Bessie Love

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

135

Gender

Female

Birthday

1898-09-09

Day of death

1986-04-26 (87 years old)

Place of Birth

Midland, Texas, USA

Bessie Love

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.

Known For

  • Catlow

    Catlow

  • The Matinee Idol

    The Matinee Idol

  • Vampyres

    Vampyres

  • On Her Majesty's Secret Service

    On Her Majesty's Secret Service

  • Ragtime

    Ragtime

  • ITV Play of the Week

    ITV Play of the Week

  • Mousey

    Mousey

  • Cupid Forecloses

    Cupid Forecloses

  • Promise Her Anything

    Promise Her Anything

  • The Barefoot Contessa

    The Barefoot Contessa

  • Lovey Mary

    Lovey Mary

  • Sunday Bloody Sunday

    Sunday Bloody Sunday

  • Sundown

    Sundown

  • Stranded

    Stranded

  • Round About Hollywood

    Round About Hollywood

  • See America Thirst

    See America Thirst

  • The Midlanders

    The Midlanders

  • Anybody Here Seen Kelly?

    Anybody Here Seen Kelly?

  • Gentle Julia

    Gentle Julia

  • Souls for Sale

    Souls for Sale

  • Polly Ann

    Polly Ann

  • Hollywood

    Hollywood

  • The Purple Dawn

    The Purple Dawn

  • St. Elmo

    St. Elmo

  • Edward & Mrs. Simpson

    Edward & Mrs. Simpson

  • Dress Parade

    Dress Parade

  • Slave of Desire

    Slave of Desire

  • Morals for Women

    Morals for Women

  • International Detective

    International Detective

  • International Detective

    International Detective

  • Man of the World

    Man of the World

  • Reds

    Reds

  • Soul-Fire

    Soul-Fire

  • New Brooms

    New Brooms

  • The Hunger

    The Hunger

  • Alice Guy-Blaché

    Alice Guy-Blaché

  • Story Parade

    Story Parade

  • The Sentimental Agent

    The Sentimental Agent

  • Over the Garden Wall

    Over the Garden Wall

  • Lady Chatterley's Lover

    Lady Chatterley's Lover

  • Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

    Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages

  • Edward and Mrs Simpson

    Edward and Mrs Simpson

  • Torment

    Torment

  • Gareth Hughes

    Gareth Hughes

  • The Idle Rich

    The Idle Rich

  • The Swell Head

    The Swell Head

  • The Broadway Melody

    The Broadway Melody

  • The Magic Box

    The Magic Box

  • Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché

    Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché

  • Children of the Damned

    Children of the Damned

  • The Lost World

    The Lost World

  • A Daughter of the Poor

    A Daughter of the Poor

  • The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

    The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

  • Isadora

    Isadora

  • Night Life in Hollywood

    Night Life in Hollywood

  • The Spirit of the Lake

    The Spirit of the Lake

  • The Mystery of the Leaping Fish

    The Mystery of the Leaping Fish

  • No Highway in the Sky

    No Highway in the Sky

  • Atlantic Ferry

    Atlantic Ferry

  • Sally of the Scandals

    Sally of the Scandals

  • The Flying Torpedo

    The Flying Torpedo

  • Nowhere to Go

    Nowhere to Go

  • I'll Never Forget What's'isname

    I'll Never Forget What's'isname

  • I Think They Call Him John

    I Think They Call Him John

  • The Ghost Patrol

    The Ghost Patrol

  • Reggie Mixes In

    Reggie Mixes In

  • The Weak and the Wicked

    The Weak and the Wicked

  • Those Who Dance

    Those Who Dance

  • The Hollywood Revue of 1929

    The Hollywood Revue of 1929

  • The Aryan

    The Aryan

  • Gulliver's Travels

    Gulliver's Travels

  • The Pistol

    The Pistol

  • Touch and Go

    Touch and Go

  • The King On Main Street

    The King On Main Street

  • The Ritz

    The Ritz

  • A Fighting Colleen

    A Fighting Colleen

  • Conspiracy

    Conspiracy

  • They Learned About Women

    They Learned About Women

  • The Story of Esther Costello

    The Story of Esther Costello

  • Mary of the Movies

    Mary of the Movies

  • Journey Together

    Journey Together

  • Battle Beneath the Earth

    Battle Beneath the Earth

  • A Little Sister of Everybody

    A Little Sister of Everybody

  • The Eternal Three

    The Eternal Three

  • A Yankee Princess

    A Yankee Princess

  • Good News

    Good News

  • Three Who Paid

    Three Who Paid

  • Pegeen

    Pegeen

  • A Son of His Father

    A Son of His Father

  • The Wild Affair

    The Wild Affair

  • The Good Bad-Man

    The Good Bad-Man

  • The Swamp

    The Swamp

  • Next to No Time

    Next to No Time

  • Hell-to-Pay Austin

    Hell-to-Pay Austin

  • Going Crooked

    Going Crooked

  • The Sea Lion

    The Sea Lion

  • Nina, the Flower Girl

    Nina, the Flower Girl

  • Human Wreckage

    Human Wreckage

  • The American

    The American

  • Young April

    Young April

  • Cheerful Givers

    Cheerful Givers

  • The Vermilion Pencil

    The Vermilion Pencil

  • The Woman on the Jury

    The Woman on the Jury

  • A Harp in Hock

    A Harp in Hock

  • Bonnie May

    Bonnie May

  • Rubber Tires

    Rubber Tires

  • The Heiress at Coffee Dan's

    The Heiress at Coffee Dan's

  • The Dawn of Understanding

    The Dawn of Understanding

  • Tongues of Flame

    Tongues of Flame

  • Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12

    Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12

  • The Girl in the Show

    The Girl in the Show

  • Chasing Rainbows

    Chasing Rainbows

  • The Village Blacksmith

    The Village Blacksmith

  • The Song and Dance Man

    The Song and Dance Man

  • Too Young to Love

    Too Young to Love

  • The Silent Watcher

    The Silent Watcher

  • A Sister of Six

    A Sister of Six

  • Wee Lady Betty

    Wee Lady Betty

  • Forget Me Not

    Forget Me Not

  • Deserted at the Altar

    Deserted at the Altar

  • The Great Adventure

    The Great Adventure

  • Acquitted

    Acquitted

  • How Could You, Caroline?

    How Could You, Caroline?

  • Bulldog Courage

    Bulldog Courage

  • The Wishing Ring Man

    The Wishing Ring Man

  • London Scrapbook

    London Scrapbook

  • The Little Boss

    The Little Boss

  • The Sawdust Ring

    The Sawdust Ring

  • The Honor of Rameriz

    The Honor of Rameriz

  • Dynamite Smith

    Dynamite Smith

  • The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922

    The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922

  • The Enchanted Barn

    The Enchanted Barn

  • Carolyn of the Corners

    Carolyn of the Corners

  • Penny of Top Hill Trail

    Penny of Top Hill Trail

  • The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous

    The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous