Juanita (Horton) Hawks (1898 - 1986)

Born 10 Sep 1898 in Midland, Midland, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William Hawks — married 27 Dec 1929 (to about 1936) in Saint James Episcopal Church, South Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, United States

Died 26 Apr 1986 at age 87 in London, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

American-British actress known by the name Bessie Love. Screenwriter Frank Woods gave her that name. Her career spanned eight decades! She started working in movies in 1915, while still in high school. Her final film was in 1983. She has 131 films and TV credits. Her father's name was John Cross Horton, and her mother's name was Emma Jane (Savage) Horton.

The Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) honored young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. It was called the "Baby Stars" award. In 1922, Bessie was one of those chosen, along with: Marion Aye, Helen Ferguson, Lila Lee, Jacqueline Logan, Louise Lorraine, Kathryn McGuire, Patsy Ruth Miller, Colleen Moore, Mary Philbin, Pauline Starke, Lois Wilson, Claire Windsor.

She performed the first screen "Charleston" dance in The King on Main Street (1925)

Bessie is one of only 26 actresses to have received an Academy Award nomination for their performance in a musical, for "The Broadway Melody" (1929). She was the first actor to be nominated for an Oscar for her acting performance in a Best Picture winner, "The Broadway Melody" (1929). She has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She wrote the screenplay for the 1919 film A Yankee Princess.

Married William Hawks in 1929. His brother, Kenneth Hawks, was married to actress Mary Astor. They had a daughter in 1932 and divorced in 1936.

Bessie worked for the Red Cross during World War II.

Sources

• 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 US census

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8710532/bessie-love

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Love

• https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0522281/bio

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAMPAS_Baby_Stars#1922

• https://fromthebygone.wordpress.com/2019/08/04/portraits-of-hollywood-actresses-by-albert-witzel-1920s/

• https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/bessie-love?family=editorial&phrase=bessie%20love&sort=mostpopular

• https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/28/obituaries/bessie-love-87-an-actress-from-silent-film-to-tv-eras.html

• https://imgur.com/r/vgb/uXWeOax

• http://mykethemakeupguy.blogspot.com/2012/09/silent-is-golden-bessie-love.html

• https://loredanacrupi.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/from-hollywood-with-bessie-love/