Terry Chester Shulman

I came across a photograph of Dolores Costello, I think from When A Man Loves with her husband John Barrymore, and fell in love with her face. I then learned that she was Drew Barrymore's grandmother and wanted to learn more about the acting dynasty of the Barrymores - John, Lionel and Ethel - and the Costellos - Maurice, Dolores and Helene - but this biography was ridiculously priced. Being a thrifty Tyke, I waited until the price dropped to indulge my curiosity and certainly got my money's worth!

The tl;dr version of the family dynasty is weak men and one strong woman - Dolores. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she took absolutely no shit from anyone, including her family. I love her even more! Her father Maurice, born Herbert Blyth, started the Costello acting tradition in 1905 and was one of the first film actors to receive fan mail. His young daughters, Dolores and Helene, appeared in some of their father's early films and quickly found fame, especially Dolores, who later supported the family with money from modelling, Broadway roles and a contract with Warner Bros. Dolores met and fell in love with John Barrymore, who was twenty years older and already married with two children. Unfortunately for Dolores, both her father and husband were alcoholics who blamed others for their own misfortunes, superficially charming yet jealously possessive while cheating with other women. Like her mother Mae, 'it fell to Dolores, later to be joined by Helene, to pick up the pieces of her destitute family and try to put them together again. It was a role that, for better or worse, she would never fully relinquish.' In time, she was propping up her father, husband and sister. Even her son Johnny (Drew's father) was an equally pathetic charmer with an addictive personality. The author, bizarrely, is defensive of the men - 'their early encounters with sexual abuse instilled in both of them a mistrust of women that destroyed each of their marriages' - while denigrating Dolores for knowing when to draw the line!

A fascinating account of Hollywood's first family, the lives of Costellos and Barrymores through the first half of the twentieth century reads like a soap opera, full of melodrama (naturally), very public court cases, and early deaths. Only Dolores really stands out, with her strong will, love of good food and all things English, and captivating beauty. Thank goodness there is Drew to follow in her footsteps!… (altro)

Excellent biography of Maurice Costello - film's first screen idol and his daughters - Delores and Helene. The book began with a devastating portrait of conditions in Pittsburgh, PA at the end of the 1800's - the filth and poverty of so many. Maurice Costello began in stage work and was the screen's first male idol. Daughter Delores was probably one of film's most beautiful ladies with stardom achieved in silent films but known for roles as Dearest in 1936's Little Lord Fauntleroy as well as The Magnificent Ambersons. She was also John Barrymore's third wife and the mother of a daughter and son to Barrymore. The chapters on her courtship by Barrymore and marriage were most interesting. Sister Helene had the female lead in the first all talking, full length feature film but her career declined shortly after. Father Maurice was an alcoholic and as much as daughters Delores and Helene abhorred him for this habit, they both eventually became alcoholic as well. It is a story of a family with much promise whose jealousies and addictions became the best of them.… (altro)