Editing John Barrymore (section)

===Entry into motion pictures, and theatrical triumphs: 1913–1924===
[[File:American-Citizen-John-Barrymore.jpg|thumb| Barrymore in the 1914 romantic comedy ''[[An American Citizen]]'', his first feature film]]

In late 1913, Barrymore made his first confirmed feature film, the romantic comedy ''[[An American Citizen]]'', with [[Adolph Zukor]]'s [[Famous Players Film Company]]. When the film was released in January 1914, Barrymore "delighted movie audiences with an inimitable light touch that made a conventional romance 'joyous'," writes Peters.{{sfn|Peters|1990|p=149}} A reviewer for ''[[The Oregon Journal|The Oregon Daily Journal]]'' thought that Barrymore gave a "portrayal of unusual quality".<ref name="Oregon DJ: Am Cit" /> The success of the picture led to further film work, including ''[[The Man from Mexico]]'' (1914), ''[[Are You a Mason? (1915 film)|Are You a Mason?]]'', ''[[The Dictator (1915 film)|The Dictator]]'' and ''[[The Incorrigible Dukane]]'' (all 1915). Except for ''The Incorrigible Dukane'', all of these early films are presumed [[lost film|lost]].{{sfnm|1a1=Peters|1y=1990|1p=154|2a1=Norden|2y=1995|2pp=80–83}}

Despite the film work and the higher fees he earned from it, Barrymore continued to seek stage work, and in January 1914 he played the lead in ''[[The Yellow Ticket (play)|The Yellow Ticket]]'' at New York's [[Empire Theatre (42nd Street)|Eltinge Theatre]]. The role marked a departure from the light comedy of his previous performances, a result of Sheldon urging him to turn towards more dramatic parts. ''The Yellow Ticket'' was not the breakthrough that Barrymore wanted. A few months before the outbreak of [[World War I]], he took a vacation to Italy with Sheldon to enjoy a temporary break from his worsening marriage. He returned from Italy and accepted another serious stage role, that of an ex-convict in ''Kick In'', at New York's [[Longacre Theatre]].{{sfn|Morrison|1997|pp=50–51}} The play was a success, and Barrymore received praise from the critics; ''The New York Times'' reviewer thought that in a play that had "uncommonly able and sincere playing", Barrymore acted his role with "intelligence and vigor and impart[ed] to it a deal of charm".<ref name="NYT: Kick in" />

Barrymore spent the second half of 1915 making three films, including ''[[The Red Widow]]'', which he called "the worst film I ever made" in his 1926 autobiography.{{sfn|Barrymore|1971|loc=Chapter 1}}{{efn|The other two were ''[[Nearly a King]]'' and ''[[The Lost Bridegroom]]''.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|p=52}}}} In April 1916, he starred in [[John Galsworthy]]'s prison drama [[Justice (play)|''Justice'']], again at the instigation of Sheldon.{{sfnm|1a1=Morrison|1y=1997|1pp=52–53|2a1=Norden|2y=2000a}} The play was a critical success, and ''The New York Times'' thought the audience saw "Barrymore play as he had never played before, and so, by his work as the wretched prisoner in ''Justice'', step forward into a new position on the American stage." The critic went on to say that Barrymore gave "an extraordinary performance in every detail of appearance and manner, in every note of deep feeling&nbsp;... a superb performance."<ref name="NYT: Justice" />

[[File:Blanche Oelrichs.jpg|alt=Upper body portrait of Blanche Oelrichs, sitting side on, turning her face to the camera|thumb|upright|[[Blanche Oelrichs]], Barrymore's second wife (and mother of [[Diana Barrymore]]), who published poetry under the [[pseudonym]] Michael Strange]]
From early 1916, Barrymore had been living apart from Katherine, and she sued for divorce in November 1916.{{sfn|Kobler|1977|pp=123–24}}{{efn|The couple remained close, and when Katherine died of pneumonia at the age of 36, Barrymore was at her bedside.{{sfn|Kobler|1977|p=124}}}} By the time the divorce was finalized in December 1917, he had taken [[A. J. Raffles (character)|the lead role]] in the film ''[[Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917 film)|Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman]]''.{{sfn|Power-Waters|1942|p=183}} He had also tried to enlist in the [[United States Army in World War I|U.S. Army]] following the country's entry into World War&nbsp;I, but Army doctors discovered that he had [[varicose veins]], and he was not accepted for military service.{{sfn|Farwell|2000|p=52}} For over a year beginning in April 1917, he appeared together with Lionel in [[Peter Ibbetson (play)|a stage version]] of [[George du Maurier]]'s 1891 novel ''[[Peter Ibbetson]]''. The play and the two Barrymores were warmly regarded by the critics.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|p=56}} Around this time, Barrymore began a relationship with a married mother of two, [[Blanche Oelrichs]], a [[suffragist]] from an elite Rhode Island family with what Peters calls "anarchistic self-confidence".{{sfn|Peters|1990|p=163}} Oelrichs also published poetry under the name Michael Strange. While their relationship began in secret, it became more open after Oelrichs' husband was commissioned into the army and then posted to France.{{sfn|Peters|1990|pp=163–65}}

Both Oelrichs and Sheldon urged Barrymore to take on his next role, Fedya Vasilyevich Protasov, in [[Leo Tolstoy]]'s play ''[[The Living Corpse|Redemption]]'' at the [[Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre|Plymouth Theatre]].{{sfnm|1a1=Alpert|1y=1965|1p=187|2a1=Morrison|2y=1997|2p=59}} The critic for ''The New York Times'' felt that, although Barrymore's performance was "marred by vocal monotony", overall the performance was "a distinct step forward in Mr. Barrymore's artistic development&nbsp;... There is probably not another actor on our stage who has a temperament so fine and spiritual, an art so flexible and sure."<ref name="NYT: Redemption" /> In 1918, Barrymore starred in the romantic comedy film ''[[On the Quiet]]''; the ''[[Iowa City Press-Citizen]]'' considered the film superior to the original Broadway performance.<ref name="ICPC: Quiet" />

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In 1919, Barrymore portrayed a struggling lawyer in the [[Here Comes the Bride (1919 film)|film adaptation]] of the Broadway show ''Here Comes the Bride'', which he followed with ''[[The Test of Honor]]''. The latter film marked his first straight dramatic role on screen after years of performing in comedy dramas.<ref name="AFI: Test" /> Later that year, when Barrymore again appeared on stage with Lionel in [[Sem Benelli]]'s historical drama ''The Jest'', audience members "agree[d] that the American stage had never witnessed finer acting", according to Peters.{{sfn|Peters|1990|p=185}} [[Alexander Woollcott]], writing in ''The New York Times'', thought that "John and Lionel Barrymore hold spellbound each breathless audience",<ref name="NYT: Jest" /> and he commented that Barrymore "contributes to that appeal by every step, every hand, every posture of a body grown unexpectedly eloquent in recent years".<ref name="NYT: Jest" /> 
[[File:John Barrymore by Adolphe De Meyer.jpg|thumb|Portrait by [[Adolph de Meyer]] for ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' (1920)]]
In November, Barrymore began filming ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920 Paramount film)|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'', playing the [[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (character)|dual leading role]], and the film was released in theaters the following year.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|p=74}} ''[[Film Daily|Wid's Daily]]'' thought that "it is the star's picture from the very outset, and it is the star that makes it", going on to say that Barrymore's portrayal was "a thing of fine shadows and violent emotions".<ref name="Wids: J&H" /> ''The Washington Post'' was in agreement, and considered the performance to be "a masterpiece", and "a remarkable piece of work".<ref name="WP: J&H" /> The film was so successful that the US Navy used stills of Barrymore in its recruiting posters.{{sfn|Norden|1995|p=92}}

After planning for over a year&nbsp;– largely in secret&nbsp;– Barrymore played his first [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] part, [[Richard III of England|the title role]] in ''[[Richard III (play)|Richard III]]''. Conscious of the criticism of his vocal range, he underwent training with Margaret Carrington, the voice and diction trainer, to ensure he sounded right for the part, and the pair worked together daily for up to six hours a day for six weeks.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|pp=72–78}} After the debut in March 1920, the critics were effusive in their praise. The ''[[Washington Herald]]'' observed that the audience were "held by the sheer power of Barrymore's performance", which was "remarkable for&nbsp;... [the actor's] unexpected vocal richness",<ref name="WH: R3" /> while Woollcott, in ''The New York Times'', thought the performance "marked a measurable advance in the gradual process of bringing [Barrymore's] technical fluency abreast with his winged imagination and his real genius for the theatre<!--spelling as per the original text: please do not change-->".<ref name="NYT: R3" />

[[File:Violet Kemble-Cooper and John Barrymore in Clair de Lune.jpg|alt=Violet Kemble-Cooper and John Barrymore half-sitting, half-lying in an eager embrace on a couch, about to kiss|thumb|Barrymore with [[Violet Kemble-Cooper]] in the 1921 play ''Clair de Lune'']]
Although a commercial and critical success, the play closed after 31 performances when Barrymore collapsed, suffering a nervous breakdown.<ref>[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058393/1920-04-25/ed-1/seq-14/#date1=1918&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=Barrymore+BARRYMORE+JOHN+John&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=7&state=&date2=1920&proxtext=john+barrymore+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=12 The Ogden Standard-Examiner.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206053259/https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058393/1920-04-25/ed-1/seq-14/#date1=1918&sort=relevance&rows=20&words=Barrymore+BARRYMORE+JOHN+John&searchType=basic&sequence=0&index=7&state=&date2=1920&proxtext=john+barrymore+&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=12 |date=December 6, 2018 }}, April 25, 1920, Last Edition – 4 P.M.</ref> Since appearing in ''Redemption'' he had worked ceaselessly, appearing on stage in the evenings, while planning or rehearsing the next production during the day, and by the time he appeared as Richard, he was spending his daytimes filming ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''. He spent six weeks recuperating under the ministrations of his father's friend, wrestler [[William Muldoon]], who ran a sanitarium.{{sfnm|1a1=Power-Waters|1y=1942|1p=73|2a1=Kobler|2y=1977|2pp=158–59}} During the summer of 1920, Oelrichs became pregnant with Barrymore's child, and a quick divorce was arranged with her husband, which left her and Barrymore free to marry in August that year; a daughter, [[Diana Barrymore]], followed in March 1921.{{sfn|Morrison| 1997| p=124}}{{efn|Coincidentally, the same doctor who was at the birth of Barrymore's first wife also delivered Oelrichs, a few hours later, on October 1, 1890.{{sfn|Power-Waters|1942|p=73}}}} Soon after the birth, he began rehearsals for ''Clair de Lune'', which his wife had adapted from [[Victor Hugo]]'s 1869 novel ''[[The Man Who Laughs]]''. Barrymore persuaded Ethel to play the role of the Queen&nbsp;– it was the first time the two had appeared on stage together in over a decade. The play was a critical flop, although the presence of the siblings ensured that it ran for over 60 performances.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|pp=124–25}}

In 1921, Barrymore portrayed a wealthy Frenchman in New York in the film ''[[The Lotus Eater (film)|The Lotus Eater]]'', with [[Colleen Moore]].<ref name="ICPC: Lotus" /> In September, Barrymore and Oelrichs went to Europe on holiday; cracks were appearing in their relationship, and she fell in love with a poet during their extended stay in Venice. In October, Oelrichs returned to New York and Barrymore traveled to London to film the exterior scenes for his latest movie, ''[[Sherlock Holmes (1922 film)|Sherlock Holmes]]'', in which he played the title role. He then returned to New York to work on the film's interior scenes in January 1922.{{sfn|Power-Waters|1942|pp=77–78}} Barrymore became involved in the pre-production work for the film and provided designs for [[Professor Moriarty|Moriarty's]] lair. The film was released later that year{{sfn|Davies|2001|p=18}} and was generally thought "a little dull and ponderous, with too many [[intertitle]]s",{{sfn|Werner|2014|p=224}} although James W. Dean of ''[[The Patriot-News|The Evening News]]'' of Harrisburg opined that "the personality of Barrymore is the film's transcendent quality".<ref name="Eve N: Holmes" />

[[File:John Barrymore Hamlet 1922.jpg|alt=Barrymore, cleanshaven, in an all-black costume as a brooding Hamlet, sitting on a chair, looking slightly to his right of the camera|thumb|Barrymore as [[Prince Hamlet|Hamlet]] (1922).]]
Barrymore decided next to star in ''[[Hamlet]]'' on stage, with [[Arthur Hopkins]] directing. They spent six months preparing, cutting over 1,250 lines from the text as they did so, and Barrymore opted to play Hamlet as "a man's man", according to Norden. Barrymore later described his Hamlet as a "normal, healthy, lusty young fellow who simply got into a mess that was too thick for him&nbsp;... he was a great fencer, an athlete, a man who led an active, healthy life. How can you make a sickly half-wit out of a man like that?"{{sfn|Norden|1995|p=14}} Barrymore again used Carrington as a vocal coach; rehearsals started in October, and the play opened on November 16, 1922.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|pp=126, 134 & 142}} The production was a box-office success, and the critics were lavish in their praise. Woollcott, writing for the ''[[New York Herald]]'', opined that it was "an evening that will be memorable in the history of the American theater".{{sfn|Morrison|1997|p=214}} while [[John Corbin]], the drama critic for ''The New York Times'', agreed, writing that "in all likelihood we have a new and a lasting Hamlet".<ref name="NYT: Hamlet" /> The reviewer for ''Brooklyn Life'' stated that Barrymore had "doubtless won the right to be called the greatest living American tragedian".<ref name="BL: Hamlet" /> In 1963, [[Orson Welles]] said that Barrymore was the best Hamlet he had seen, describing the character as "not so much princely&nbsp;– he was a man of genius who happened to be a prince, and he was tender, and virile, and witty, and dangerous".<ref name="Monitor: Welles" />

Barrymore and Hopkins decided to end the run at 101 performances, just breaking the record of one hundred by [[Edwin Booth]], before the play closed in February 1923.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|p=232}}{{efn|The record lasted until 1936 when it was broken by [[John Gielgud]]. He recorded that "My New York ''Hamlet'' broke the Broadway record for continuous performances [of that play] previously set by Barrymore&nbsp;– 101 performances. In fact my record held until Richard Burton broke it in the 1960s, in a production directed by me, which seemed a little ironic."{{sfn|Gielgud|1979| p=85}}}} In November and December that year, a three-week run of the play was staged at the [[Manhattan Center|Manhattan Opera House]], followed by a brief tour that closed at the end of January 1924.{{sfn|Morrison|1997|p=144}}