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