Age, Biography and Wiki

Billie Dove (Bertha Bohny) was born on 14 May, 1903 in New York City, New York, USA, is an actress. Discover Billie Dove's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is she in this year and how she spends money? Also learn how she earned most of networth at the age of 94 years old?

Popular As Bertha Bohny
Occupation actress
Age 94 years old
Zodiac Sign Taurus
Born 14 May, 1903
Birthday 14 May
Birthplace New York City, New York, USA
Date of death 31 December, 1997
Died Place Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 14 May. She is a member of famous Actress with the age 94 years old group.

Billie Dove Height, Weight & Measurements

At 94 years old, Billie Dove height is 5' 6" (1.68 m) .

Physical Status
Height 5' 6" (1.68 m)
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Billie Dove's Husband?

Her husband is John Robert Miller (14 September 1973 - 1974) ( divorced), Robert Burns Kenaston (4 May 1933 - 16 February 1973) ( his death) ( 2 children), Irvin Willat (28 October 1923 - 14 July 1931) ( divorced)

Family
Parents Not Available
Husband John Robert Miller (14 September 1973 - 1974) ( divorced), Robert Burns Kenaston (4 May 1933 - 16 February 1973) ( his death) ( 2 children), Irvin Willat (28 October 1923 - 14 July 1931) ( divorced)
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Billie Dove Net Worth

Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Billie Dove worth at the age of 94 years old? Billie Dove’s income source is mostly from being a successful Actress. She is from United States. We have estimated Billie Dove's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Actress

Billie Dove Social Network

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Timeline

1903

In her silent heyday, this ravishing and highly photogenic star, known for her voluptuous femininity on the silent screen, rivaled that of Mary Pickford, Marion Davies and Clara Bow in popularity. She retired after only a few years into the talking picture era, however, and is not as well-remembered in today's film circles as the aforementioned. Billie Dove was born Lillian Bohny on May 14, 1903 (several sources list 1900), to Swiss parents Charles and Bertha Bohny who emigrated to New York City before she was born. Educated in private schools in Manhattan, she was already singled out as quite a beauty by her early teens. By 15 and 16 she was helping to support the family by working as both a photographer's and artist's model. It is said that the renowned poster painter/illustrator James Montgomery Flagg sketched her during this period. Although she could neither sing nor dance all that well, this stunning beauty was subsequently hired by Broadway impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. to appear in his famous Follies.

1918

She was eventually given solo entrances in his extravaganzas (one was for the song "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody"), and also appeared as gorgeous window dressing in a few of his Follies' sideshows--the "Midnight Frolics" and "Nine O'Clock Revues"--all between 1918-20.

1920

Although Billie Dove is often called a Ziegfeld Girl, she is not credited in any of his "Follies" productions. She may have appeared in Ziegfeld's "Midnight Frolics," an after-hours revue show staged on the New Amsterdam Theater's rooftop nightclub. Dove's only Broadway credit is as a showgirl in "Sally," which ran from 1920-1922.

1921

She also served as a dancing replacement in Ziegfeld's Broadway show "Sally," which headlined Marilyn Miller, in 1921. A burgeoning affair between Dove and Ziegfeld prompted Ziegfeld's wife Billie Burke to arrange work for the young starlet in Hollywood films. She made her feature debut in George M.

Cohan's Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (1921), based on the 1910 Broadway play; the cameras instantly fell in love with the beautiful newcomer.

She was immediately put into a starring role in only her second picture, the backstage romantic drama At the Stage Door (1921), the story of a chorus girl and her sister (also a chorine) who compete for the affections of a wealthy patron. From there Billie went on to appear opposite some of Hollywood's most popular leading men--from glossy, dramatic stars such as John Gilbert and Warner Baxter to sturdy cowboy idols Tom Mix and Hoot Gibson--and in several different genres.

1923

Billie also graced a number of pictures helmed by Irvin Willat, whom she married in 1923.

These included All the Brothers Were Valiant (1923) co-starring Lon Chaney; the Zane Grey western Wanderer of the Wasteland (1924); The Air Mail (1925) with Baxter and Douglas Fairbanks; and The Ancient Highway (1925).

1926

Top stardom came while she was swept up in the arms of the dashing Fairbanks as the starry-eyed princess who is rescued by The Black Pirate (1926) in the classic silent adventure. Billie was the first actress to receive a color screen test via this pirate yarn.

Pioneer female director Lois Weber fit the bill and brought out the best in Billie in two of her films--The Marriage Clause (1926) with Francis X.

1927

Lovingly dubbed "The American Beauty" after appearing in the movie of the same title, The American Beauty (1927)--in which she played a social-climbing hat check girl--her acting talent was considered modest. Her better pictures were those opposite stronger male actors by stronger directors.

Bushman and Sensation Seekers (1927).

1929

Divorced from Willat in 1929, Billie was still at the peak of her popularity with the advent of sound. The multi-millionaire eccentric and (at that time) budding producer Howard Hughes became an obsessed admirer, which resulted in an all-consuming three-year affair. Hughes, who tried to take over and control her career, actually proposed to the star and they were briefly engaged. She abruptly ended the relationship, however, when she was unable to handle his quirkiness and long, unexplained absences.

1930

Lived with Howard Hughes for three years in the 1930s.

1931

For Hughes she appeared on screen in the dramatic The Age for Love (1931) and comedic Cock of the Air (1932).

1932

In Blondie of the Follies (1932), the Marion Davies starrer, Dove was dismayed when her third-billed role was "trimmed" and "reshaped" at the urging of Davies' highly influential paramour William Randolph Hearst (who happened to own Cosmopolitan Productions, which made the picture). This was to be her last film; she retired from the screen shortly thereafter.

1933

By 1933 she had remarried and focused on having a family. Married to Robert Kenaston, a rancher, oil executive and real estate investor, they had one son (Robert Alan) and an adopted daughter (Gail).

1934

She had a biological son, Robert Alan (April 18, 1934 - February 5, 1995), and a daughter, Gail Melinda (February 10, 1938 - February 15, 1999), whom she adopted.

1939

Was offered the role of "Belle Watling" in Gone with the Wind (1939) but turned it down.

1962

Other than an unbilled bit part of a nurse in the movie Diamond Head (1962) with Charlton Heston, Dove never returned to the screen. She was eventually transferred from her Rancho Mirage (California) home to live out the rest of her life at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.

1970

The couple divorced in 1970 after 37 years of marriage (he died three years later). A third marriage to architect John Miller also ended in divorce.