Valora Noland
Encyclopedia
Valora Noland is an American
actress, notable for her 1960s
movie and television
work.
Valor's artist father, Franz Baum, mother, Abby Beveridge, and their three children settled in the countryside near Santa Cruz, California in 1943.
Sometime around 1959, forced by her mother to choose a career, Valor Baum decided to become an actress. After graduating from Santa Cruz High School, she was accepted by the Pasadena Playhouse, and while studying there for a year and a half, settled on "Valora Noland" for her stage name. One day, while shopping for groceries, a peculiar little man approached her. "I've been watching you while you've been shopping", he said. "Are you with the Playhouse? Are you in show business? I know a great agent—though he'll tell you he doesn't know me! I can introduce you!" This introduction led to Valora getting an agent before she moved to Hollywood, but though her go-between was highly respected (Dick Clayton), she didn't just jump into the perfect showcase role. Her first job, an improvised scene with three other actors for the film Five Finger Exercise—later cut from the film because it hadn't been in the original play—enabled her to buy her SAG card, and somewhat larger parts in TV shows followed, but not too exciting. Her first genuine film role was in Beach Party in 1963, and later that year, an independent film titled Summer Children, made on Catalina Island but never released. This was followed by Muscle Beach Party in 1964, and after that a film titled Sex and the College Girl which also took place on Puerto Rico. A third "island" film came in 1965 when she was chosen to play the unfaithful wife in The Passionate Strangers, a Philippine production. Back in Hollywood, Valora joined the cast of The War Wagon for a minimal role, and was given a few leads in television shows, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Virginian, Mannix and Star Trek. The last was the first time a director had ever called for her to play a specific part without competing, and this a week before shooting began. She regretted accepting the hurried invitation for several reasons, and bowed out of Hollywood shortly thereafter in January 1968.
movies (co-starring with Annette Funicello
and Frankie Avalon
); The Rifleman series as Clare Morgan in High Country, 1961; Vickie in 1964's Sex and the College Girl; Duchess Vicky in Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Round Table Affair 1966; Kate Fletcher in The War Wagon
, 1967; Amanda Harley in The Virginian, Girl on the Pinto, 1967; and Daras in the original Star Trek
television series "Patterns of Force
".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, notable for her 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
movie and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
work.
Biography
Valora Noland was born in Seattle, Washington December 8, 1941. Her mother had not yet decided upon a name for her new boy or girl, and caught up in the concerns of the hour (Pearl Harbor), let it go for the moment. Later, hearing a stirring speech by Winston Churchill, she named her daughter Valor, but neglected to add it to the birth certificate. When Valor applied for her first driver's license, she had to produce her birth certificate, but it said only "Girl child ......." So the name was finally added in the late 1950s.Valor's artist father, Franz Baum, mother, Abby Beveridge, and their three children settled in the countryside near Santa Cruz, California in 1943.
Sometime around 1959, forced by her mother to choose a career, Valor Baum decided to become an actress. After graduating from Santa Cruz High School, she was accepted by the Pasadena Playhouse, and while studying there for a year and a half, settled on "Valora Noland" for her stage name. One day, while shopping for groceries, a peculiar little man approached her. "I've been watching you while you've been shopping", he said. "Are you with the Playhouse? Are you in show business? I know a great agent—though he'll tell you he doesn't know me! I can introduce you!" This introduction led to Valora getting an agent before she moved to Hollywood, but though her go-between was highly respected (Dick Clayton), she didn't just jump into the perfect showcase role. Her first job, an improvised scene with three other actors for the film Five Finger Exercise—later cut from the film because it hadn't been in the original play—enabled her to buy her SAG card, and somewhat larger parts in TV shows followed, but not too exciting. Her first genuine film role was in Beach Party in 1963, and later that year, an independent film titled Summer Children, made on Catalina Island but never released. This was followed by Muscle Beach Party in 1964, and after that a film titled Sex and the College Girl which also took place on Puerto Rico. A third "island" film came in 1965 when she was chosen to play the unfaithful wife in The Passionate Strangers, a Philippine production. Back in Hollywood, Valora joined the cast of The War Wagon for a minimal role, and was given a few leads in television shows, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Virginian, Mannix and Star Trek. The last was the first time a director had ever called for her to play a specific part without competing, and this a week before shooting began. She regretted accepting the hurried invitation for several reasons, and bowed out of Hollywood shortly thereafter in January 1968.
Characters
Among Noland's more memorable characters were Rhonda (aka "Animal") in the first two Beach PartyBeach Party film
Beach party movies were an American 1960s genre of feature films created by American International Pictures with their surprise 1963 hit, Beach Party, and copied by virtually every other studio...
movies (co-starring with Annette Funicello
Annette Funicello
Annette Joanne Funicello is an American singer and actress. She was Walt Disney's most popular cast member of the original Mickey Mouse Club, and went on to appear in a series of beach party films.-Early life and early stardom:...
and Frankie Avalon
Frankie Avalon
Frankie Avalon is an American actor, singer, playwright, and former teen idol.-Career:By the time he was 12, Avalon was on U.S. television playing his trumpet. As a teenager he played with Bobby Rydell in Rocco and the Saints...
); The Rifleman series as Clare Morgan in High Country, 1961; Vickie in 1964's Sex and the College Girl; Duchess Vicky in Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Round Table Affair 1966; Kate Fletcher in The War Wagon
The War Wagon
The War Wagon is a 1967 western Technicolor film starring John Wayne, released by Universal Pictures, directed by Burt Kennedy, and adapted by Clair Huffaker from his own novel. The film, which featured Wayne in one of his few roles as technically a "bad guy" , received generally positive reviews....
, 1967; Amanda Harley in The Virginian, Girl on the Pinto, 1967; and Daras in the original Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
television series "Patterns of Force
Patterns of Force
Patterns of Force is the third book in Michael Reaves' series Coruscant Nights. It was released on January 27, 2009.-Summary:One of the leading Star Wars cover illustrators is Cliff Nielson, having illustrated the Jedi Apprentice series covers and several of the 20 New Jedi Order titles. It is to...
".