Bessie Love
Acting • Born 1898-09-09 – Died 1986-04-26
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
135 credits
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
Movie • 1916
The Bride of Cana (Judean Story)
The Lost World
Movie • 1925
Paula White
The Hunger
Movie • 1983
Lillybelle
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
Movie • 1929
Self
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Movie • 1922
Self
The Village Blacksmith
Movie • 1922
Rosemary Martin
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
Movie • 1961
Bunny
The Ritz
Movie • 1976
Maurine
The Pistol
Movie • 1965
Martha Burroughs
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Movie • 1971
Answering Service Lady
The Broadway Melody
Movie • 1929
Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney
Reds
Movie • 1981
Mrs. Partlow
Nowhere to Go
Movie • 1958
Harriet P. Jefferson
The Magic Box
Movie • 1952
Bride's Mother in Wedding Group
The Matinee Idol
Movie • 1928
Ginger Bolivar
Catlow
Movie • 1971
Mrs. Frost
Mousey
Movie • 1974
Mrs. Richardson
The Swell Head
Movie • 1928
Gulliver's Travels
Movie • 1977
(voice)
Conspiracy
Movie • 1930
Margaret Holt
Chasing Rainbows
Movie • 1930
Carlie Seymour
Morals for Women
Movie • 1931
Helen Hutson
I Think They Call Him John
Movie • 1964
Narrator (voice)
Deserted at the Altar
Movie • 1922
Anna Moore (The Country Girl)
Good News
Movie • 1930
Babe
The Idle Rich
Movie • 1929
Helen Thayer
They Learned About Women
Movie • 1930
Mary
The Good Bad-Man
Movie • 1916
Amy
Rubber Tires
Movie • 1927
Mary Ellen Stack
See America Thirst
Movie • 1930
Ellen
Touch and Go
Movie • 1955
Mrs Baxter
Gareth Hughes
Movie • 2000
Self (archive footage)
The Eternal Three
Movie • 1923
Hilda Gray
Dress Parade
Movie • 1927
Janet Cleghorne
Alice Guy-Blaché
Movie • 1997
Self
Pegeen
Movie • 1920
Pegeen O'Neill
Souls for Sale
Movie • 1923
Self - Celebrity Actress (uncredited)
Bonnie May
Movie • 1920
Bonnie May
The Sea Lion
Movie • 1921
Blossom Nelson
The Song and Dance Man
Movie • 1926
Leola Lane
The Girl in the Show
Movie • 1929
Hattie Hartley
The Flying Torpedo
Movie • 1916
Hulda
Battle Beneath the Earth
Movie • 1967
Matron
The King On Main Street
Movie • 1925
Mary Young
Next to No Time
Movie • 1958
Becky Wiener
Too Young to Love
Movie • 1960
Mrs. Busch
The Mystery of the Leaping Fish
Movie • 1916
The Little Fish Blower
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Movie • 1981
Flora
Atlantic Ferry
Movie • 1941
Begonia Baggot
Ragtime
Movie • 1981
Old Lady - T.O.C.
Isadora
Movie • 1968
Mrs. Duncan
Soul-Fire
Movie • 1925
Teita
Reggie Mixes In
Movie • 1916
Agnes
Cheerful Givers
Movie • 1917
Judy
A Daughter of the Poor
Movie • 1917
Rose Eastman
No Highway in the Sky
Movie • 1951
Plane Passenger (uncredited)
The Weak and the Wicked
Movie • 1954
Prisoner
The Aryan
Movie • 1916
Mary Jane Garth
Young April
Movie • 1926
Victoria
The Barefoot Contessa
Movie • 1954
Mrs. Eubanks
Round About Hollywood
Movie • 1931
Self
Human Wreckage
Movie • 1923
Mary Finnegan
The American
Movie • 1927
Jane Wilton
The Wild Affair
Movie • 1965
Marjorie's Mother
Going Crooked
Movie • 1926
Marie
Vampyres
Movie • 1974
American Lady
The Story of Esther Costello
Movie • 1957
Art Gallery Customer
The Midlanders
Movie • 1920
Aurelie Lindstrom
Carolyn of the Corners
Movie • 1919
New Brooms
Movie • 1925
Penny of Top Hill Trail
Movie • 1921
Penny
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
The Swamp
Movie • 1921
Mary
The Great Adventure
Movie • 1918
Rags
London Scrapbook
Movie • 1942
Herself
Edward & Mrs. Simpson
Movie • 1978
Lady Cunard
Journey Together
Movie • 1945
Mrs. Mary McWilliams
A Sister of Six
Movie • 1916
Prudence
A Son of His Father
Movie • 1925
Nora Shea
The Wishing Ring Man
Movie • 1919
Joy Havenith
The Wampas Baby Stars of 1922
Movie • 1922
Self
Nina, the Flower Girl
Movie • 1917
Nina
Wee Lady Betty
Movie • 1917
Wee Lady Betty
Polly Ann
Movie • 1917
Polly Ann
The Sawdust Ring
Movie • 1917
Janet Magie
How Could You, Caroline?
Movie • 1918
Caroline Rogers
The Enchanted Barn
Movie • 1919
Shirley Hollister
A Little Sister of Everybody
Movie • 1918
Celeste Janvier
The Dawn of Understanding
Movie • 1918
Sue Prescott
The Honor of Rameriz
Movie • 1921
The Geologist's Wife
Bulldog Courage
Movie • 1922
Gloria Phillips
A Yankee Princess
Movie • 1919
Patsy O'Reilly
Cupid Forecloses
Movie • 1919
Geraldine Farleigh
Over the Garden Wall
Movie • 1919
Peggy Gordon
The Vermilion Pencil
Movie • 1922
Hyacinth
The Spirit of the Lake
Movie • 1921
Forget Me Not
Movie • 1922
Ann, The Girl
A Fighting Colleen
Movie • 1919
Alannah Malone
The Little Boss
Movie • 1919
Peggy Winston (The Little Boss)
Children of the Damned
Movie • 1964
Mrs. Robbin
Night Life in Hollywood
Movie • 1922
Self
Three Who Paid
Movie • 1923
John Caspar / Virginia Cartwright
St. Elmo
Movie • 1923
Edna Earle
The Purple Dawn
Movie • 1923
Mui Far
Mary of the Movies
Movie • 1923
Herself (uncredited)
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous
Movie • 1923
Bernice
Hell-to-Pay Austin
Movie • 1916
Briar Rose Dawson
Acquitted
Movie • 1916
Helen Carter
Stranded
Movie • 1916
The Girl
The Ghost Patrol
Movie • 1923
Effie Kugler
Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
Movie • 1928
Mitzi Lavelle
The Heiress at Coffee Dan's
Movie • 1916
Waffles
The Woman on the Jury
Movie • 1924
Grace Pierce
Sally of the Scandals
Movie • 1928
Sally Rand
Dynamite Smith
Movie • 1924
Violet
Torment
Movie • 1924
Marie
Slave of Desire
Movie • 1923
Pauline Gaudin
Gentle Julia
Movie • 1923
Julia
The Silent Watcher
Movie • 1924
Mary, his wife
Those Who Dance
Movie • 1924
Veda Anargas
Lovey Mary
Movie • 1926
Lovey Mary
Sundown
Movie • 1924
Ellen Crawley
Tongues of Flame
Movie • 1924
Lahleet
A Harp in Hock
Movie • 1927
Nora Banks
Promise Her Anything
Movie • 1966
Pet Shop Customer
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Movie • 1969
Baccarat Player (uncredited)
I'll Never Forget What's'isname
Movie • 1967
American tourist (uncredited)
Edward and Mrs Simpson
TV • 1978
Lady Cunard
International Detective
TV • 1959
Marta Steibel
International Detective
TV • 1959
Mrs. Morgan
Hollywood
TV • 1980
Self
ITV Play of the Week
TV • 1955
Mrs Strong
Story Parade
TV • 1964
Mrs. Arquette
Man of the World
TV • 1962
Mrs Van Kempson
The Sentimental Agent
TV • 1963
Mamie