Billie Dove

Birth Name:

Bertha Bohny

Birth Place:

New York City, New York, United States

Profession

Actress

As a teen, she helped support her family by working as a model
Excitedly showed her friends her film debut in "Joan of Plattsburg," not realizing that the cameraman had only captured her legs
Quote: "Whenever one western was finished, they'd say, 'Where is Billie Dove?' and the next day I'd be in another one․ It didn't make any difference to me․ I was in motion pictures and I loved it․"
Quote: "All the girls wanted to be in the movies․ I didn't want to be․ I knew I was going to be․ I'm not psychic, but there have been instances in my life when I have been absolutely sure of something and this was one of them․"
Was one of the most popular silent actresses of the 1920s and had many male fans
Retired to be with her family during the height of her fame, just after shooting "Blondie of the Follies" and didn't return to the screen accept for a brief cameo in "Diamond Head․"
Once received 37,320 fan letters in one week, breaking the record previously held by Clara Bow
An avid reader, she met Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker inscribed a book for her
In her free time, she was a pilot, a poet and a painter
Learned to speak German before she learned to speak English

Fast Facts