Once called "the most gifted character actor of our time," Lionel Barrymore (1878-1954) was part of the illustrious Barrymore acting dynasty. Although he garnered success on stage and screen and was a talented actor, writer, director, visual artist, and composer, he never escaped the shadow of his family. Barrymore won the Academy Award for Best Actor in A Free Soul and was nominated for Best Director for Madame X. He is best known for his role as Mr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life and as the voice of Ebenezer Scrooge. He spent the last two decades of his career playing versions of his signature character—the curmudgeonly but lovable gentleman—in a variety of films. Barrymore worked alongside some of Hollywood's most recognizable names, and his legacy is enshrined at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In Lionel Barrymore, Kathleen Spaltro examines Barrymore as an individual. This comprehensive study divides Barrymore's life into three acts. Act One follows Barrymore's early days. Act Two details Barrymore's establishment as a fixture at MGM. Act Three expounds on Barrymore's curation of his trademark character and his fateful final years. Spaltro unearths Barrymore's personal challenges, recounts his difficulties with his family, and delves into the devastating losses Barrymore suffered. Lionel Barrymore is a multifaceted portrait of a brilliant character actor.