--- name: "Bessie Love" canonical: "https://film.one/person/bessie-love" roles: ["Actor"] born: "9 September 1898" died: "26 April 1986" reviewed_on_fi1m: 3 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-19T21:25:37.768606+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Bessie Love Actor. Born 9 September 1898 in Midland, Texas, USA. Died 26 April 1986. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 9 September 1898, Midland, Texas, USA - **Died:** 26 April 1986 - **Also known as:** Juanita Horton - **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 1 acting, 2 other - **Frequently works with:** [Harry Rapf](https://film.one/person/harry-rapf.md), [Irving Thalberg](https://film.one/person/irving-thalberg.md) - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1920s 61 (2), 1960s 83 (1) - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Love, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q240238, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0522281/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/29258 ## Streaming the US now - **Tubi:** [*The Hollywood Revue of 1929*](https://film.one/film/the-hollywood-revue-of-1929.md) (62) - **The Roku Channel:** [*The Broadway Melody*](https://film.one/film/the-broadway-melody.md) (60) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Bessie Love > Bessie Love talked fast and kept busy, then let the busyness stop so the face underneath could show. The talkies found out what she could do in 1929 and lost interest within two years. That one performance is reason enough to know her. In *The Broadway Melody* (1929) Bessie Love plays Hank Mahoney, the plain sister in a vaudeville act who does the sums and loves a man who is looking past her at the pretty one. She talks fast, cracks wise and keeps busy, and she is the only person in the film who seems to know the camera can see a thought. Every so often the chatter stops and the face underneath shows. The film around her is a museum piece whose camera cannot move and whose numbers lie flat, and she makes the stiffness look almost deliberate. Nearly everything we liked about it is her. She had been in pictures for thirteen years by then. D.W. Griffith found her while she was still at school and used her in five films, beginning in 1915 and 1916 at Fine Arts and Triangle; she is the Bride of Cana in the Judean story of *Intolerance* (1916). Through the 1920s she played innocent girls and wholesome leading ladies, at Vitagraph and then on her own, and turned up as Paula White in *The Lost World* (1925). When sound arrived she went to MGM and sang and danced through the musicals of 1928 to 1930, and *The Broadway Melody* was the peak, the film that got her called the screen's first musical comedy star. What she did that the others could not was let a thought arrive. Silent acting had taught her to work in the face, and the microphone did not frighten her out of it; she kept the patter going and let the eyes do the rest. There is a scene in the second half of *The Broadway Melody*, alone in a room, which we will not describe, except that she plays it without music and almost without words, and it moved us more than we thought anything in a 1929 talkie could. The studio around her is still finding out what a microphone is for. She already knows. Then the work stopped. After 1930 the parts thinned out, and in 1935 she moved to Britain, where she spent the next five decades in theatre, radio and small film roles, often as the American in a British production. Of that turn she said, "I guess I'm through. They don't seem to want me any more." She was not through, exactly. She is the answering service lady in *Sunday Bloody Sunday* (1971), Mrs Partlow in *Reds* (1981) and Lillybelle in *The Hunger* (1983), her last film. We have not reviewed those, and the parts are small. So the case for Bessie Love rests on one performance in one stiff film, which is a strange position for someone who worked for nearly seventy years. Watch *The Broadway Melody* for her and not for the songs. When she stops talking, look at her face. ## Biography Bessie Love (born Juanita Horton) was an American-British actress whose career spanned silent films to sound cinema, theatre, radio and television from 1915 to 1983. Born in Midland, Texas, she moved with her family to Los Angeles and began working in films after being sent to Biograph Studios. Director D.W. Griffith cast her in several early productions, including *Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages* (1916). She gained popularity in the silent era and successfully transitioned to sound films. Her performance as Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney in *The Broadway Melody* (1929) earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also appeared in *The Hollywood Revue of 1929* (1929). In 1929 she married director William Hawks; the couple divorced in 1936 and had one daughter. Love was named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1922 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She moved to the United Kingdom in 1935 and later became a British subject. Her later screen credits include uncredited or supporting roles in films such as *The Barefoot Contessa* (1954), *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969), *Sunday Bloody Sunday* (1971), *Reds* (1981) and *The Hunger* (1983). She died in London on 26 April 1986. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, encyclopedia.com.* ## On Fi1m (3) ### Performed in (1) — the average rests on these - *The Broadway Melody* (1929), Fi1m 60, as Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney — [page](https://film.one/film/the-broadway-melody.md) ### Also credited (2) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969), Fi1m 83, as Baccarat Player (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/on-her-majestys-secret-service.md) - *The Hollywood Revue of 1929* (1929), Fi1m 62, as Self — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hollywood-revue-of-1929.md) ## Complete filmography (123) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Hunger* (1983), as Lillybelle - *Reds* (1981), as Mrs. Partlow - *Ragtime* (1981), as Old Lady - T.O.C. - *Lady Chatterley's Lover* (1981), as Flora - *Edward and Mrs Simpson* (1978), series, as Lady Cunard - *Edward & Mrs. Simpson* (1978), as Lady Cunard - *Gulliver's Travels* (1977), as (voice) - *The Ritz* (1976), as Maurine - *Vampyres* (1974), as American Lady - *Mousey* (1974), as Mrs. Richardson - *Catlow* (1971), as Mrs. Frost - *Sunday Bloody Sunday* (1971), as Answering Service Lady - *On Her Majesty's Secret Service* (1969), as Baccarat Player (uncredited) — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/on-her-majestys-secret-service.md) - *Isadora* (1968), as Mrs. Duncan - *I'll Never Forget What's'isname* (1967), as American tourist (uncredited) - *Battle Beneath the Earth* (1967), as Matron - *Promise Her Anything* (1966), as Pet Shop Customer - *The Wild Affair* (1965), as Marjorie's Mother - *The Pistol* (1965), as Martha Burroughs - *I Think They Call Him John* (1964), as Narrator (voice) - *Story Parade* (1964), series, as Mrs. Arquette - *Children of the Damned* (1964), as Mrs. Robbin - *The Sentimental Agent* (1963), series, as Mamie - *Man of the World* (1962), series, as Mrs Van Kempson - *The Andromeda Breakthrough* (1962), series, as Mrs. Neilson - *The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone* (1961), as Bunny - *Too Young to Love* (1960), as Mrs. Busch - *International Detective* (1959), series, as Marta Steibel, Mrs. Morgan - *Nowhere to Go* (1958), as Harriet P. Jefferson - *Next to No Time* (1958), as Becky Wiener - *The Story of Esther Costello* (1957), as Art Gallery Customer - *Touch and Go* (1955), as Mrs Baxter - *ITV Play of the Week* (1955), series, as Mrs Strong - *The Barefoot Contessa* (1954), as Mrs. Eubanks - *The Weak and the Wicked* (1954), as Prisoner - *The Magic Box* (1952), as Bride's Mother in Wedding Group - *No Highway in the Sky* (1951), as Plane Passenger (uncredited) - *Journey Together* (1945), as Mrs. Mary McWilliams - *Atlantic Ferry* (1941), as Begonia Baggot - *Morals for Women* (1931), as Helen Hutson - *See America Thirst* (1930), as Ellen - *Good News* (1930), as Babe - *Conspiracy* (1930), as Margaret Holt - *They Learned About Women* (1930), as Mary - *Chasing Rainbows* (1930), as Carlie Seymour - *The Girl in the Show* (1929), as Hattie Hartley - *The Idle Rich* (1929), as Helen Thayer - *The Broadway Melody* (1929), as Harriet 'Hank' Mahoney — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-broadway-melody.md) - *Anybody Here Seen Kelly?* (1928), as Mitzi Lavelle - *Sally of the Scandals* (1928), as Sally Rand - *The Swell Head* (1928), Actor - *The Matinee Idol* (1928), as Ginger Bolivar - *Dress Parade* (1927), as Janet Cleghorne - *A Harp in Hock* (1927), as Nora Banks - *Rubber Tires* (1927), as Mary Ellen Stack - *The American* (1927), as Jane Wilton - *Going Crooked* (1926), as Marie - *Young April* (1926), as Victoria - *Lovey Mary* (1926), as Lovey Mary - *The Song and Dance Man* (1926), as Leola Lane - *The King On Main Street* (1925), as Mary Young - *New Brooms* (1925), Actor - *A Son of His Father* (1925), as Nora Shea - *Soul-Fire* (1925), as Teita - *The Lost World* (1925), as Paula White - *Tongues of Flame* (1924), as Lahleet - *Sundown* (1924), as Ellen Crawley - *Dynamite Smith* (1924), as Violet - *The Silent Watcher* (1924), as Mary, his wife - *Those Who Dance* (1924), as Veda Anargas - *The Woman on the Jury* (1924), as Grace Pierce - *Torment* (1924), as Marie - *Gentle Julia* (1923), as Julia - *Slave of Desire* (1923), as Pauline Gaudin - *St. Elmo* (1923), as Edna Earle - *The Eternal Three* (1923), as Hilda Gray - *Human Wreckage* (1923), as Mary Finnegan - *The Purple Dawn* (1923), as Mui Far - *The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous* (1923), as Bernice - *The Ghost Patrol* (1923), as Effie Kugler - *Three Who Paid* (1923), as John Caspar / Virginia Cartwright - *Deserted at the Altar* (1922), as Anna Moore (The Country Girl) - *The Village Blacksmith* (1922), as Rosemary Martin - *Bulldog Courage* (1922), as Gloria Phillips - *Forget Me Not* (1922), as Ann, The Girl - *The Vermilion Pencil* (1922), as Hyacinth - *The Sea Lion* (1921), as Blossom Nelson - *The Spirit of the Lake* (1921), Actor - *The Swamp* (1921), as Mary - *The Honor of Rameriz* (1921), as The Geologist's Wife - *Penny of Top Hill Trail* (1921), as Penny - *The Midlanders* (1920), as Aurelie Lindstrom - *Bonnie May* (1920), as Bonnie May - *Pegeen* (1920), as Pegeen O'Neill - *A Fighting Colleen* (1919), as Alannah Malone - *Over the Garden Wall* (1919), as Peggy Gordon - *Cupid Forecloses* (1919), as Geraldine Farleigh - *The Little Boss* (1919), as Peggy Winston (The Little Boss) - *A Yankee Princess* (1919), as Patsy O'Reilly · Screenplay - *The Wishing Ring Man* (1919), as Joy Havenith - *Carolyn of the Corners* (1919), Actor - *The Enchanted Barn* (1919), as Shirley Hollister - *The Dawn of Understanding* (1918), as Sue Prescott - *A Little Sister of Everybody* (1918), as Celeste Janvier - *How Could You, Caroline?* (1918), as Caroline Rogers - *The Great Adventure* (1918), as Rags - *Polly Ann* (1917), as Polly Ann - *Wee Lady Betty* (1917), as Wee Lady Betty - *The Sawdust Ring* (1917), as Janet Magie - *Cheerful Givers* (1917), as Judy - *A Daughter of the Poor* (1917), as Rose Eastman - *Nina, the Flower Girl* (1917), as Nina - *The Heiress at Coffee Dan's* (1916), as Waffles - *A Sister of Six* (1916), as Prudence - *Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages* (1916), as The Bride of Cana (Judean Story) - *Hell-to-Pay Austin* (1916), as Briar Rose Dawson - *Stranded* (1916), as The Girl - *The Mystery of the Leaping Fish* (1916), as The Little Fish Blower - *Reggie Mixes In* (1916), as Agnes - *The Good Bad-Man* (1916), as Amy - *The Aryan* (1916), as Mary Jane Garth - *The Flying Torpedo* (1916), as Hulda - *Acquitted* (1916), as Helen Carter ## Gallery - ![Bessie Love](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-ef8afe2209ef.jpg) Bessie Love — Roman Freulich, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Bessie_Love_The_Blue_Book_of_the_Screen.jpg/1280px-Bessie_Love_The_Blue_Book_of_the_Screen.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bessie Love in The Girl in the Show (1929)](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-91c3c380196d.jpg) Bessie Love in The Girl in the Show (1929) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Bessie_Love_in_The_Girl_in_the_Show.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![portrait of Bessie Love in 1929 by Ruth Harriet Louise](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-ada3ff3c78f3.jpg) portrait of Bessie Love in 1929 by Ruth Harriet Louise — Ruth Harriet Louise, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Portrait_of_Bessie_Love_in_1929_by_Ruth_Harriet_Louise.jpg/1280px-Portrait_of_Bessie_Love_in_1929_by_Ruth_Harriet_Louise.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bessie Love by Ruth Harriet Louise](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-540e902a545b.jpg) Bessie Love by Ruth Harriet Louise — Ruth Harriet Louise, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Bessie_Love_RHL.jpg/1280px-Bessie_Love_RHL.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Bessie Love](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-ab611f629351.jpg) Bessie Love — Image via TMDB - ![Bessie Love](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-2c62b5ca31e1.jpg) Bessie Love — Image via TMDB - ![Publicity still for The Broadway Melody (1929)](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-479025d64920.jpg) Publicity still for The Broadway Melody (1929) — Employee(s) of MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Publicity_still_for_The_Broadway_Melody_%281929%29_02.jpg/1280px-Publicity_still_for_The_Broadway_Melody_%281929%29_02.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![1929 portrait of Bessie Love by Ruth Harriet Louise](https://film.one/media/person/1027147/gallery-bdf77c8cda2f.jpg) 1929 portrait of Bessie Love by Ruth Harriet Louise — Ruth Harriet Louise, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/1929_portrait_of_Bessie_Love_by_Ruth_Harriet_Louise.jpg/1280px-1929_portrait_of_Bessie_Love_by_Ruth_Harriet_Louise.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1929: Best Actress (nominated), for *The Broadway Melody* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/bessie-love