Vola Vale
Acting • Born 1897-02-12 – Died 1970-10-17
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.
Filmography
56 credits
The Woman He Feared
Movie • 1916
May Clive
Perils of the Secret Service
Movie • 1917
Minna Ober (Episode #1)
Crashin' Thru
Movie • 1923
Diane
Good Men and True
Movie • 1922
Georgie Hibbler
Overland Red
Movie • 1920
Louise Alacarme
The Son of His Father
Movie • 1917
Hazel Mallinsbee
The Bond Between
Movie • 1917
Ellen Ingram
Liberty Belles
Movie • 1914
Boarding Schoolgirl
The Silent Man
Movie • 1917
Betty Bryce
Alias Jimmy Valentine
Movie • 1920
Rose Lane
Soul of the Beast
Movie • 1923
Jacqueline
White Oak
Movie • 1921
Barbara
A Great Love
Movie • 1916
Nell Woodward
The Lady in the Library
Movie • 1917
Mildred Vandeburg
Six Feet Four
Movie • 1919
Winifred Waverly
Little Annie Rooney
Movie • 1925
Mamie
Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story
Movie • 2002
Self (uncredited)
The Iron Rider
Movie • 1920
Mera Donovan
The Midnight Flower
Movie • 1923
Mary — a foundling
Common Sense
Movie • 1920
Violet Manners
Two Can Play
Movie • 1926
Mimi Allen
Wolves of the Rail
Movie • 1918
Faith Lawson
The Eagle's Wings
Movie • 1916
Kitty Miles (as Vola Smith)
The Price of Silence
Movie • 1916
Aline Urmy (as Vola Smith)
Home Sweet Home
Movie • 1926
The Phantom of the Opera
Movie • 1925
Ballerina / Christines Maid (uncredited)
A Heart in Pawn
Movie • 1919
Emily Stone
Her Big Adventure
Movie • 1926
Countess Fontaine
The Iron Master
Movie • 1914
The Iron Master's Sister (as Viola Smith)
The Soul of Pierre
Movie • 1915
Zollenstein
Movie • 1917
Princess Fulvia / Princess Zenia
The Duke of Chimney Butte
Movie • 1921
Vesta Philbrook
One Rainy Afternoon
Movie • 1936
Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Movie • 1932
Townswoman
Black Tears
Movie • 1927
The Sky Pirate
Movie • 1926
Heartless Husbands
Movie • 1925
Mrs. Jackson Cain
Who Cares
Movie • 1925
Tootles
The Mirage
Movie • 1924
Betty Bond
Mothers-in-Law
Movie • 1923
Ina Phillips
The Man Between
Movie • 1923
Rosie - Joe Cateau's Bride
Singing River
Movie • 1920
Alice Thornton
Someone in the House
Movie • 1920
Molly Brent
The Purple Cipher
Movie • 1920
Jeanne Baldwin
A Master Stroke
Movie • 1920
Minnie Patton
Hornet's Nest
Movie • 1919
Muriel Fletcher
Hearts Asleep
Movie • 1919
Virginia Calvert
Happy Though Married
Movie • 1919
Diana Ramon
The Locked Heart
Movie • 1918
Ruth Mason
The Secret of Black Mountain
Movie • 1917
Miriam Vale
The Topsy Turvy Twins
Movie • 1917
Mattie
The Last Cigarette
Movie • 1917
Minna Ober
Mentioned in Confidence
Movie • 1917
Marjorie Manning
The Winning of Sally Temple
Movie • 1917
Lady Pamela Vauclain
Each to His Kind
Movie • 1917
Amy Dawe
It Sounded Like a Kiss
Movie • 1916
Estelle