Vola Vale
Birthday: 1897-02-12 | Place of Birth: Buffalo, New York, USAFrom 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
Acting
Role
as Countess Fontaine
as Mamie
as Mrs. Jackson Cain
as Tootles
as Betty Bond
as Diane
as Ina Phillips
as Jacqueline
as Mary — a foundling
as Rosie - Joe Cateau's Bride
as Barbara
as Vesta Philbrook
as Alice Thornton
as Jeanne Baldwin
as Louise Alacarme
as Mera Donovan
as Minnie Patton
as Molly Brent
as Rose Lane
as Violet Manners
as Diana Ramon
as Muriel Fletcher
as Virginia Calvert
as Winifred Waverly
as Ruth Mason
