ETHEL BARRYMORE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED - HFSID 20181

ETHEL BARRYMORE. ALS: "Ethel Barrymore.", 3p, 4x5¾, front and verso. 6 Charles St. (London), no date. To "My own Miss Darby". In full: "I am so awfully sorry not to have seen you at all this summer. I've often seen you cleaning in front of your house & wondered if I dared call upon you. But now that the chance comes I can't take advantage of it because I am sailing for America on Saturday & Friday I shall be so hopelessly busy packing, etc. It is so nice of you to remember me & when I come back in the spring I shall hope for so much better luck - Goodbye Till then - may be we shall meet in our street though before I go." Ethel Barrymore (1879-1959), born Ethel Mae Blythe, was a member of the long-established American theatrical family that included brothers John and Lionel, with whom she would appear in one film, Rasputin and the Empress (1932). First gaining popularity in Europe, Barrymore returned to New York City after an engagement with Henry Irving in London. Under the Frohman banner, she appeared on Broadway in Clyde Fitch's Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines (1901), achieving instant success (the play was revived in 1907). Although her original desire was to become a concert pianist, Barrymore made the theater her home and gained a reputation as an actress of dignity and warmth. Her most endearing portrayal was in The Corn is Green (on Broadway at the National and Royale Theatres from November 26,1940-January 17, 1942 and at the Martin Beck Theatre from May 3-June 19, 1943). Barrymore also appeared in several films, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in None But The Lonely Heart. She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscars for The Spiral Staircase (1946), The Paradine Case (1947) and Pinky (1949). Her other film credits also include The Farmer's Daughter (1947), Portrait of Jennie (1948), Main Street to Broadway (1953, with her brother Lionel in his last film appearance) and Young at Heart (1954), and Barrymore also hosted and occasionally acted in a TV anthology, Ethel Barrymore Theatre (1956). Although she also acted in several other anthology series from 1950-1956, her assessment of the medium was, "It's hell."  A theater bearing Barrymore's name was opened in New York City in 1928. Lightly creased with folds, vertical fold at the "l" of Ethel. 4 pinhead-size red stains on verso of integral leaf touch 1 word of writing. Fine condition. Framed to an overall size of 21¾x18.