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…
Taylor Swift is teaming up with someone who inspired her as a child: actress Jennifer Lopez
During her electrifying 2013 concert in Los Angeles, Taylor Swift gave her fans a heartfelt throwback to her childhood days as she sang into a hairbrush. While recalling her impromptu solo performances, Taylor playfully introduced what she called her “hairbrush song”, setting up a surprise that sent the audience into a frenzy: the performance of R&B legend Jennifer Lopez.
Together, Taylor and Jennifer delivered a spirited rendition of Lopez’s classic hit “Jenny From The Block”, delighting the audience, who enthusiastically joined in and documented every moment on their phones. The performance quickly became a sensation, racking up over 12 million views on Taylor’s YouTube channel, while fans worldwide enjoyed the joyful collaboration between the two stars.
While this unexpected duet garnered widespread attention, it was just one of many surprises during Taylor’s “The Red Tour” in 2013. During the tour, she welcomed a number of respected artists, including Ellie Goulding, Nelly, Ed Sheeran and Fall Out’s Patrick Stump Boy, each of them brings their unique charm to their spectacular concerts.
Relive the magic of Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lopez’s unforgettable stage synergy by watching the full video below.
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