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| Moving Picture World, 21-December-1918 |
Sidney Drew starred in the Mr and Mrs Sidney Drew comedies with his first wife, Gladys Rankin Drew and his second wife, Lucille McVey. Sidney's sister, Georgiana Drew, was the mother of Ethel, Lionel and John Barrymore. Sidney and his first wife were the parents of S Rankin Drew. The Mr and Mrs Sidney Drew series was a success for Vitagraph, then Metro and then Paramount.
When America entered World War One, Rankin Drew enlisted right away. He became an aviator, and was reported missing after a combat on 19-May-1918. It was later determined that he died that day. The news shattered his father:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2018/05/s-rankin-drew-100-years-may-19-2018.html
Sidney Drew died 100 years ago today, on 19-April-1919.
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| Moving Picture World, 26-April-1919 |
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| Rock Island Argus, 15-April-1919 |
"BOTH STAGE AND SCREEN MOURN DEATH OF DREW
"(By Kitty Kelly, in Chicago Herald-Examiner).
"One of life's loveliest love stories came to an abrupt finale with the recent death of Sidney Drew at his New York home, 876 Park avenue, leaving to mourn him his widow, Lucille McVey Drew, who preferred being known as Mrs. Sidney Drew.
"One of the world's best friends has gone out, for the Sidney Drew comedies were known and delighted in the country over by the people of the land who got their points and found joy in the Drews' deft handling of affairs domestic, in which handling Mr. Drew was pictorially chief.
"Played Here Many Weeks.
"Mr. Drew and Mrs. Drew tightened these bonds of friendship when they went on the stage with 'Keep Her Smiling' and played many weeks daily before enthusiastic Chicagoans at the Woods theatre and at other theatres in other
cities.
"And for all that Sidney Drew was winning laughter from the responsive crowds daily from the stage and putting smiles into the celluloid at the Essanay studio for future crowds while they were here he was a stricken man.
"A year ago. May 19, 1918, word came that his son, S. Rankin Drew, member of the Lafayette escadrille, was missing behind the German lines. The news deepened later into the death report From that time Mr. Drew, 55 years of age, was changed, though to the public he kept his ways of comedy remarkablv intact.
"Ill While Acting In Chicago.
While playing in Chicago Mr. Drew was fearfully nervous and had a severe cold and irritating eczema on his hands. At night Mrs. Drew, her sister and her secretary took turns sitting up playing cards with him until 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Yet under this stress his charming manner never failed, and his unposed devotion to Mrs. Drew impressed all who came in contact with them, even in the most casual fashion.
"While they presented ideal little comedies of domestic complications they lived ideal facts of perfect comradeship. They worked and played together, with Mrs. Drew superintending the scenarios, direction and mechanics of their pictures and seeing to it that Mr. Drew had full show in his role. And yet she styled herself as 'only the hard working farm hand in this firm. I'm younger and stronger and can see to these outside things, but Sidney Drew is the thing that makes the comedies go.'
"And he returned her devotion by continual consideration of her, in public and private. This is a fact. While playing here in Chicago Mr. Drew attended, as guest of honor, a banquet given him by the Forty club, and it was the first time he was ever away from his wife in their five year married life.
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| Washington Star, 09-April-1919 |
