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Bessie Love

Acting 87 (deceased) years old Midland, Texas, USA ★ 0.7
Born: September 9, 1898
Died: April 26, 1986

Biography

Bessie Love (born Juanita Horton, September 10, 1898 - April 26, 1986) became one of the most recognizable faces of early American cinema. After her family moved to Los Angeles, she was sent to Biograph Studios, where legendary director D.W. Griffith noticed her talent and cast her in several films, including Intolerance (1916).

During the silent era, she gained popularity for her lively, wholesome screen presence and worked with major stars such as Douglas Fairbanks. Her career soared in the 1920s, and she was named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1922, marking her as one of Hollywood’s most promising young actresses.

Love made a successful transition to sound films—something many silent stars struggled with. Her performance as Hank Mahoney in The Broadway Melody (1929) earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, cementing her place in film history.

In the 1930s, she moved to the United Kingdom, where she continued acting in film, theatre, radio, and later television. Her career ultimately spanned from 1915 to 1983, making her one of the longest‑working performers of her generation.

She died on April 26, 1986, in London at age 87.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché Self (archive footage) 2018
Bonnie May
Bonnie May Bonnie May 1920
Conspiracy
Conspiracy Margaret Holt 1930
The Hunger
The Hunger Lillybelle 1983
The Weak and the Wicked
The Weak and the Wicked Prisoner 1954

Filmography

Acting Credits (135)

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché Self (archive footage) 2018
Gareth Hughes
Gareth Hughes Self (archive footage) 2000
Alice Guy-Blaché
Alice Guy-Blaché Self 1997
The Hunger
The Hunger Lillybelle 1983
Reds
Reds Mrs. Partlow 1981
Ragtime
Ragtime Old Lady - T.O.C. 1981
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Lady Chatterley's Lover Flora 1981
Hollywood
Hollywood Self 1980
Edward and Mrs Simpson
Edward and Mrs Simpson Lady Cunard 1978
Edward & Mrs. Simpson
Edward & Mrs. Simpson Lady Cunard 1978
Gulliver's Travels
Gulliver's Travels (voice) 1977
The Ritz
The Ritz Maurine 1976
Vampyres
Vampyres American Lady 1974
Mousey
Mousey Mrs. Richardson 1974
Catlow
Catlow Mrs. Frost 1971
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday Bloody Sunday Answering Service Lady 1971
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
On Her Majesty's Secret Service Baccarat Player (uncredited) 1969
Isadora
Isadora Mrs. Duncan 1968
I'll Never Forget What's'isname
I'll Never Forget What's'isname American tourist (uncredited) 1967
Battle Beneath the Earth
Battle Beneath the Earth Matron 1967
Promise Her Anything
Promise Her Anything Pet Shop Customer 1966
The Wild Affair
The Wild Affair Marjorie's Mother 1965
The Pistol
The Pistol Martha Burroughs 1965
I Think They Call Him John
I Think They Call Him John Narrator (voice) 1964
Story Parade
Story Parade Mrs. Arquette 1964
Children of the Damned
Children of the Damned Mrs. Robbin 1964
The Sentimental Agent
The Sentimental Agent Mamie 1963
Man of the World
Man of the World Mrs Van Kempson 1962
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone Bunny 1961
Too Young to Love
Too Young to Love Mrs. Busch 1960
International Detective
International Detective Marta Steibel 1959
International Detective
International Detective Mrs. Morgan 1959
Nowhere to Go
Nowhere to Go Harriet P. Jefferson 1958
Next to No Time
Next to No Time Becky Wiener 1958
The Story of Esther Costello
The Story of Esther Costello Art Gallery Customer 1957
Touch and Go
Touch and Go Mrs Baxter 1955
ITV Play of the Week
ITV Play of the Week Mrs Strong 1955
The Barefoot Contessa
The Barefoot Contessa Mrs. Eubanks 1954
The Weak and the Wicked
The Weak and the Wicked Prisoner 1954
The Magic Box
The Magic Box Bride's Mother in Wedding Group 1952
No Highway in the Sky
No Highway in the Sky Plane Passenger (uncredited) 1951
Journey Together
Journey Together Mrs. Mary McWilliams 1945
London Scrapbook
London Scrapbook Herself 1942
Atlantic Ferry
Atlantic Ferry Begonia Baggot 1941
Morals for Women
Morals for Women Helen Hutson 1931
Round About Hollywood
Round About Hollywood Self 1931
See America Thirst
See America Thirst Ellen 1930
Good News
Good News Babe 1930
Conspiracy
Conspiracy Margaret Holt 1930
They Learned About Women
They Learned About Women Mary 1930
Chasing Rainbows
Chasing Rainbows Carlie Seymour 1930
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 Self 1929
The Girl in the Show
The Girl in the Show Hattie Hartley 1929
The Idle Rich
The Idle Rich Helen Thayer 1929
The Broadway Melody
The Broadway Melody Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney 1929
Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
Anybody Here Seen Kelly? Mitzi Lavelle 1928
Sally of the Scandals
Sally of the Scandals Sally Rand 1928
The Swell Head
The Swell Head 1928
The Matinee Idol
The Matinee Idol Ginger Bolivar 1928
Dress Parade
Dress Parade Janet Cleghorne 1927
A Harp in Hock
A Harp in Hock Nora Banks 1927
Rubber Tires
Rubber Tires Mary Ellen Stack 1927
The American
The American Jane Wilton 1927
Going Crooked
Going Crooked Marie 1926
Young April
Young April Victoria 1926
Lovey Mary
Lovey Mary Lovey Mary 1926
The Song and Dance Man
The Song and Dance Man Leola Lane 1926
The King On Main Street
The King On Main Street Mary Young 1925
New Brooms
New Brooms 1925
A Son of His Father
A Son of His Father Nora Shea 1925
Soul-Fire
Soul-Fire Teita 1925
The Lost World
The Lost World Paula White 1925
Tongues of Flame
Tongues of Flame Lahleet 1924
Sundown
Sundown Ellen Crawley 1924
Dynamite Smith
Dynamite Smith Violet 1924
The Silent Watcher
The Silent Watcher Mary, his wife 1924
Those Who Dance
Those Who Dance Veda Anargas 1924
The Woman on the Jury
The Woman on the Jury Grace Pierce 1924
Torment
Torment Marie 1924
Gentle Julia
Gentle Julia Julia 1923
Slave of Desire
Slave of Desire Pauline Gaudin 1923
St. Elmo
St. Elmo Edna Earle 1923
The Eternal Three
The Eternal Three Hilda Gray 1923
Human Wreckage
Human Wreckage Mary Finnegan 1923
Mary of the Movies
Mary of the Movies Herself (uncredited) 1923
The Purple Dawn
The Purple Dawn Mui Far 1923
Souls for Sale
Souls for Sale Self - Celebrity Actress (uncredited) 1923
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous Bernice 1923
The Ghost Patrol
The Ghost Patrol Effie Kugler 1923
Three Who Paid
Three Who Paid John Caspar / Virginia Cartwright 1923
Deserted at the Altar
Deserted at the Altar Anna Moore (The Country Girl) 1922
Night Life in Hollywood
Night Life in Hollywood Self 1922
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12 Self 1922
The Village Blacksmith
The Village Blacksmith Rosemary Martin 1922
Bulldog Courage
Bulldog Courage Gloria Phillips 1922
Forget Me Not
Forget Me Not Ann, The Girl 1922
The Vermilion Pencil
The Vermilion Pencil Hyacinth 1922
The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922
The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922 Self 1922
The Sea Lion
The Sea Lion Blossom Nelson 1921
The Swamp
The Swamp Mary 1921
The Spirit of the Lake
The Spirit of the Lake 1921
The Honor of Rameriz
The Honor of Rameriz The Geologist's Wife 1921
Penny of Top Hill Trail
Penny of Top Hill Trail Penny 1921
The Midlanders
The Midlanders Aurelie Lindstrom 1920
Bonnie May
Bonnie May Bonnie May 1920
Pegeen
Pegeen Pegeen O'Neill 1920
A Fighting Colleen
A Fighting Colleen Alannah Malone 1919
Over the Garden Wall
Over the Garden Wall Peggy Gordon 1919
Cupid Forecloses
Cupid Forecloses Geraldine Farleigh 1919
The Little Boss
The Little Boss Peggy Winston (The Little Boss) 1919
A Yankee Princess
A Yankee Princess Patsy O'Reilly 1919
The Wishing Ring Man
The Wishing Ring Man Joy Havenith 1919
Carolyn of the Corners
Carolyn of the Corners 1919
The Enchanted Barn
The Enchanted Barn Shirley Hollister 1919
The Dawn of Understanding
The Dawn of Understanding Sue Prescott 1918
A Little Sister of Everybody
A Little Sister of Everybody Celeste Janvier 1918
How Could You, Caroline?
How Could You, Caroline? Caroline Rogers 1918
The Great Adventure
The Great Adventure Rags 1918
Polly Ann
Polly Ann Polly Ann 1917
Wee Lady Betty
Wee Lady Betty Wee Lady Betty 1917
The Sawdust Ring
The Sawdust Ring Janet Magie 1917
Cheerful Givers
Cheerful Givers Judy 1917
A Daughter of the Poor
A Daughter of the Poor Rose Eastman 1917
Nina, the Flower Girl
Nina, the Flower Girl Nina 1917
The Heiress at Coffee Dan's
The Heiress at Coffee Dan's Waffles 1916
A Sister of Six
A Sister of Six Prudence 1916
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages The Bride of Cana (Judean Story) 1916
Hell-to-Pay Austin
Hell-to-Pay Austin Briar Rose Dawson 1916
Stranded
Stranded The Girl 1916
The Mystery of the Leaping Fish
The Mystery of the Leaping Fish The Little Fish Blower 1916
Reggie Mixes In
Reggie Mixes In Agnes 1916
The Good Bad-Man
The Good Bad-Man Amy 1916
The Aryan
The Aryan Mary Jane Garth 1916
The Flying Torpedo
The Flying Torpedo Hulda 1916
Acquitted
Acquitted Helen Carter 1916

Writing Credits (1)

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