The Barrymore family, and the related Drew family, form a BritishâÂÂAmerican acting dynasty that traces its acting roots to the mid-19th-century London stage. After migrating across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, members of the family subsequently appeared in motion pictures, beginning with the silent film period of the 1890s to 1929 and then into the modern era of sound film.
The surname Barrymore originated with an actor named William Barrymore (c. 1759âÂÂ1830). The related Drew family traces back to the Irish actor John Drew Sr. (1827âÂÂ1862).
For the maternal Drew acting dynasty, see Drew family.