Above: Montagu Love in an unknown stage or film production c. 1915. Love is dressed in a British army uniform from around the time of the Anglo-Boer War. His collar badges would seem to make him a member of the Royal Scots in this un-named production. It is possible that Love is portraying Lieutenant Colonel Miles Anstruther, D.S.O. in the 1913 production of The Second in Command although his cuff rank of three garter stars is that of captain. The actress is unidentified at this time.
8 Inch by 10 Inch
Sepia Publicity Photograph
White Studios
New York, New York
c. 1915
Harry Montagu Love listed his profession as an artist in 1901 but ten years later had himself enumerated in the 1911 Census for Portsmouth as an actor. After arriving in the United States in 1912 his acting career spanned at least 179 films between 1914 and 1946 (some released three years after his death) and during this time he continued to pursue his passion for painting military subjects.
Most sources state that his career as an illustrator began during the Anglo-Boer War but if he traveled to South Africa during that time I have not been able to turn up any evidence that shows he did though he was producing a relatively large quantity of work by that time.
Today the most commonly encountered examples of Love's artistic work are the Victoria Cross series of paintings he created for the Oilette trade cards produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons with two such examples being shown below.
Above: Two examples of Love's work c. 1905 for the Oilette "How He Won the Victoria Cross" series of postcards produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons. At left is depictedMidshipman Duncan Gordon Boyse in the fighting at Shimonoseki, Japan in 1864 where he earned his VC. At right is Love's rendition of at fighting at Hlobane Mountain in Zululand where Redvers Henry Buller earned his VC for saving the life of Captain Cecil. D'Arcy, of the Frontier Light Horse and two other soldiers in the face of a determined Zulu attack during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.
Color Offset Printed Postcards
5 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches
(14cm x 9 cm)
Raphael Tuck & Sons
Great Britain
c. 1905
Above: Montagu Love (here named as "Montagu H. Love) as Major Thesiger and Langshore Burton as Richard Lascelles in the stage production of The Flag
Lieutenant. The postcard is autographed by Montagu Love in ink at the lower left.
Real Photo Postcard
Dover Street Studios
England
c. 1909
Above: A c. 1940 black and white press photograph showing Montagu Love with one of his paintings along with the man who posed for the portrait. This un-captioned photo shows that Montagu Love continued to pursue his love of painting even years after having become the recognized supporting actor most people remember him as.
In the previously mentioned letter that Marjorie Love wrote to her late husband's fan, she noted that above all else what she remembered and missed about Montagu the most were his good nature and sense of humor, she also related how she still had a large number of the paintings he so enjoyed making.
Montagu Love passed away at Beverly Hills, California on 17 May 1943.
Black & White Press Photograph
10 Inches by 8 Inches
Associated Press
United States
c. 1940