Hollywood star Drew Barrymore’s new hit talk show might have happened thanks to someone from Shreveport. In fact, Drew might not have even been born — and a Shreveport native would’ve been to blame.

Drew Barrymore is Hollywood royalty… from “ET” to her new talkshow, she comes from the famous Barrymore family, but, a former Shreveport Mayor’s brother almost made that not possible.

In 1879 “Big Jim” Currie, who was the brother of former Shreveport Mayor Andrew Currie, was drunk and shot and killed Hollywood star Ben Porter and shot and wounded Maurice Barrymore. Maurice Barrymore was an English turned American actor who would later become one of the nations most beloved actors of his time and start the Barrymore family. His son Lionel Barrymore starred in “It’s A Wonderful Life” and his daughter Ethel and 3rd son John also had movie careers. John Barrymore was the grandfather of Drew Barrymore.

Maurice never stepped foot in Texas again after the shooting, and Big Jim’s trial was held in Marshall, Texas near Shreveport, where he was found not guilty by reason of insanity he dies in 1899 and is buried in Greenwood Memorial Terrace cemetery. Andrew Currie was Mayor of Shreveport from 1878 to 1890, and also once was the owner the “The Shreveport Times”, and died in 1918.

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