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…
My Parents Forbade Me from Moving Out — When I Discovered Their Real Reason, I Immediately Called the Police
Taylor’s excitement about moving into her dream apartment was shattered by a devastating betrayal. Her parents had secretly taken out a loan in her name, using her savings without her knowledge. Faced with this painful truth, she made a bold decision that changed her family’s future forever.
My name is Taylor, and I want to share a story that turned my life upside down. I never thought I’d experience such betrayal, let alone talk about it. But here I am.
I recently finished my third year of university and stumbled upon the cutest little apartment near campus. It had everything I ever wanted: huge windows, a cozy reading nook, and a charm that felt like home. I was over the moon and couldn’t wait to tell my parents.
One sunny afternoon, I sat down with them in our living room, unable to contain my excitement.
“Mom, Dad, guess what?”
I looked at him, tears filling my eyes. “I hope so. It just feels like everything is falling apart.”
“Maybe,” he said softly. “But sometimes things need to fall apart to fall back into place. This is a lot to handle, but you have me and Aunt Freya supporting you every step of the way.”
Aunt Freya nodded. “Jake is right. We’re here for you, Taylor. And you’re stronger than you think. Never forget that.”
The legal process was long and stressful, but eventually, justice was served. My parents were held accountable for their actions, and I felt a sense of closure.
Do I feel bad for them? Sometimes. They were my parents, after all. But I couldn’t let them ruin my future. I had to take a stand, even if it meant breaking the family apart.
They looked up from their newspapers, giving me a curious glance.
With the support of Aunt Freya and Jake, I slowly started to rebuild my life. I found a new job, saved up again, and eventually moved into my dream apartment. It wasn’t easy, but I knew I had made the right choice.
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