Evening star., 1942-05-31
Simple Rites Planned
In Hollywood Tuesday
For John Barrymore
Actors Death Scene
Wos Troeic and Lonely,
But With Good Notices
BY the Associated Press.

6y tnt hSSOClateQ t1eSS.
HOLLYWOOD, May 30.-When
John Barrymore died last night he
made his exit from life as he had
made thousands of exits from the
worlds stages-smiling, and anx-
ious for a new adventure.
Johns death was tragic, and
lonely. But he received good notices
from many who had known and
loved him. He would have enjoyed
especially the final tribute of his
physician, DR.. Hugo NJ Kersten
DR. Kersten said:
Il was compelled to wonder at the
recuperative facilities of the man
and marval at a spirit and will that
belied his 60 years.
Few friends visited him in his last
11-day critical illness. He had given
and loaned thousands of dollars t.
movie friends and casual acquaint-
ances alike. None came around the
hospital. Possibly they feared he
was too i'll to be visited.
Broken in Purse and Health.
The Great Profile died broke
broken financially and in health.
Only his great heart kept him alive
from last November when liver and
kidney ailments nearly ended his
life, until last night.
He had paid off most of his cred
itors. He would have paid every
cent had his health permitted him
to make two more pictures, said his
attorney. John had contracts for
those two, but was unable to under
60 the strain.
He had earned millions, but he
spent freely, gave freely, loaned
freely to persons he knew could not
repay him.
At Johns bedside when he died
was 'only one relative, Lionel, him.
self not well and using crutches,
because Of. a fractured hip. Also
present were his author friend,
Gene Fowler, and Artist John
Decker.
Daughter Diana Near.
Daughter Diana, busy making her
second movie, was in an anteroom.
It was her second visit since her
father was stricken. She is the
daughter of his second wife, Poetess
Michael Strange; now Mrs. Harri-
son Tweed.
His children by Dolores Costello,
his third wife, had not seen their
father in months They are Dolores
Ethel May Barrymore. IL, and John
Blythe Barrymore, 10. Mis- Costello
kept in close touch by telephone,
but did not visit the hospital
His fourth wife, Elaine Barrie
Barrymore, telephoned periodically
until she left Thursday, presum-
ably for New York.
The first Mrs. Barrymore, Kather-
inc Corri Harris Barrymore, died
some years ago.
Sister Ethel, at Johns request,
remained in Boston to close a play
tonight. Press representatives said
she was terribly cut up" She had
kept in touch with her brother by
telephone.
Funeral Set Tuesday.
Funeral rites will be conducted
Tuesday. Lionel said there would
be simple, private service in the
chapel of Calvary Cemetery. John
returned to the Catholic faith
shortly before he died, renewing
an old acquaintance" after many
years absence from the church.
Fans went to John Barrymore
plays not only to see him act. They
returned time after time to hear
him ad libbing.
One of his most famous ad Ibis
rocked Macbeth audience with
laughter at the tense, tragic in
slant after Duncan's murder.
AS Lady Macbeth exclaimed, THE
deed is done! Didst thou hear
noise?" a balconyite guffawed.
In perfect Shakespearean meter
and idiom, Barrymore replied:
"Naught but the braying of a
distant ass"
The great mystery of John Bar
rymore was how once-great dra-
matte actor could lapse into the
irresponsible buffoonery that startled
less untrammeled minds from coast
to coast.
Many thought with a parentheti-
cal tsk-tSk that the answer was
liquor.
But the answer was just Barry
more
1t came as a shock when couple