Born in New York City, Rankin was the younger daughter of actor McKee Rankin and an unnamed actress although he was married to actress Kitty Blanchard. Rankin began her career with several roles with her father"s company, her best remembered part being as an Italian white slave in The White Slaver. Prior to this she performed in a number of sketches with her father and Barrymore.
Barrymore studied music and painting while he was there.
Another sister Phyllis Rankin was married to Harry Davenport of the Davenport theatrical family. When Barrymore retired from theatrical work in 1906, Rankin did so as well. The couple lived for an extended period in Paris, France returning to the United States about 1910.
Doris bore Lionel two daughters, Ethel and Mary.
Both girls died in infancy though Mary lived a number of months. Most likely the girls" deaths played a part in the eventual end of Lionel and Doris"s marriage.
In 1925 Rankin played in the vaudeville production of Harry Wagstaff Gribble"s How Do You Know?. The Copperhead had been a great success for Lionel and Doris as a play on the Broadway stage.
She followed this role with performances in,,, and
She continued in motion pictures into the era of sound films. Her last credited role came in Society Smugglers (1939). Rankin was given a divorce from Barrymore in December 1922.
Barrymore married Irene Fenwick in Rome, Italy, the following June.
The couple lived in Santa Monica which allowed Doris to be near the film studios. In November 1931 Rankin was operated on for a thyroid ailment at the Park East Hospital in New York City.
The operation was of a non-malignant type. Doris Rankin died in Washington, District of Columbia in 1947.
There is no reference to Lionel Barrymore.
