John Barrymore as Hamlet, circa 1922

John Barrymore's Hamlet  ran for 101 performances between 1922-25. About the critical acclaim he received for his portrayal of the tragic Dane, JB said this in a 1933 interview:

"Money meant nothing to me. The important thing was that John Barrymore, once a wild, irresponsible, no-good comedian had pulled himself together, had worked so hard and conscientiously and so effectively that London praised his performance of Hamlet! The most critical Shakespeare audiences on earth had applauded John Barrymore's Hamlet! God, what satisfaction!"

If you have never seen the great John Barrymore in action, I highly recommend the 1934 screwball comedy Twentieth Century, directed by Howard Hawks and co-starring Carole Lombard.

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