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