Vola Vale

Biography

From Wikipedia She was born Vola Smith in Buffalo, New York. Vale was educated in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She began her career in amateur theatricals in Rochester, New York. Then she played in stock companies for a while. Her first movie experience was with Biograph, under the tutelage of the great film director D.W. Griffith. After a month of playing atmosphere parts, Vola was offered a genuine role. She wore a velvet gown with a train and a feathered hat. Soon she was appearing in short reel films for Biograph. Among the actors she was cast with were William S. Hart, Sessue Hayakawa, Tsuru Aoki, William Haines, Harry Carey, Tully Marshall and William Russell. She was adept in playing Spanish, Italian, French, and Gypsy roles. Aside from Biograph Vola worked for Fox Film, Famous Players-Lasky, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures. Her ambition was to play Madame Butterfly with an actual Japanese company, as well as to act as Lorna Doone. She was most inspired by Hayakawa and hoped to learn to act inside, as he did. With Sessue Hayakawa she made Each To His Kind (1917). Before filming began it was decided that the name Smith was too common to be used by a motion picture star. She changed her professional name to Vola Vale.

Known For

The Phantom of the Opera

Tomorrow and Tomorrow

The Soul of Pierre

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

One Rainy Afternoon

Little Annie Rooney

Mothers-in-Law

Who Cares

All Movies (56)

• Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story2002 · as Self (uncredited)
• One Rainy Afternoon1936
• Tomorrow and Tomorrow1932 · as Townswoman
• Black Tears1927
• Home Sweet Home1926
• The Sky Pirate1926
• Two Can Play1926 · as Mimi Allen
• Her Big Adventure1926 · as Countess Fontaine
• Little Annie Rooney1925 · as Mamie
• Heartless Husbands1925 · as Mrs. Jackson Cain
• The Phantom of the Opera1925 · as Ballerina / Christines Maid (uncredited)
• Who Cares1925 · as Tootles
• The Mirage1924 · as Betty Bond
• The Midnight Flower1923 · as Mary — a foundling
• Mothers-in-Law1923 · as Ina Phillips
• The Man Between1923 · as Rosie - Joe Cateau's Bride
• Soul of the Beast1923 · as Jacqueline
• Crashin' Thru1923 · as Diane
• Good Men and True1922 · as Georgie Hibbler
• The Duke of Chimney Butte1921 · as Vesta Philbrook
• White Oak1921 · as Barbara
• The Iron Rider1920 · as Mera Donovan
• Singing River1920 · as Alice Thornton
• Someone in the House1920 · as Molly Brent
• The Purple Cipher1920 · as Jeanne Baldwin
• Common Sense1920 · as Violet Manners
• A Master Stroke1920 · as Minnie Patton
• Overland Red1920 · as Louise Alacarme
• Alias Jimmy Valentine1920 · as Rose Lane
• Six Feet Four1919 · as Winifred Waverly
• Hornet's Nest1919 · as Muriel Fletcher
• Hearts Asleep1919 · as Virginia Calvert
• A Heart in Pawn1919 · as Emily Stone
• Happy Though Married1919 · as Diana Ramon
• The Locked Heart1918 · as Ruth Mason
• Wolves of the Rail1918 · as Faith Lawson
• The Silent Man1917 · as Betty Bryce
• Zollenstein1917 · as Princess Fulvia / Princess Zenia
• The Son of His Father1917 · as Hazel Mallinsbee
• The Lady in the Library1917 · as Mildred Vandeburg
• The Secret of Black Mountain1917 · as Miriam Vale
• The Topsy Turvy Twins1917 · as Mattie
• The Bond Between1917 · as Ellen Ingram
• Perils of the Secret Service1917 · as Minna Ober (Episode #1)
• The Last Cigarette1917 · as Minna Ober
• Mentioned in Confidence1917 · as Marjorie Manning
• The Winning of Sally Temple1917 · as Lady Pamela Vauclain
• Each to His Kind1917 · as Amy Dawe
• It Sounded Like a Kiss1916 · as Estelle
• The Price of Silence1916 · as Aline Urmy (as Vola Smith)
• The Eagle's Wings1916 · as Kitty Miles (as Vola Smith)
• The Woman He Feared1916 · as May Clive
• A Great Love1916 · as Nell Woodward
• The Soul of Pierre1915
• The Iron Master1914 · as The Iron Master's Sister (as Viola Smith)
• Liberty Belles1914 · as Boarding Schoolgirl