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 DW 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 Hollywoods most promising young actresses Love made a successful transition to sound filmssomething 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 longestworking performers of her generation She died on April 26 1986 in London at age 87