About

Known credits:
31
Birthday:
1897-02-12
Place of birth:
Buffalo, New York, USA
Website:
N/A

Vola Vale

Overview

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

Acting
2002 Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story Actor Self (uncredited) N/A
N/A
1926 Home Sweet Home Actor N/A
N/A
1926 Two Can Play Actor Mimi Allen N/A
N/A
1926 Her Big Adventure Actor Countess Fontaine N/A
N/A
1925 Little Annie Rooney Actor Mamie 59
Average
1925 The Phantom of the Opera Actor Ballerina / Christines Maid (uncredited) 63
Fair
1923 The Midnight Flower Actor Mary — a foundling N/A
N/A
1923 Soul of the Beast Actor Jacqueline 59
Average
1923 Crashin' Thru Actor Diane N/A
N/A
1922 Good Men and True Actor Georgie Hibbler N/A
N/A
1921 White Oak Actor Barbara 59
Average
1920 The Iron Rider Actor Mera Donovan N/A
N/A
1920 Common Sense Actor Violet Manners N/A
N/A
1920 Overland Red Actor Louise Alacarme N/A
N/A
1920 Alias Jimmy Valentine Actor Rose Lane N/A
N/A
1919 Six Feet Four Actor Winifred Waverly 59
Average
1919 A Heart in Pawn Actor Emily Stone N/A
N/A
1918 Wolves of the Rail Actor Faith Lawson 59
Average
1917 The Silent Man Actor Betty Bryce 58
Average
1917 Zollenstein Actor Princess Fulvia / Princess Zenia N/A
N/A
1917 The Son of His Father Actor Hazel Mallinsbee N/A
N/A
1917 The Lady in the Library Actor Mildred Vandeburg N/A
N/A
1917 The Bond Between Actor Ellen Ingram N/A
N/A
1917 Perils of the Secret Service Actor Minna Ober (Episode #1) N/A
N/A
1916 The Price of Silence Actor Aline Urmy (as Vola Smith) N/A
N/A
1916 The Eagle's Wings Actor Kitty Miles (as Vola Smith) N/A
N/A
1916 The Woman He Feared Actor May Clive N/A
N/A
1916 A Great Love Actor Nell Woodward 58
Average
1915 The Soul of Pierre Actor N/A
N/A
1914 The Iron Master Actor The Iron Master's Sister (as Viola Smith) N/A
N/A
1914 Liberty Belles Actor Boarding Schoolgirl 58
Average