Bessie Love - Personal Life

Personal Life

In 1977 she published an autobiography, From Hollywood with Love. She was at this time living comfortably in a flat overlooking London’s Clapham Common and had recently appeared in a television account of the abdication of King Edward VIII.

She recorded that during World War II in Britain when she found acting work hard to come by she had been the "continuity girl" on the film drama San Demetrio London, an account of a ship badly damaged in the Atlantic but whose crew managed to bring her to port. She also says she had regular diet in the post-war era of stage roles as an American Tourist and similar roles, and was "Aunt Pittypat" in a large-scale musical version of Gone With the Wind.

Love married agent William Hawks (January 29, 1901 Neenah, Wisconsin – January 10, 1969 Santa Monica, California) at St. James Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California on December 27th, 1929. Mary Astor, Bebe Daniels, Carmel Myers, Norma Shearer and Blanche Sweet were her bridesmaids, William's brother Howard Hawks and Irving Thalberg ushered. Mary Astor was William's sister-in-law, married to brother Kenneth Hawks. They then lived at the Havenhurst Apartments in Hollywood. They had daughter Patricia Hawks (February 19, 1932 Los Angeles, California) who had some bit parts in 1952 movies. They divorced in 1935.

Love died in London, England from natural causes on April 26, 1986. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.