Bessie Love
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 9, 1898
- Died
- April 26, 1986 (aged 87)
- Birthplace
- Midland, Texas, USA
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
Photos
Filmography
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Gareth Hughes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Alice Guy-Blaché
Movie · as Self
The Hunger
Movie · as Lillybelle
Reds
Movie · as Mrs. Partlow
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Movie · as Flora
Ragtime
Movie · as Old Lady - T.O.C.
Hollywood
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Edward & Mrs. Simpson
Movie · as Lady Cunard
Edward and Mrs Simpson
TV · as Lady Cunard · 1 ep
Gulliver's Travels
Movie · as (voice)
The Ritz
Movie · as Maurine
Mousey
Movie · as Mrs. Richardson
Vampyres
Movie · as American Lady
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Movie · as Answering Service Lady
Catlow
Movie · as Mrs. Frost
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Movie · as Baccarat Player (uncredited)
Isadora
Movie · as Mrs. Duncan
Battle Beneath the Earth
Movie · as Matron
I'll Never Forget What's'isname
Movie · as American tourist (uncredited)
Promise Her Anything
Movie · as Pet Shop Customer
The Pistol
Movie · as Martha Burroughs
The Wild Affair
Movie · as Marjorie's Mother
I Think They Call Him John
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Children of the Damned
Movie · as Mrs. Robbin
Story Parade
TV · as Mrs. Arquette · 1 ep
The Sentimental Agent
TV · as Mamie · 1 ep
Man of the World
TV · as Mrs Van Kempson · 1 ep
The Andromeda Breakthrough
TV · as Mrs. Neilson · 1 ep
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
Movie · as Bunny
Too Young to Love
Movie · as Mrs. Busch
International Detective
TV · as Marta Steibel, Mrs. Morgan · 1 ep
Nowhere to Go
Movie · as Harriet P. Jefferson
Next to No Time
Movie · as Becky Wiener
The Story of Esther Costello
Movie · as Art Gallery Customer
Los ojos del siglo (Volumen I)
Movie · as Ella misma (material de archivo)
Touch and Go
Movie · as Mrs Baxter
ITV Play of the Week
TV · as Mrs Strong · 1 ep
The Weak and the Wicked
Movie · as Prisoner
The Barefoot Contessa
Movie · as Mrs. Eubanks
The Magic Box
Movie · as Bride's Mother in Wedding Group
No Highway in the Sky
Movie · as Plane Passenger (uncredited)
Journey Together
Movie · as Mrs. Mary McWilliams
London Scrapbook
Movie · as Herself
Atlantic Ferry
Movie · as Begonia Baggot
Morals for Women
Movie · as Helen Hutson
Round About Hollywood
Movie · as Self
Conspiracy
Movie · as Margaret Holt
Chasing Rainbows
Movie · as Carlie Seymour
Good News
Movie · as Babe
They Learned About Women
Movie · as Mary
See America Thirst
Movie · as Ellen
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
Movie · as Self
The Broadway Melody
Movie · as Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney
The Idle Rich
Movie · as Helen Thayer
The Girl in the Show
Movie · as Hattie Hartley
The Matinee Idol
Movie · as Ginger Bolivar
The Swell Head
Movie
Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
Movie · as Mitzi Lavelle
Sally of the Scandals
Movie · as Sally Rand
Rubber Tires
Movie · as Mary Ellen Stack
Dress Parade
Movie · as Janet Cleghorne
The American
Movie · as Jane Wilton
A Harp in Hock
Movie · as Nora Banks
The Song and Dance Man
Movie · as Leola Lane
Young April
Movie · as Victoria
Going Crooked
Movie · as Marie
Lovey Mary
Movie · as Lovey Mary
The Lost World
Movie · as Paula White
The King On Main Street
Movie · as Mary Young
Soul-Fire
Movie · as Teita
New Brooms
Movie
A Son of His Father
Movie · as Nora Shea
Those Who Dance
Movie · as Veda Anargas
Dynamite Smith
Movie · as Violet
The Silent Watcher
Movie · as Mary, his wife
Torment
Movie · as Marie
The Woman on the Jury
Movie · as Grace Pierce
Sundown
Movie · as Ellen Crawley
Tongues of Flame
Movie · as Lahleet
The Eternal Three
Movie · as Hilda Gray
Souls for Sale
Movie · as Self - Celebrity Actress (uncredited)
Human Wreckage
Movie · as Mary Finnegan
Three Who Paid
Movie · as John Caspar / Virginia Cartwright
The Purple Dawn
Movie · as Mui Far
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous
Movie · as Bernice
Mary of the Movies
Movie · as Herself (uncredited)
St. Elmo
Movie · as Edna Earle
The Ghost Patrol
Movie · as Effie Kugler
Slave of Desire
Movie · as Pauline Gaudin
Gentle Julia
Movie · as Julia
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Movie · as Self
The Village Blacksmith
Movie · as Rosemary Martin
Deserted at the Altar
Movie · as Anna Moore (The Country Girl)
The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922
Movie · as Self
The Vermilion Pencil
Movie · as Hyacinth
Night Life in Hollywood
Movie · as Self
Bulldog Courage
Movie · as Gloria Phillips
Forget Me Not
Movie · as Ann, The Girl
The Sea Lion
Movie · as Blossom Nelson
Penny of Top Hill Trail
Movie · as Penny
The Swamp
Movie · as Mary
The Spirit of the Lake
Movie
The Honor of Rameriz
Movie · as The Geologist's Wife
Pegeen
Movie · as Pegeen O'Neill
Bonnie May
Movie · as Bonnie May
The Midlanders
Movie · as Aurelie Lindstrom
Carolyn of the Corners
Movie
The Wishing Ring Man
Movie · as Joy Havenith
The Enchanted Barn
Movie · as Shirley Hollister
A Yankee Princess
Movie · as Patsy O'Reilly
The Little Boss
Movie · as Peggy Winston (The Little Boss)
Cupid Forecloses
Movie · as Geraldine Farleigh
Over the Garden Wall
Movie · as Peggy Gordon
A Fighting Colleen
Movie · as Alannah Malone
The Great Adventure
Movie · as Rags
How Could You, Caroline?
Movie · as Caroline Rogers
The Dawn of Understanding
Movie · as Sue Prescott
A Little Sister of Everybody
Movie · as Celeste Janvier
Cheerful Givers
Movie · as Judy
A Daughter of the Poor
Movie · as Rose Eastman
Polly Ann
Movie · as Polly Ann
The Sawdust Ring
Movie · as Janet Magie
Wee Lady Betty
Movie · as Wee Lady Betty
Nina, the Flower Girl
Movie · as Nina
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Movie · as The Bride of Cana (Judean Story)
The Good Bad-Man
Movie · as Amy
The Flying Torpedo
Movie · as Hulda
The Mystery of the Leaping Fish
Movie · as The Little Fish Blower
Reggie Mixes In
Movie · as Agnes
The Aryan
Movie · as Mary Jane Garth
A Sister of Six
Movie · as Prudence
Hell-to-Pay Austin
Movie · as Briar Rose Dawson
Acquitted
Movie · as Helen Carter
Stranded
Movie · as The Girl
The Heiress at Coffee Dan's
Movie · as Waffles