Goodbye to John Barrymore

From June 2, 1942:

1,000 Honor Barrymore at Simple, 12-Minute Rites

Hollywood–June 2:

John Barrymore was buried today with a brief ceremony that contrasted with his career as the most spectacular member of America’s royal family of the theater. 

Fewer than 70 friends and relatives crowded the dim little chapel at Calvary Cemetery, but lined among the 200 steps leading to the chapel and in front of the building were 1,000 other persons gathered to pay tribute to the veteran actor who died Friday night.

Father John O’Donnell of Immaculate Heart Church, the priest who received Barrymore back into the Catholic church and administered extreme unction before his death, conducted the rites.

Great piles of floral pieces banked and almost surrounded the silver and bronze casket.

The services lasted 12 minutes. Then the body was laid to rest in the crypt alongside the body of Irene Fenwick, noted star and wife of Lionel Barrymore, John’s brother.

There was no eulogy.

Diana Barrymore, the daughter only recently “rediscovered” by her father, wept as she and Lionel Barrymore entered the chapel.

Of the actor’s four wives, only Elaine Barrie–his most recent–attended the services. Her eyes were red-rimmed.

Clark Gable, still grieving the loss of his wife, Carole Lombard, in a recent airliner crash, was distraught. He chose a seat behind a pillar and remained alone during the services.

Lionel appeared ill.

Father O’Donnell quoted his chosen passage from the scriptures: “Enter not into judgement with Thy servant, oh Lord, for in Thy sight shall no man be justified unless through Thee he finds pardon for all his sins.

He anointed the crypt, flanked by two altar boys, and concluded the ritual with “And may the soul of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.”

At the end of the ceremony Barrymore’s friends had their last view of him, passing the bier before it was taken to the crypt. He was imposing in death, dressed in a dark blue suit and holding in his hand a single whit gardenia, placed their by Diana.

Dolores Costello, Barrymore’s third wife and mother of two of his children, was reported ill and unable to attend. She was represented by her father, Maurice Costello and her sister, Helene Costello.

Barrymore’s sister, Ethel, who just completed a stage engagement in Boston, was reported unable to obtain airplane passage to attend the funeral.

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It is very sad to think of grieving Clark sitting there alone. Carole should have been there with him. She would have been very distraught as well at he death of John, whom she famously co-starred in the screwball comedy hit Twentieth Century.

Clark and John were friends and had both starred in Night Flight, although they had no scenes together.

I visited Calvary Cemetery in 2011. Some pictures of that very chapel and of John’s grave, although apparently he was moved.