Background
He was the eldest son of John Drew, who had given up a blossoming career in whaling for acting, and Louisa Lane Drew, and the brother of Louisa Drew, Georgiana Drew and Sidney Drew.
He was the eldest son of John Drew, who had given up a blossoming career in whaling for acting, and Louisa Lane Drew, and the brother of Louisa Drew, Georgiana Drew and Sidney Drew.
John Drew, Junior. was educated at a fine academy in Philadelphia, but the life of the theater would become his primary focus at a young age.
He was considered to be the leading matinee idol of his day, but unlike most matinee idols Drew"s acting ability was largely undisputed. His first role as a boy was "Plumper" in Cool as a Cucumber at the family"s Architecture Street Theater. Drew had a long association with Charles Frohman and leading lady Maude Adams.
In these years under Frohman, John Drew"s stardom was established.
His first play with Frohman was The Masked Ball, a comedy adapted from a French play. This show was primarily a vehicle to establish Drew"s stardom under Frohman, and it succeeded in that.
Drew was associated originally with the company of Augustin Daly in the 1880s, a man known for managing and training with grim efficiency. Under Daly"s management, John Drew developed his reputation for versatility, appearing in many varieties of plays, but especially in contemporary works that are rarely performed or remembered today.
His frequent leading lady with Daly was Ada Rehan.
His memoirs, titled My Years on the Stage, were published in 1922. Highly esteemed by his fellow actors, John Drew was elected lifetime president of New York City"s Players" Club. The transcript "Junior.", distinguishing him from his long deceased actor father, is usually dropped.
After cremation his remains were taken to Philadelphia and interred at Mount Vernon Cemetery.
Louise married Broadway actor Jack Devereaux and they had a son John Drew Devereaux.
Married Josephine Baker, 1880 (died 1918).