Jessie Busley (1869 – 1950) was an American actress and comedian who performed on stage, screen, and radio for over six decades.
Jessie starred on stage in over 25 Charles Frohman productions in the first 15 years of her career. Later in June 1930, she would appear on film for the first time in The Devil's Parade A Musical Revue set in Hades, a 10-minute film short by Warner Bros. Pictures alongside actress Joan Blondell.
Jessie went on to appear in such films as Brother Rat and Brother Rat and a Baby. In 1939, she appeared alongside Kay Francis, James Stephenson, and Humphrey Bogart in King of the Underworld. The next year she would appear in Humphrey Bogart's It All Came True.
Several months after they were married, Ernest Joy tried to shoot a theatrical press agent in a jealous rage after he saw him leaving a theater with Jessie. Word of the shot was reported in the news of the time and the press agent left town. Later that same year, Jessie and Ernest separated after it was reported that she had him arrested for "annoying her". All charges were dropped when she did not testify against him.
She made The New York Times when an article appeared August 1, 1908, claiming she had "Set Two Men on her husband Ernest C. Joy who she intended to divorce." The article's title read "Ernest C. Joy Says His Wife, Jessie Busley, Set Two Men on Him. HE IS SENT TO A HOSPITAL One of His Unidentified Assailants Beat Him Over the Head with an Iron Bar." The article went on to say that they had frequent quarrels and end by saying that (at that time) "She last appeared in 'The Bishop's Carriage' in which she made a hit". Lastly leaving the parting shot that "She is well known as an actress but has had more success in the south and west then [sic] in this city".
Aug 25, 1895-
Nov 27, 1899 - Feb 4, 1900
Feb 21, 1900 - May 1900
October 22–27, 1900
May 20, 1901 - Jul 8, 1901
Aug 26, 1901 - Dec 1901
Mar 17, 1902 - Apr 1902
Aug 25, 1902 - Sep 1902
Sep 30, 1902 - Nov 1902
Jan 5, 1904 - Jan 1904
Jan 11, 1905 - Apr 30, 1905
Feb 25, 1907 - Mar 1907
Nov 11, 1909 - [unknown]
Jan 3, 1910 - Jan 3, 1910
Mar 28, 1910 - [unknown]
Dec 19, 1910 - [unknown]
Nov 23, 1914 - Nov 1914
Sep 18, 1916 - Dec 1916
Oct 15, 1919 - Oct 1919
Oct 25, 1926 - Jan 1927
Dec 28, 1928 - Jan 1929
Nov 19, 1930 - Dec 1930
Oct 6, 1931 - Dec 1931
Oct 14, 1931 - Oct 1931
Dec 26, 1931 - Mar 1932
Feb 20, 1933 - May 1933
Sep 22, 1934 - Jun 8, 1935
Aug 5, 1935 - Sep 16, 1935
Nov 26, 1935 - Jun 1936
Dec 26, 1936 - Jul 1938
Jan 3, 1944 - Jul 8, 1944
Nov 9, 1945 - Dec 1, 1945
Apr 25, 1949 - Apr 30, 1949
This filmography is believed to be complete.
