Thursday, August 11, 2016

Cross-post: Lionel Barrymore and wheels on film

Wheels & Crutches & Canes, oh my--why I bother to research an old movie actor

This is a cross-post form my other, much newer blog: Barrymuch, Barrymore, Barrymost: Lionel Barrymore, obsessively. It's on a member of the well-known Barrymore acting family (Lionel's brother John is Drew Barrymore's grandfather) who for the last quarter or so of his life lived and acted in a wheelchair.  His popularity never seemed to wane--and this was in the 1930s, ladles and gentlemints.

He was a damn impressive actor and a very interesting member of a stupendously complex and flawed family, and he also held his own while in horrible pain physically.  I wrote this to explain to my (few) readers why I bother researching his work and life, especially if they're not familiar at all with disability studies.

You might find it interesting, gentle reader! If not, well, I'll get back to being more morose on this blog soon! :)
Lionel Barrymore as Dr Leonard Gillespie, left; Lew Ayres as Dr. James Kildare, right, The People vs Dr. Kildare, 1941