Historic Photo Gallery: 1900 to 1920
1901
At age 21 the lovely Ethel Barrymore made her Walnut Street Theatre debut in
Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines. This member of the highly acclaimed
Barrymore family would go on to become one of America's most renowned theatre
actresses of her time. However, her success as an actress was not immediately
clear following the opening night at the Walnut in January 1901. Her nervousness
was evident to the crowd that evening, and a voice called out from the gallery,
"Speak up, Ethel! All the Drews are good actors!" Despite an unsuccessful run
in Philadelphia, the show went on to New York where Ethel overcame her shyness
and became the toast of Broadway during her six-month run. (Photograph courtesy
of the Theatre Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia.)
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