| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Barrymores, The |
| Type | City |
| Criteria | Performers |
| Designated | October 1, 1996[1] |
| Location | NW corner, N 6th & Arch Sts., Philadelphia 39°57′10″N 75°09′00″W / 39.95279°N 75.15013°W |
| Marker Text | Three famous actors, Philadelphia-born, were the third generation of this "Royal Family of the American Stage." Lionel (1878–1954), Ethel (1879–1959), and John (1882–1942) performed on stage, screen, radio. Their grandparents, the Drews, managed the Arch Street Theatre here. |
| Etymology | From the surname of actor William Barrymore |
The Barrymore family, and the related Drew family, form a British-American acting dynasty which traces its acting roots to the mid-19th century London stage. After migrating across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, members of the family subsequently appeared in motion pictures, beginning in the Nickelodeon with silent film period of the 1890s to 1929, then into the modern sound film ("talkies") era of black & white then color.
The surname Barrymore originated from an actor named William Barrymore (c.1759-1830). The inter-related Drew family traces also to the Irish actor John Drew Sr. (1827-1862).