Harry Montague Love (15 March 1877 – 17 May 1943), known professionally as Montagu Love, was a British screen and stage actor and illustrator.
Early years
Harry Montague Love was born on 15 March 1877 in Southsea, Portsmouth, to Harry Love, an accountant, and Fanny Louisa Love (née Poad).
Career Educated in Great Britain, Love began his career as an artist, with his first important job as an illustrator for The Illustrated Daily News in London.
Love's acting debut came with an American company in a production in the Isle of Wight. His Broadway debut occurred in The Second in Command (1913). He was typically cast in heartless villain roles. In the 1920s, he played with Rudolph Valentino in The Son of the Sheik, opposite John Barrymore in Don Juan, and appeared with Lillian Gish in 1928's The Wind. He also portrayed 'Colonel Ibbetson' in Forever (1921), the silent film version of Peter Ibbetson. Love was one of the more successful villains in silent films.
One of Love's first sound films was the part-talkie The Mysterious Island co-starring Lionel Barrymore. In 1937, he played Henry VIII in the first talking film version of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, with Errol Flynn. Love played the bigoted Bishop of the Black Canons in The Adventures of Robin Hood, also starring Flynn. However, he also played gruff authoritarian figures, such as Monsieur Cavaignac, who, contrary to history, demands the resignation of those responsible for the Dreyfus cover-up, in The Life of Emile Zola (1937), as well as Don Alejandro de la Vega, whose son appears to be a fop but is actually Zorro, in the 1940 version of The Mark of Zorro, starring Tyrone Power.
In 1941, he played a doctor in Shining Victory. In 1939's Gunga Din, Montagu Love reads the final stanza of Rudyard Kipling's original poem over the body of the slain Din.
Love's last film to be released, Devotion, was released three years after his death aged 66 in 1943. He was interred at Chapel of the Pines Crematory. His last acting performance was in Wings Over the Pacific (1943).
Personal life and death On 3 April 1929, Love married Marjorie Love (née Hollis), a stage actress, in Los Angeles.
Besides acting, Montague had a keen interest in drawing and painting. He became very proficient in caricatures of cast mates and also military paintings, primarily those of British military uniforms.
Death On 17 May 1943, Love died aged 66 at his home in Beverly Hills, California.
Selected Filmography
Silent films Year Title Role Director Notes 1914 The Suicide Club Prince Florizel Maurice Elvey Film debut 1915 Hearts in Exile Count Nicolai James Young Credited as Montague Love The Face in the Moonlight Ambrose Albert Capellani Credited as Montague Love Sunday Henry Brinthorpe George Lederer A Royal Family Crown Prince of Kurland William Nigh Credited as Montague Love The Greater Will Stuart Watson Harley Knoles Credited as Montague Love 1916 The Devil's Toy Wilfred Barsley Harley Knoles A Woman's Way Oliver Whitney Barry O'Neil Husband and Wife Patrick Alliston Barry O'Neil Friday the 13th Count Varneloff Émile Chautard Lost film The Gilded Cage Baron Stefano Harley Knowles The Hidden Scar Henry Dalton Barry O'Neil The Scarlet Oath Nicholas Savaroff Frank Powell and Travers Vale Bought and Paid For Robert Stafford Harley Knoles The Men She Married Jerry Trainer Harley Knoles The Challenge Quarrier Donald McKenzie 1917 The Brand of Satan Jacques Cordet George Archainbaud The Guardian James Rokeby Arthur Ashley Lost film The Dancer's Peril Michael Pavloff Travers Vale Rasputin, The Black Monk Gregory Novik, later known as Rasputin Arthur Ashley Lost film The Awakening Jacques Revilly George Archainbaud Forget-Me-Not Gabriel Barrato/Benedetto Barrato Émile Chautard Lost film The Dormant Power Maurice Maxwell Travers Vale Yankee Pluck Baron Wootchi George Archainbaud The Volunteer Himself Harley Knoles Credited as Montague Love 1918Broken Ties John FlemingArthur AshleyThe Cross BearerCardinal MercierGeorge ArchainbaudVengeanceLorin Cuddlestone/John CuddlestoneTravers ValeStolen OrdersJohn Le PageHarley KnolesLost filmThe Library of Congress/FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog:Stolen OrdersThe Cabaret Jaffrey DarrelHarley KnolesTo Him That HathDavid AldrichOscar ApfelThe Grouch Donald GrahamOscar Apfel1919The Rough NeckJohn MastersOscar ApfelThe Hand InvisibleRodney GrahamHarry O. HoytThe Quickening FlameJohn SteeleTravers ValeThree Green EyesAllen GranatDell HendersonLost filmThrough the ToilsNoel Graham/Lewis MoffatHarry O. HoytA Broadway Saint Dick VernonHarry O. HoytLost filmThe Steel KingJohn BlakeOscar Apfel1920Man's Plaything Pelton Vab TeelCharles T. HoranCredited as Montague LoveThe World and His WifeDon JulianRobert G. VignolaLost filmThe Library of Congress American Silent Feature Films Survival Catalog: The World and His Wife(Wayback Machine)The Riddle: Woman Larz OlrikEdward JoséLost filmThe Wrong WomanWilliam MarshallIvan AbramsonThe Place of HoneymoonsEdward CourtlandtKenean Buel1921Shams of SocietyHerbert PorterThomas B. WalshThe Case of BeckyProf. BalzamoChester M. FranklinLost filmForeverColonel IbbetsonGeorge FitzmauriceLost filmLove's Redemption Frederick KentAlbert ParkerLost filmProgressive Silent Film List: Love's Redemption at silentera.com1922The Beauty Shop MaldonadoEdward DillonLost filmAmerican Silent Feature Film Survival Database The Beauty ShopWhat's Wrong with the Women?Arthur BeldenRoy William NeillLost filmProgressive Silent Film: What's Wrong with the Women at silentera.comThe Secrets of ParisThe SchoolmasterKenneth S. WebbLost filmProgressive Silent Film List: Secrets of Paris at silentera.comThe Darling of the Rich Peyton MartinJohn G. AdolfiLost film1923The LeopardessScott QuaiggHenry KolkerLost filmThe American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30 by The American Film Institute, c.1971The Eternal CityCharles MinghelliGeorge FitzmauricePartially lostNewly found Mussolini film screened in ItalyProgressive Silent Film List: The Eternal City at silentera.comLittle Old New YorkUnknown roleSidney OlcottProgressive Silent Film List: Little Old New York at silentera.com1924Restless WivesHugo CadyGregory La CavaLost filmRoulette Dan CarringtonStanner E.V. TaylorLost filmThe AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Roulette(Wayback)Week End HusbandsThomas MowryEdward H. GriffithLost filmProgressive Silent Film List: Week End Husbands at silentera.comA Son of the SaharaSultan Cassim Ammeh/ Colonel BarbierEdwin CareweLost film (trailer exists)Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress p. 170 (trailer only) c.1978 American Film InstituteProgressive Silent Film List: A Son of the Sahara at silentera.comLove of WomenBronson GibbsWhitman BennettLost filmLibrary of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: Love of WomenWho's Cheating?Harrison FieldsJoseph LeveringSinners in HeavenNative ChiefAlan CroslandLost filmProgressive Silent Film List: Sinners In Heaven at silentera.com. Retrieved November 18, 2022.1925The Ancient HighwayIvan HurdIrvin WillatLost filmThe Desert's PriceJim MartinW. S. Van DykeThe Mad Marriage Unknown roleFrank P. DonovanLost filmThe Mad Marriage at silentera.com1926Hands Up! Capt. Edward LoganClarence BadgerBrooding EyesPat CallaghanEdward LeSaintOut of the StormTimothy KeithLouis J. GasnierThe Social Highwayman Ducket NelsonWilliam BeaudineSon of the SheikGhabahGeorge FitzmauriceCredited as Montague LoveProgressive Silent Film List: The Son of the Sheik at silentera.comDon JuanCount Giano DonatiAlan CroslandSynchronised Score andSound EffectsCredited as Montague LoveThe Silent LoverBen AchmedGeorge ArchainbaudThe Silent Lover at silentera.com1927One Hour of LoveJ.W. McKayRobert FloreyOne Hour of Love at silentera.comThe Night of Love Duke de la GardaGeorge FitzmauriceProgressive Silent Film List: The Night of Love at silentera.comThe King of Kings Roman CenturionCecil B. DemilleSynchronised Score andSound EffectsThe Tender HourGrand Duke SergeiGeorge FitzmauriceRose of the Golden WestGen. ValleroGeorge FitzmauriceJesse JamesFrederick MimmsLloyd IngrahamProgressive Silent Film List: Jesse James at silentera.comGood Time CharleyJohn HartwellMichael CurtizSynchronised Score andSound EffectsThe Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Good Time CharleyThe Haunted ShipCaptain Simon GantForrest SheldoMunden p.3271928The NooseBuck GordonJohn Francis DillonProgressive Silent Film List: The Noose at silentera.comThe Devil's SkipperFirst MateJohn G. AdolfiLibrary of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: The Devil's SkipperThe Hawk's NestDan DaughertyBenjamin ChristensenLost filmThe Hawk's Nest at silentera.comThe Wind Wirt RoddyVictor SjöströmSynchronised Score andSound EffectsThe Haunted HouseMad DoctorBenjamin ChristensenLost FilmSynchronised Score and Sound Effects1929Synthetic SinBrandy MulaneWilliam A. SeiterSynchronised Score andSound EffectsProgressive Silent Film List: Synthetic Sin at silentera.comThe Divine Lady Captain HardyFrank LloydSynchronised Score andSound EffectsThe Divine Lady at silentera.com database; accessed October 25, 2015.
Sound films