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Dolores Costello

Dolores Costello

Actor · Died March 1, 1979, aged 75 · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dolores Costello (September 17, 1903 – March 1, 1979) was an American film actress who achieved her greatest success during the era of silent movies. She was nicknamed "The Goddess of the Silent Screen". She was stepmother of John Barrymore's daughter Diana by his second wife Blanche Oelrichs, the mother of John Drew Barrymore and Dolores (Dee Dee) Barrymore, and the grandmother of John Barrymore III, Blyth Dolores Barrymore, Brahma Blyth (Jessica) Barrymore, and Drew Barrymore. Dolores Costello was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of actors Maurice Costello and Mae Costello (née Altschuk). She was of Irish and German descent. She had a younger sister, Helene, and the two made their first film appearances in the years 1909–1915 as child actresses for the Vitagraph Film Company. They played supporting roles in several films starring their father, who was a popular matinee idol at the time. The two sisters appeared on Broadway together as chlorines and their success resulted in contracts with Warner Brothers Studios. In 1926, following small parts in feature films, she was selected by John Barrymore to star opposite him in The Sea Beast, a loose adaptation of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. Warner Bros. soon began starring her in her own vehicles. Meanwhile, she and Barrymore became romantically involved and married in 1928. Within a few years of achieving stardom, the delicately beautiful blonde-haired actress had become a successful and highly regarded film personality in her own right. As a young adult her career developed to the degree that in 1926 she was named a WAMPAS Baby Star, and had acquired the nickname "The Goddess of the Silver Screen". Warners alternated Costello between films with contemporary settings and elaborate costume dramas. In 1927 she was re-teamed with John Barrymore in When a Man Loves, an adaptation of Manon Lescaut. In 1928 she co-starred with George O'Brien in Noah's Ark, a part-talkie epic directed by Michael Curtiz. Costello spoke with a lisp and found it difficult to make the transition to talking pictures, but after two years of voice coaching she was comfortable speaking before a microphone. One of her early sound film appearances was with her sister Helene in Warner Bros.'s all-star extravaganza The Show of Shows (1929). Her acting career became less a priority for her following the birth of her first child, Dolores Ethel Mae "DeeDee" Barrymore, on April 8, 1930, and she retired from the screen in 1931 to devote time to her family. Her second child, John Drew Barrymore, was born on June 4, 1932, but the marriage proved difficult due to her husband's increasing alcoholism, and they divorced in 1935. She resumed her career a year later and achieved some successes, most notably in Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) and The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). She retired permanently from acting following her appearance in This is the Army (1943), again under the direction of Michael Curtiz. In 1950 Costello divorced Dr. John Vruwink, whom she had married in 1939. She spent the remaining years of her life in semi-seclusion, managing an avocado farm. She died from emphysema in Fallbrook, California in 1979.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 17, 1903
Died
March 1, 1979 (aged 75)
From
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 70 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 6% in 30 days

What are Dolores Costello's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
33%
Morality
28%
Society
18%
Power
11%
Ideas
6%
Self
5%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 2 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 4
Hero
1 of 4
Shapeshifter
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
5
Warm
4
Contemplative
3
Bittersweet
3
Joyful
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Feel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Dolores Costello's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Dolores Costello's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

70 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles(2014)

    as Isabel Amberson Minafer (clip from The Magnificent Ambersons (1942))

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home to(1990)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Magic Movie Moments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Actor

  • This Is the Army(1943)

    as Mrs. Davidson

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Magnificent Ambersons(1942)

    as Isabel Amberson Minafer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Outside These Walls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Margaret Bronson

  • Whispering Enemies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Laura Crandall

  • King of the Turf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Eve Barnes

  • Breaking the Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Martha Martin

  • The Beloved Brat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Helen Cosgrove

  • Yours for the Asking(1936)

    as Lucille Sutton

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Little Lord Fauntleroy(1936)

    as 'Dearest' Erroll

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Expensive Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Constance 'Connie' Newton

  • Second Choice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Vallery Grove

  • Show of Shows(1929)

    as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hearts in Exile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Vera Zuanova

  • Madonna of Avenue A (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Maria Morton

  • Glad Rag Doll (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Annabel Lee

  • The Redeeming Sin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Joan Billaire

  • Noah's Ark(1928)

    as Marie / Miriam

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Glorious Betsy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Betsy Patterson

  • Tenderloin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    as Rose Shannon

  • The College Widow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Jane Witherspoon

  • Old San Francisco(1927)

    as Dolores Vasquez

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • When a Man Loves(1927)

    as Manon Lescaut

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Heart of Maryland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Maryland Calvert

  • A Million Bid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Dorothy Gordon

  • The Third Degree(1926)

    as Annie Daly

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Little Irish Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Dot Walker

  • Bride of the Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Faith Fitzhugh

  • The Sea Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Esther Harper

  • Mannequin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    as Joan Herrick

  • Bobbed Hair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as (uncredited)

  • Greater Than a Crown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    as Isabel Frances / Princess of Lividia

  • Lawful Larceny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Nora the maid

  • The Glimpses of the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Secondary Role

  • The Heart of Jim Brice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    Actor

  • The Evil Men Do (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1915)

    as David - as a Little Boy

  • Too Much Burglar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    Actor

  • Etta of the Footlights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    Actor

  • Some Steamer Scooping (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1914)

    as The Little Stowaway

  • Fellow Voyagers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)

    as Little Dolores Gray

  • In the Shadow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)

    as Neighbor Girl

  • The Hindoo Charm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)

    as Dolores Tilbury - the Older Child

  • A Birthday Gift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1913)

    Actor

  • Ida's Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Ida - the Little Smith Girl

  • Song of the Shell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Little Bess M.

  • The Toymaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Little Dot Avery

  • The Irony of Fate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Fourth Child

  • Bobby's Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Bobby Ramsay

  • Captain Barnacle's Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Ruth - Barnacle's Adopted Daughter

  • Her Grandchild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Little Janet - the Grandchild

  • Vultures and Doves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Mrs. Hanley's Little Girl

  • Wanted... a Grandmother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    Actor

  • A Juvenile Love Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Jane - Alvin's Sweetheart

  • The Money Kings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    Actor

  • The Troublesome Step-Daughters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    Actor

  • Lulu's Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Lulu

  • She Never Knew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Mr. Blinn's Granddaughter

  • For the Honor of the Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as Alice - the Child

  • The Meeting of the Ways (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as One of Tom's Children

  • Captain Jenks' Dilemma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1912)

    as One of Widow Brown's Children

  • Some Good in All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1911)

    as Betty Lane - John's Daughter

  • A Reformed Santa Claus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1911)

    as The Widow's 1st Child

  • His Sister's Children (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1911)

    as Buster aka Budge

  • The Child Crusoes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1911)

    Actor

  • The Geranium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1911)

    Actor

  • Consuming Love; or, St. Valentine's Day in Greenaway Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1911)

    Actor

  • The Telephone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1910)

    as Daughter

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1909)

    as Fairy

Career shape

Star power in the 81st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 69 titles from 1909 to 1990.

Biggest box office

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles (2014)

$16K worldwide

Highest rated

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Midcredits 94th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting69 of 69: 69 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score59th

By decade

1900s1 · acting1910s33 · acting1920s22 · acting1930s9 · acting1940s2 · acting1950s1 · acting1990s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Dolores Costello's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 11 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

The Third Degree (1926)

63rd percentile spread · 35% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Midcredits 94th · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Dolores Costello work with?

People who share at least 2 of Dolores Costello's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Curtiz shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors