905The White Caps

Appearances as themselves (25)

• 2008Frank Capra Jr. Remembers... You Can't Take It with You — Self (archive footage)
• 2005Irving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood — Self (archive footage)
• 2004Checking Out: Grand Hotel — Self / Various roles (archive footage)
• 2003Complicated Women — Self (archive footage)
• 1987James Stewart: A Wonderful Life — Self (archive footage)
• 1986Super Duper Bloopers — Self
• 1976Hooray for Hollywood — Self (archive footage)
• 1972Hollywood: The Dream Factory — Self (archive footage)
• 1970Brasileiros em Hollywood — Self (archive footage)
• MGM Parade — Self, self
• 1953Main Street to Broadway — Self
• 1951The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story — Himself - Giving Introduction
• 1950Screen Actors — Self (uncredited)
• 1949Breakdowns of 1949 — Self
• 1949Some of the Best: Twenty-Five Years of Motion Picture Leadership — Himself
• The Ed Sullivan Show — Self
• 1940A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound — Self
• 1940Cavalcade of the Academy Awards — Self (archive footage)
• 1940Hollywood: Style Center of the World — Self
• 1939From the Ends of the Earth — Self
• 1939The Movies March On — Self (segment The New York Hat) (archive footage)
• 1938A Fireside Chat with Lionel Barrymore — Self
• 1931The Christmas Party — Himself (uncredited)
• 1930Estrellados — Self (Guest Appearance)
• 1929The Hollywood Revue of 1929 — Self - Director of 'Romeo and Juliet' (uncredited)