Virginia Vale
Encyclopedia
Virginia Vale was an American film actress. She starred in a number of B-movie Westerns but took a variety of other roles as well, notably in The Blonde Comet (1941), in which she played a race car driver.
Vale was born Dorothy Howe, and was credited under that name in several of her earlier films. The name Virginia Vale had been chosen in advance for the female winner of the 1939 "Gateway to Hollywood" contest, a nation-wide talent search sponsored by producer Jesse Lasky -- as noted (somewhat indignantly) then by another Virginia Vale a syndicated columnist covering the film industry. Vale edged out Rhonda Fleming
in the 1939 contest.
After her film career, she became an executive secretary at Lockheed
, but also a competition judge for the US Figure Skating Association. She was eventually honored by the USFSA for 50 years of service in that role. Before becoming a judge, she'd also briefly been a competition skater. Her life in film and skating was featured at the 2002 U.S. figure skating championships and a memorial trophy for "most outstanding performance" was given in her name at the 2007 California Championships.
Vale was born Dorothy Howe, and was credited under that name in several of her earlier films. The name Virginia Vale had been chosen in advance for the female winner of the 1939 "Gateway to Hollywood" contest, a nation-wide talent search sponsored by producer Jesse Lasky -- as noted (somewhat indignantly) then by another Virginia Vale a syndicated columnist covering the film industry. Vale edged out Rhonda Fleming
Rhonda Fleming
Rhonda Fleming , is an American film and television actress.She acted in more than 40 films, mostly in the 1940s and 1950s, and became renowned as one of the most beautiful and glamorous actresses of her day...
in the 1939 contest.
After her film career, she became an executive secretary at Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
, but also a competition judge for the US Figure Skating Association. She was eventually honored by the USFSA for 50 years of service in that role. Before becoming a judge, she'd also briefly been a competition skater. Her life in film and skating was featured at the 2002 U.S. figure skating championships and a memorial trophy for "most outstanding performance" was given in her name at the 2007 California Championships.
External links
- Virginia Vale at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- "History of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club", by Virginia Vale (1982 - originally published in club newsletter).