Dolores Costello(1903-1979)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Dolores Costello was once known as the Goddess of the Silent Screen but
is probably best remembered today as
Drew Barrymore's grandmother. She
was born in 1905 to actors
Maurice Costello and
Mae Costello. Her father began his film career in 1908 and soon
became the most popular matinée idol of his day. He gave Dolores and
her sister
Helene Costello their screen debuts in
1911. Dolores appeared in numerous pictures throughout the 1910s and
the early 1920s, mostly with her father and sister. She later appeared
on the New York stage with her sister in "George White Scandals of
1924." They were then signed by Warner Bros. where Dolores met future
husband John Barrymore.
Barrymore soon made Dolores his costar in
The Sea Beast (1926). During their
lengthy kissing scene Dolores fainted in John's arms. They married in
1928 despite the misgivings of her mother, who would die the following
year at age 45. They had two children, DeDe in 1931 and
John Drew Barrymore in 1932. Dolores
took time off from her movie career in the early 1930s to raise her
young children. Her sister Helene and her new husband, actor
Lowell Sherman, successfully convinced
Dolores to divorce Barrymore in 1935, mainly because of his excessive
drinking.
After the divorce Dolores returned to acting, appearing in several
big-budget pictures, and her career seemed to be back on track. Her
physical appearance, however, was greatly damaged from the harsh
studio makeup used in the early years. The skin on her cheeks was in
the process of deteriorating, forcing her into early retirement. She
lived in semi-seclusion on her Southern California avocado farm,
Fallbrook Ranch, where much of the memorabilia and papers from both the
Barrymore and Costello family were destroyed in a flood.
is probably best remembered today as
Drew Barrymore's grandmother. She
was born in 1905 to actors
Maurice Costello and
Mae Costello. Her father began his film career in 1908 and soon
became the most popular matinée idol of his day. He gave Dolores and
her sister
Helene Costello their screen debuts in
1911. Dolores appeared in numerous pictures throughout the 1910s and
the early 1920s, mostly with her father and sister. She later appeared
on the New York stage with her sister in "George White Scandals of
1924." They were then signed by Warner Bros. where Dolores met future
husband John Barrymore.
Barrymore soon made Dolores his costar in
The Sea Beast (1926). During their
lengthy kissing scene Dolores fainted in John's arms. They married in
1928 despite the misgivings of her mother, who would die the following
year at age 45. They had two children, DeDe in 1931 and
John Drew Barrymore in 1932. Dolores
took time off from her movie career in the early 1930s to raise her
young children. Her sister Helene and her new husband, actor
Lowell Sherman, successfully convinced
Dolores to divorce Barrymore in 1935, mainly because of his excessive
drinking.
After the divorce Dolores returned to acting, appearing in several
big-budget pictures, and her career seemed to be back on track. Her
physical appearance, however, was greatly damaged from the harsh
studio makeup used in the early years. The skin on her cheeks was in
the process of deteriorating, forcing her into early retirement. She
lived in semi-seclusion on her Southern California avocado farm,
Fallbrook Ranch, where much of the memorabilia and papers from both the
Barrymore and Costello family were destroyed in a flood.