Maurice Costello (1877-1950)

Born in Pittsburgh to Irish immigrant parents, Maurice Costello became one of America’s very first movie stars. He got into the business in 1905, and made nearly three hundred films over the course of five decades. One of his first roles was Sherlock Holmes, and he is believed to be the first actor to portray Holmes on-screen. He was one of the very earliest, some say the earliest, matinee idol, earning the sobriquet “the dimpled darling.” While his star declined by the late 1910’s, his daughters Helen and Dolores both became movie stars in the 1920’s. In 1932, Dolores married screen and theater legend John Barrymore. Their grand-daughter is Drew Barrymore, who can boast movie royalty on both sides of her family tree. Maurice was reduced to supporting roles by the 1930’s, and died at the Motion Picture Country Home in 1950.