Viola Dana was born Virginia Flugrath in Brooklyn, New York, June 26, 1897 (though this birth record says Viola Betty Flugrath). Both of her sisters also became actresses, Edna and Leonie. Leonie worked under the name Shirley Mason. Following is a (lengthy!) journey through newspapers clippings covering the life and career of Viola Dana and spanning 1905-1987.
Since Viola was from Brooklyn, I searched the Brooklyn Daily Eagle before any other papers. All Daily Eagle clippings were located through the Brooklyn Newsstand; most others, excepting her 1987 obituary, were discovered through Newspapers.com; that obit found via Google News; all collectible images via my own archives.
Source: Pittston Gazette (PA), November 9, 1905, page 5.
Source: The Washington Post, September 29, 1907, page 10.
Above: Scene from A Christmas Carol (1910), debut film appearance for Viola Dana and Shirley Mason. My best guess is that’s Shirley at the far right with Viola next to her and peering over Mother Cratchit’s shoulder.
Headline to article excerpt that follows:
Source excerpted from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 22, 1913, page 7.
Source: The Washington Post, November 2, 1913, page 7 (Click to Enlarge).
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 4, 1915, page 12.
Source: The Allentown Leader (PA), October 10, 1917, page 7.
Source: Reading Times (PA), October 28, 1918, page 4.
Source: Milwaukee Journal, June 15, 1919, page 19 (Click to enlarge).
Source: Chicago Daily Tribune, January 7, 1920, page 5.
Source: Lawrence Daily-Journal (KS), January 15, 1920, page 6.
Source: Moberly Monitor Index, August 3, 1920, page 1.
Jumping ahead to the future for a moment:
Source: The Odessa American (TX), April 30, 1975, page 29. The accompanying article can be read free of charge via Google News HERE.
And now back to the past:
Source: Boston Post, December 27, 1920, page 7.
Source: Houston Post, October 15, 1922, page 36.
Source: The Muldrew Sun (OK), April 11, 1924, page 6.
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 21, 1925, page 1.
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 20, 1929, page 1.
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, October 10, 1930, page 2.
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 31, 1932, page 17.
Ahem, 35.
Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 8, 1933, page 8.
Source: Kingsport News (TN), March 31, 1945, page 1.
Source: Rhinelander Daily News (WI), September 15, 1953, page 4.
From the column of Louella Parsons …
Source: Corsicana Daily Sun (TX), October 13, 1953, page 9.
This wasn’t listed anywhere …
Source: The Decatur Herald, November 14, 1963, page 14.
The latest IMDb credit for Viola Dana was a 1956 episode of Lux Video Theatre. But she was in the My Three Sons season 4 episode, “The Toupee” —
Just pictured on a table at first as Bub (William Frawley) anticipates her visit. But then she makes a brief appearance at the very end of the episode:
… and even got herself billed in the credits:
I’ve updated the IMDb page for the 1963 episode. We’ll have to wait and see if they accept the information. If they do it should also filter on to Viola Dana’s page as her final credit.
The entire episode can be viewed HERE.
From the column of Dorothy Manners …
Source: El Dorado Times (AK), February 17, 1970, page 2.
Above: Viola Dana as she appeared in Kevin Brownlow’s 1980 mini-series documentary Hollywood.
Source: Ocala Star Banner, July 12, 1987, page 4B. (You can click to enlarge).
Viola Dana was 90. For more traditional articles about Viola Dana please see this older page of the site, a contribution from freelancer Tammy Stone. Also, here is an excellent article by Jessica Keaton at Silence is Platinum.
Excellent material on Viola Dana. I used your article and pictures of her to illustrate her life in my Facebook group : Silent Era Film :1894-1929. You are welcomed to join our group on Facebook any time that you find yourself over there. You have wonderful blogs.