Sidney Rankin Drew

Sidney Rankin Drew (September 19, 1891 – May 19, 1918) was an American actor and film director. He was a member of the multi-generational Drew acting family.

He appeared in 36 films between 1913 and 1917, and directed 14 films between 1915 and 1917.

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.

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 The Quality of Mercy (1915)*short A Madcap Adventure (1915)*short Janet of the Chorus (1915)*short Elsa's Brother (1915)*short The Lesson of the Narrow Street (1915)*short The Reward (1915)*short The Third Party (1915)*short Who Killed Joe Merrion? (1915)*feature Thou Art the Man (1915)*feature The Hunted Woman (1916)*feature The Suspect (1916, director and actor)*feature The Musical Barber (1916)*short A Vampire Out of Work (1916) The Girl Philippa (1917, director and actor)*feature Who's Your Neighbor? (1917, director)*feature The Belle of the Season (released 1919 although shot in 1917, director, scenario, and actor)*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