John Barrymore came from a long line of theater actors. He himself first appeared on stage alongside his father in 1900, and in 1903 officially began his career, starring in the likes of Justice (1916) and Richard III (1920). His greatest role was his 1992 appearance in Hamlet, for which he was dubbed “the greatest living American tragedian.”
Barrymore also starred in a slew of silent films, most notably Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), Sherlock Holmes (1922) and Beau Brummel (1924). He later made the transition to sound movies, starring in the likes of Grand Hotel (1932) and Midnight (1939).
On May 29, 1942, Barrymore died at the age of 60 from pneumonia and cirrhosis. What happened next has been the subject of many rumors. It’s alleged his friends, Errol Flynn, W.C. Fields and Sadakichi Hartmann snuck into the morgue where his body was being held, propped him up against a poker table and allowed him to experience one final celebration.
As it turns out, these rumors are true! In an August 2020 episode of the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, the acting legend’s granddaughter, Drew Barrymore, revealed his corpse had actually been stolen.
“Not only yes, but there have been cinematic interpretations of it,” she exclaimed. Those interpretations include S.O.B., starring Julie Andrews, and allegedly the 1989 comedy Weekend at Bernie’s, in which two friends pretend their deceased boss is alive.
Barrymore added that she wants the same to happen to her. “I will say this, I hope my friends do the same for me. That is the kind of spirit I can get behind. Just prop the old bag up, let’s have a few rounds.
“I think death comes with so much morose sadness and I understand that, but if it’s okay, just for me, if everybody could be really happy and celebratory and have a party, that would be my preference.”
Vintage Hollywood certainly was a different era…
The Girl In The Pic Became A Famous TV Host And Suffered a Mini-Stroke During Her Show: A Star Who Married Her Husband Twice!
Famous TV personality Judy Sheindlin has had a distinguished career in and out of the courtroom. She is best known for her participation on the popular show “Judge Judy.” She recently celebrated her birthday while thinking back on a previous health scare that happened while filming her show.
On October 12, 1942, Judy was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents Ethel and Murray. Her father’s dentistry profession and her mother’s position as office manager influenced her early life. After graduating from James Madison High School in 1960, she moved on to American University in Washington, D.C., where she earned her degree in 1963.
Judy’s legal career took her to American University’s Washington College of Law, where, out of 126 students, she was the only female student. She later graduated from New York Law School with a law degree, and in 1965 she passed the New York bar test.
Judy began her career as a corporate attorney for a cosmetics company, but she left because she was unhappy. She finally went on to serve as a prosecutor in 1972. Her breakthrough came in 1993 thanks to a profile in The Los Angeles Times and an appearance on “60 Minutes.”
Following her 25-year tenure as a judge, Judy retired in 1996 and made the switch to television. She debuted the “Judge Judy” program in September of the same year, quickly gaining notoriety for her no-nonsense approach to the law.
Judy had a troubling health incident on set in March 2011, which turned out to be a mini-stroke. She was reluctant to seek medical attention at first, but her seasoned coworkers persuaded her to do so. She was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a potential transient ischemia stroke, which was evident in her double vision and delayed speech earlier in the day.
After a spectacular 25 seasons, “Judge Judy” came to an end in 2021. Judy was one of the highest-paid TV hosts, taking in $47 million a season. At the age of 81, Judy started a new endeavor called “Judy Justice,” which is presently in its second season.
She has been married three times in her life. Jerry Sheindlin is her current spouse; they met at a pub in an eventful meeting. The couple’s first meeting resulted in a long-lasting relationship that saw them get married, get divorced, get married again, and remain together for more than three decades.
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