Virginia Davis

Virginia Davis

Virginia Davis (December 31, 1918 - August 15, 2009) was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father was a traveling furniture salesman and spent much time away from home. With her husband gone for weeks at a time, Margaret Davis, a housewife, focused all her attention on her daughter; she began taking Virginia to dancing lessons and modeling auditions when she was 2. A striking child with long curls, Virginia was soon appearing in advertisements that played between films in local theaters. She also entered Georgie Brown's Dramatic School in Kansas City, where she studied drama and dance. In the summer of 1923, 22-year-old Walt Disney, a struggling but ambitious director, saw Virginia in an advertisement in a Kansas City theater and immediately decided to hire her. He quickly contacted Margaret Davis, who was eager to advance her Virginia's career. Alice's Wonderland (1923), the first short film of the Alice series, was filmed at the Davis home in Kansas City; both Margaret Davis and Walt Disney made brief appearances (which marked Disney's first live appearance in one of his own cartoons). After filming, Disney returned to Hollywood and began to build his movie empire with only forty dollars and one short film starring little Virginia Davis. The Davis family soon followed Disney to Hollywood, although their daughter's career was not the only reason for the move; Virginia had suffered pneumonia and other health problems, and her doctor told her parents that she would be healthier in a drier, warmer climate. Virginia signed her first contract with Disney for a salary of $100 a month, and she began filming the Alice shorts in Walt Disney's first studio, his uncle's garage. His brother Roy O. Disney was the cameraman, and the Disney family dog Peggy appeared in many of the films. The Alice shorts became very popular, providing Disney with his first national success. But as the series progressed, Disney became more interested in the animation aspect, which minimized Virginia's live-action role; she only made about thirteen of the Alice shorts before her contract was severed. She later auditioned for the role of voice of Snow White in Disney's film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), but she didn't get the role because her mother refused to accept the frugal salary. Virginia had some small roles in full-length films, including The Harvey Girls (1946), before she left acting to earn a degree from the New York School of Interior Design. She later became an editor for the 1950s magazine "Living for Young Homemakers", and in the 1960s she began working for real estate agents in Connecticut and later California. In 1992, interest was renewed in the Alice series. Living in retirement in Montana, Virginia was suddenly overwhelmed by the number of fans seeking to honor her and the remarkable role she played in the birth of Walt Disney Studios. She was the guest of honor at the Pordonone Silent Film Festival in Italy in 1992, and she was inducted as a Disney Legend in 1998. Virginia also became very active in silent film festivals and events at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
    Known for
    Acting
    Place of birth
    Kansas City, Missouri, USA
    Birthday
    12/31/1918
Three on a Match
Three on a Match
6.2
Alice in the Jungle
Alice in the Jungle
5
Alice Gets in Dutch
Alice Gets in Dutch
5
Alice's Fishy Story
Alice's Fishy Story
4.7
Alice and the Three Bears
Alice and the Three Bears
4.7
Alice Gets Stung
Alice Gets Stung
4.9
Song of the Islands
Song of the Islands
6.2
Alice's Day at Sea
Alice's Day at Sea
4.5
The Man from Red Gulch
The Man from Red Gulch
0
Alice's Wonderland
Alice's Wonderland
6
Alice Cans the Cannibals
Alice Cans the Cannibals
3.9
Alice's Spooky Adventure
Alice's Spooky Adventure
5
Alice the Peacemaker
Alice the Peacemaker
5.1
Alice's Cartoon World: An Interview with Virginia Davis
Alice's Cartoon World: An Interview with Virginia Davis
0
College Holiday
College Holiday
5.2
Alice and the Dog Catcher
Alice and the Dog Catcher
4.3
Walt Disney Treasures: The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Walt Disney Treasures: The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
9.7
The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story
The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story
7.7
Alice's Wild West Show
Alice's Wild West Show
5.1
Escort Girl
Escort Girl
3.2
Hands Across the Rockies
Hands Across the Rockies
7.2
Alice Hunting in Africa
Alice Hunting in Africa
4.9
Alice the Piper
Alice the Piper
5.4
Alice the Toreador
Alice the Toreador
4.5
Murder at the Vanities
Murder at the Vanities
5.4
From Kansas City to Hollywood
From Kansas City to Hollywood
6
The Greater Glory
The Greater Glory
0
Alice Comedies
Alice Comedies
0
Street Scene
Street Scene
6.8
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