Bessie Love

Born: 1898-09-09 in Midland, Texas, USA

Died: 1986-04-26

Known For: Acting

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.

Filmography

2018

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché as Self (archive footage)

2000

Gareth Hughes as Self (archive footage)

1997

Alice Guy-Blaché as Self

1983

The Hunger as Lillybelle

1981

Lady Chatterley's Lover as Flora
Reds as Mrs. Partlow
Ragtime as Old Lady - T.O.C.

1980

Hollywood as Self

1978

Edward and Mrs Simpson as Lady Cunard
Edward & Mrs. Simpson as Lady Cunard

1977

Gulliver's Travels as (voice)

1976

The Ritz as Maurine

1974

Vampyres as American Lady
Mousey as Mrs. Richardson

1971

Sunday Bloody Sunday as Answering Service Lady
Catlow as Mrs. Frost

1969

On Her Majesty's Secret Service as Baccarat Player (uncredited)

1968

Isadora as Mrs. Duncan

1967

Battle Beneath the Earth as Matron
I'll Never Forget What's'isname as American tourist (uncredited)

1966

Promise Her Anything as Pet Shop Customer

1965

The Pistol as Martha Burroughs
The Wild Affair as Marjorie's Mother

1964

Story Parade as Mrs. Arquette
Children of the Damned as Mrs. Robbin
I Think They Call Him John as Narrator (voice)

1963

The Sentimental Agent as Mamie

1962

Man of the World as Mrs Van Kempson

1958

Nowhere to Go as Harriet P. Jefferson
Next to No Time as Becky Wiener

1957

The Story of Esther Costello as Art Gallery Customer

1955

ITV Play of the Week as Mrs Strong
Touch and Go as Mrs Baxter

1954

The Barefoot Contessa as Mrs. Eubanks
The Weak and the Wicked as Prisoner

1952

The Magic Box as Bride's Mother in Wedding Group

1951

No Highway in the Sky as Plane Passenger (uncredited)

1945

Journey Together as Mrs. Mary McWilliams

1942

London Scrapbook as Herself

1941

Atlantic Ferry as Begonia Baggot

1931

Round About Hollywood as Self
Morals for Women as Helen Hutson

1930

Good News as Babe
Conspiracy as Margaret Holt
They Learned About Women as Mary
Chasing Rainbows as Carlie Seymour
See America Thirst as Ellen

1929

The Broadway Melody as Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 as Self
The Girl in the Show as Hattie Hartley
The Idle Rich as Helen Thayer

1928

The Matinee Idol as Ginger Bolivar
Anybody Here Seen Kelly? as Mitzi Lavelle
The Swell Head
Sally of the Scandals as Sally Rand

1927

Dress Parade as Janet Cleghorne
A Harp in Hock as Nora Banks
Rubber Tires as Mary Ellen Stack
The American as Jane Wilton

1926

Lovey Mary as Lovey Mary
Young April as Victoria
Going Crooked as Marie
The Song and Dance Man as Leola Lane

1925

The Lost World as Paula White
Soul-Fire as Teita
The King On Main Street as Mary Young
A Son of His Father as Nora Shea
New Brooms

1924

Those Who Dance as Veda Anargas
Torment as Marie
The Silent Watcher as Mary, his wife
The Woman on the Jury as Grace Pierce
Sundown as Ellen Crawley
Tongues of Flame as Lahleet
Dynamite Smith as Violet

1923

Souls for Sale as Self - Celebrity Actress (uncredited)
Gentle Julia as Julia
St. Elmo as Edna Earle
The Purple Dawn as Mui Far
Slave of Desire as Pauline Gaudin
Three Who Paid as John Caspar / Virginia Cartwright
Mary of the Movies as Herself (uncredited)
The Ghost Patrol as Effie Kugler
Human Wreckage as Mary Finnegan
The Eternal Three as Hilda Gray
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous as Bernice

1922

Bulldog Courage as Gloria Phillips
Deserted at the Altar as Anna Moore (The Country Girl)
Forget Me Not as Ann, The Girl
The Village Blacksmith as Rosemary Martin
Night Life in Hollywood as Self
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12 as Self
The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922 as Self
The Vermilion Pencil as Hyacinth

1921

The Sea Lion as Blossom Nelson
The Spirit of the Lake
The Honor of Rameriz as The Geologist's Wife
The Swamp as Mary
Penny of Top Hill Trail as Penny

1920

Pegeen as Pegeen O'Neill
Bonnie May as Bonnie May
The Midlanders as Aurelie Lindstrom

1919

Cupid Forecloses as Geraldine Farleigh
A Fighting Colleen as Alannah Malone
The Enchanted Barn as Shirley Hollister
Carolyn of the Corners
The Wishing Ring Man as Joy Havenith
Over the Garden Wall as Peggy Gordon
A Yankee Princess as Patsy O'Reilly
The Little Boss as Peggy Winston (The Little Boss)

1918

A Little Sister of Everybody as Celeste Janvier
The Dawn of Understanding as Sue Prescott
How Could You, Caroline? as Caroline Rogers
The Great Adventure as Rags

1917

A Daughter of the Poor as Rose Eastman
Polly Ann as Polly Ann
Nina, the Flower Girl as Nina
Wee Lady Betty as Wee Lady Betty
The Sawdust Ring as Janet Magie
Cheerful Givers as Judy

1916

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages as The Bride of Cana (Judean Story)
Stranded as The Girl
The Good Bad-Man as Amy
The Heiress at Coffee Dan's as Waffles
The Aryan as Mary Jane Garth
The Mystery of the Leaping Fish as The Little Fish Blower
A Sister of Six as Prudence
The Flying Torpedo as Hulda
Hell-to-Pay Austin as Briar Rose Dawson
Acquitted as Helen Carter
Reggie Mixes In as Agnes