Virginia (Sweeney) Valli (1898 - 1968)

Born 10 Jun 1898 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Wife of Demarest Franklin Lamson — married Apr 1921 (to 1927) in Greenwich, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

Wife of Charles David Farrell — married 14 Feb 1931 in Yonkers, Westchester, New York, United States

Died 24 Sep 1968 at age 70 in Palm Springs, Riverside, California, United States

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Biography

Virginia (Sweeney) Valli is Notable.

"Virginia Valli was an American stage and film actress whose motion picture career started in the silent film era and lasted until the beginning of the sound film era of the 1930s."^[1]

She was born 18 January 1895 in Chicago, the daughter of James Sweeney and Mary McCarten. Her name at birth was Virginia Sweeney. Biographies often give her surname as "McSweeney," but there is no evidence that her parents ever used this name.

Her acting career began in Milwaukee with a stock company and she also appeared in films with Essanay Studios in Chicago beginning in 1916.^[2]

"Valli continued to appear in films throughout the 1920s. She was an established star at the Universal studio by the mid-1920s. In 1924 she was the female lead in King Vidor's southern gothic Wild Oranges, a film now being seen after several decades of film vault obscurity. She also appeared in the romantic comedy, Every Woman's Life, about "the man she could have married, the man she should have married and the man she DID marry." She made the bulk of her films between 1924 and 1927 including Alfred Hitchcock's debut feature, The Pleasure Garden (1925), Paid to Love (1927), with William Powell, and Evening Clothes (1927), which featured Adolphe Menjou. In 1925 Valli performed in The Man Who Found Himself with Thomas Meighan. The production was made at a Long Island, New York studio."^[3]

She was married twice. Her first husband was George Demarest Lamson, a theatrical agent, whom she married April 1921 in Greenwich, Connecticut. "Virginia Valli has arrived on the coast to play opposite Bert Lytell in his new picture. That isn't the exciting part of the story. The exciting part is Virginia's recent marriage to George Lamson, of New York. Virginia and George decided to motor to Greenwich, Conn., and to Justice A. W. Mend, who is fast gaining a reputation of being the world's greatest motion picture marrying justice. Justice Mend turned the trick and the young couple came back to New York to receive Mrs. Lamson's blessing. Then on to Chicago, where the bride's family awaited them with open arms, not to say hearts. Mrs. Lamson's real name is Virginia Holmes.^[4] They were divorced in 1926. "Virginia Holmes Lamson, known as Virginia Valli, screen actress, was granted a divorce in Superior court today from Demarest Lamson, theatrical agent in Hollywood. Mrs. Lamson charged desertion and addiction to liquor."^[5]

Her second husband was the film actor Charles Farrell, whom she married on Valentine's Day, 14 February 1938 in Yonkers, New York.

"Secretly wed for three days, Charles Farrell and the former Virginia Valli, screen stars, leave tonight on the liner Augustus for a European honeymoon. They were married in Yonkers, New York shortly after midnight. [....] Farrell explained to friends that his reason for the elaborate secrecy was that he wished to be aboard the liner on his honeymoon before news of his marriage reached Hollywood. The romance dates back about four years to Hollywood's lots. She already was a featured player in Universal Pictures. He was just beginning his meteoric career. Under her tutelage he climbed the heights rapidly sealing his success with Janet Gaynor in a series of popular pictures. His latest was 'The Man Who Came Back." The bride is a native of Chicago, where she was born Virginia Sweeney. The groom hails from New England. It is her second marriage, she having divorced Demarest Lamson several years ago. It is his first venture."^[6]

They didn't have any children.They were married until her death and lived in Palm Springs, California.

She died of a stroke 24 September 1968 in Palm Springs at the age of 73.^[7] Her remains were laid to rest in Welwood Murray Cemetery there.^[8]

Obituary:^[9]

Palm Springs, Calif., Sept. 25--(AP)--Virginia Valli Farrell, wife of former motion picture star Charles Farrell, died at her home here Tuesday night. She was about 70. A former silent film star, mrs. Farrell retired from acting with her marriage in 1932. In the late 1920s, she appeared opposite William Powell and Ronald Coleman.

Sources

1. ↑ Virginia Valli on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ Virginia Valli on Wikipedia.
3. ↑ Virginia Valli on Wikipedia.
4. ↑ Repository, Friday, April 29, 1921, Canton, Ohio, page 29..
5. ↑ Boston Herald, Friday, July 9, 1926, Boston, MA, page 14.
6. ↑ Seattle Times, Tuesday, February 18, 1931, Seattle Washington, page 8.
7. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPH9-H9K : 26 November 2014), Virginia V Farrell, 24 Sep 1968; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
8. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial for Virginia Valli.
9. ↑ Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee) September 26, 1968.