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…
HOLLYWOOD SHOCK! MERYL STREEP’S 33-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER COMES OUT AS QUEER ON HER MOM’S SPECIAL DAY
Louisa Jacobson, the daughter of famous actress Meryl Streep, has publicly come out as queer. She shared the happy news on Instagram with a photo of herself and her partner, which made fans and social media users very excited.
The 33-year-old actress, known for her role in “The Gilded Age,” posted pictures with her partner, Anna Blundell, on June 22. This date was special because it was both her mother’s birthday and during Pride Month.
In her post, Jacobson shared how happy she felt, writing, “blessed to be entering the Joyful New Era bb.” Her caption referred to a recent New York Times article called “We’re Entering a Joyful New Era of Lesbian Fashion.”
Support for Jacobson’s announcement flooded social media. Blogger Sky Maddas praised her choice of timing, saying, “COMING OUT AT YOUR MOM’S BIRTHDAY IS SO ICONIC.”
Socialite Derek Blasberg also joined in with a happy “Happy Pride.” Fans left encouraging comments like “omg so happy for you!” and “We’ll support you in every era kiddo!”
Earlier in June, Jacobson gave hints about her relationship by sharing ten photos on Instagram that showed her close bond with Blundell. One photo showed them taking a mirror selfie in an elevator, both wearing matching black outfits.
Another photo featured Blundell, wearing an “ITALIA” hat, kissing Jacobson’s cheek. Jacobson, in orange-tinted sunglasses and a grey denim jacket, looked happy.
One more photo showed them holding hands while walking down the street, both in denim and black long-sleeve outfits.
In the final photo, they stood in a living room, each holding a drink and looking towards a table outside where a child was sitting alone. Jacobson captioned the post, “Cute spring things.”
Even though Jacobson has come out publicly, she has kept her romantic life mostly private. She has shared photos with Blundell, but Blundell has only posted about their relationship once on Instagram.
On December 15, 2023, Blundell, a producer, posted a similar photo with the caption “Annual update,” showing herself looking away while Jacobson smiled at the camera under red light.
Jacobson’s new relationship is similar to her mother’s romantic life. After separating from her long-time husband, Streep was rumored to be dating one of her “Only Murders in the Building” co-stars last March after their appearance at the Golden Globes.
Before the recent rumors, Meryl Streep had been married to Don Gummer for 45 years. They got married in September 1978 after knowing each other for less than a year. They met through Streep’s brother, Harry.
Now, Streep and Gummer are separated. In 2023, a spokesperson for Streep revealed that they had been living apart for more than six years. The last time they were seen together was at the 2018 Oscars.
The spokesperson said that even though Streep and Gummer still care about each other, they have decided to live separate lives.
After their split, there have been rumors that Streep might be involved with her co-star from “Only Murders in the Building,” Martin Short. The rumors started when they were seen together at the 81st Annual Golden Globes.
At the event, Streep and Short were sitting with Selena Gomez, their co-star. All three were nominated for their roles, which added to Streep’s record as the most-nominated actor in Golden Globes history.
Fans noticed the chemistry between Streep and Short and began speculating on social media about whether they might be a couple. One fan said, “Sitting with the knowledge that Meryl Streep and Martin Short might be in love but I have no proof.”
Fans thought that if Streep and Short were dating, it would be a big deal. “If Martin Short and Meryl Streep are dating, that’s the biggest power couple going,” one fan said. Another fan added, “Martin Short and Meryl Streep — be the power couple of 2024 we all need if you aren’t already.”
Like Streep, Short was also in a long-term marriage. He married his wife, Nancy Dolman, in 1980, and they were together until she passed away in 2010.
Dolman died of natural causes after Short called 911 from their Los Angeles home. They had been married for 30 years and had three children: Oliver, Henry, and Katherine.
Reports said Dolman had been battling ovarian cancer since 2007. In 2019, Short talked about his marriage and losing his wife, calling it “a triumph.” He said he still feels connected to her and seeks her guidance on decisions, especially about their children. He believes that those who have passed away continue to have an impact on their loved ones.
Short explained, “This idea that it just ends, and don’t speak of them — that’s wrong. That’s based on denial that we’re all going to die. So to me, she’s still here.” Losing his wife also led him to embrace risk-taking.
The Canadian-born actor doesn’t believe in bucket lists, focusing instead on daily happiness. He keeps a list of categories like health and career, periodically giving himself a report card to identify areas for improvement.
Short reminisced about a childhood question: “What is the most important thing in life?” His response was simple yet profound: “To be happy.” For Short, part of that happiness comes from being helpful to the people he loves. “That’s what takes you from day to day,” he added.
Now, fans speculate whether Streep is one of the people Short loves. Rumors of a romance between them intensified after they were seen together at the 2024 AFI Luncheon.
Moreover, Streep and Short’s characters in “Only Murders in the Building” fell in love during the third season of the Hulu comedy. Fans have noted their great on-screen chemistry. “Only Murders in the Building” is a collaborative creation by Steve Martin and John Hoffman.
Hoffman shared that Streep expressed gratitude to him for crafting the romantic storyline involving her and Short’s characters in the series, noting their incredible on-screen connection. In season three, episode five, Streep and Short’s characters share a date on a ferry overlooking New York City.
Hoffman recalled Streep’s fondness for the ferry location, ranking it among her top two favorite filming sites. “It was the most magical night of shooting, and they were completely beyond wonderful together,” Hoffman remarked about the scene and the chemistry between Streep and Short.
Besides their on-screen chemistry, Streep and Short have been enjoying their time together off-screen. On February 21, 2023, the pair had dinner with friends at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California.
For their outing, Streep wore black pants with a hot pink button-down shirt and a red jacket. Short wore a gray sweater and a black blazer.
An insider shared details about their dinner. The source said, “They were really enjoying their meal and having a blast the whole time,” mentioning there was “lots of laughing” and that the group “couldn’t have been having a better time.”
Despite their close friendship, Short has denied any romantic relationship with Streep. In a January 2024 interview, Short said, “We are not a couple; we are just very good friends.”
Both Streep and her daughter Jacobson are moving on to new phases in their lives. Jacobson is in a new relationship with Blundell, and Streep is enjoying her close friendship with Short. They are both embracing these new chapters with love and support.
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