JOHN BARRYMORE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1939, Page 5

JOHN BARRYMORE

ANTICS ON STAGE. Latest reports of John Barrymore's antics on the stage with his touring company of "My Dear Children" arcgiving Hollywood hysterics. Recently in Chicago Barrymore forgot his lines completely, and not even the prompter could get him back in line. Unable to continue with the play, Barrymore pulled up a chair close to the footlights, sat down and told the audience intimate details of his marital troubles with Elaine Barrie. Barrymore stopped talking an hour and a half later and the audience cheered. John gets no better with the years, and can still be counted upon ic do the most unorthodox things on ano oIT the stage. He still is one of rhe most colourful figures of the American stage, and still one of its finest actors when he is behaving himself. In Barrymore’s latest battle with hi: fourth wife. Elaine, he disclosed that his famous profile .has earned him .£39,000 a year since 1933, and. in the three years preceding, collected £200.000. He said lie was paid £ 1000 a week for seven weeks for his role hi "Hold That Co-Ed;" another £lOOO a week for three week’s in "Marie Antoinct'e:” and £l2OO weekly or £3OOO total for playing in "Bulldog Drummond." This puts John among the high-est-paid actors in the world today.