Sidney Rankin Drew

Early life

Sidney Rankin Drew was born on September 19, 1891, in New York City to Sidney Drew and Gladys Rankin, both actors and comedians of Mr and Mrs. Sidney Drew. Drew was born into two entertainment family dynasties, the Drews and the Rankins. Through his father, his grandmother was actress Louisa Lane Drew and through his mother, his grandparents were McKee Rankin and Kitty Blanchard, all actors. He was the first cousin of the actors John, Lionel, and Ethel Barrymore, all of the Barrymore acting family. Drew was also cousin to actors Louise Drew, Georgie Drew Mendum, and Arthur Rankin.

Drew graduation from the Cutler School in New York.

Career

Drew began his career acting in his parents' vaudeville acts. He first appeared on stage in Minneapolis at just four months old. He would later make his official theatre debut in the play Billy written by his mother and followed this up with his father's Silent Voice. It was through the encouragement of his cousin, Lionel Barrymore, that Drew began to work in the newly developing film industry.

In 1916, Drew directed Thou Art the Man, the last script written by his mother on her deathbed. He regarded the film as a masterpiece and a tribute to his mother who had died in 1914. He also directed the silent picture The Vital Question the same year. It starred Virginia Pearson, Charles Kent, George Cooper, and Denton Vane. Following its release the Grand Forks Herald named Drew "one of the greatest directors in the business".

After a successful career with Vitagraph, Drew moved to Metro Pictures in 1916, becoming the fifth of the Barrymore/Drew to work at the studio. His first, and last, film at Metro was The Belle of the Season, which was shot in 1916, but released posthumously in 1918.

Drew was drafted in the Army during World War I and eventually became a volunteer pilot in the Franco-American Air Corps. Following his death, his final film, The Belle of the Season, was released in 1919.

In 1921, the book Life and Letters of Sidney Rankin Drew was edited and published by his step-mother, Lucille McVey. The book is made up prodominently of letters he sent home to his father during the war.

Personal life

Rankin's mother, Gladys, died in January 1914 from undisclosed causes. His father remarried to Lucille McVey, a Vitagraph scriptwriter who briefly went under the name Jane Morrow, in July that year.

Drew was killed-in-action on May 19, 1918, when his plane was shot down over France during World War I. He has a monument in Central Park. A cross made from the struts of his airplane was presented to his step-mother, Lucille McVey, in December 1919. She dedicated the cross to his monument.

Filmography

The Still Voice (1913)*short

His Tired Uncle (1913)*short

An Infernal Tangle (1913)*short

The Snare of Fate (1913)*short

An Unwritten Chapter (1913)*short

The Glove (1913)*short

My Lady of Idleness (1913)*short

The Penalties of Reputation (1913)*short

A Game of Cards (1913)*short

Timing Cupid (1914)*short

Hearts of Women (1914)*short

Marrying Sue (1914)*short

In the Old Attic (1914)*short

The Drudge (1914)*short

The Idler (1914)*short

Never Again (1914)*short

Mr. Barnes of New York (1914, actor)

The Tattoo Mark (1914)*short

Maria's Sacrifice (1914)*short

The Royal Wild West (1914)*short

In the Latin Quarter (1915, actor)*short

O'Garry of the Royal Mounted (1915)*short

The Island of Regeneration (1915)*feature

Director

What's Ours? (1915)*short

Love's Way (1915)*short

The Lesson of the Narrow Street (1915)*short

The Reward (1915)*short

Thou Art the Man (1915)*feature

Kennedy Square (1916)*feature

The Hunted Woman (1916)*feature

The Vital Question (1916)*feature

The Suspect (1916)*feature

The Daring of Diana (1916)*feature

A Vampire Out of Work (1916)*feature

The Girl Philippa (1916)*feature

The Belle of the Season (1917)*feature (not released until 1919)

Who's Your Neighbor? (1917)*feature