Actor

Bessie Love

Acting

Career Snapshot

Explained

These indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.

Acting credits

121

Prolific

Very extensive acting filmography.

TMDB popularity

0.5

Low visibility

TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.

Movies: 116Series: 5

TMDB ID: 29258

IMDb ID: nm0522281

Known for: Acting

Born: September 9, 1898

Died: April 26, 1986

Age: 87

Place of birth: Midland, Texas, USA

Gender: Female

Adult content flag: No

Career span: 1916 - 2018

Years active: 103

Average TMDB rating: 6.23

Wikidata: Q240238

Also known as

Juanita Horton

TMDB TMDB IMDb IMDb W Wikidata

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.