Biography
Virginia Davis (December 31, 1918 – August 15, 2009) was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father was a traveling furniture salesman who spent much time away from home. With her husband often absent for weeks, Margaret Davis, a housewife, devoted her attention to their daughter, taking Virginia to dance lessons and modeling auditions starting at age two. A striking child with long curls, Virginia soon appeared in advertisements shown between films at local theaters. She also enrolled at Georgie Brown's Dramatic School in Kansas City, where she studied drama and dance.
In the summer of 1923, 22-year-old Walt Disney, then a struggling yet ambitious director, spotted Virginia in a theater advertisement in Kansas City and quickly decided to hire her. He contacted Margaret Davis, who was eager to advance Virginia's career. The first short film of the Alice series, Alice's Wonderland (1923), was filmed at the Davis home in Kansas City; both Margaret Davis and Walt Disney made brief appearances, marking Disney's first live appearance in one of his cartoons.
After filming, Disney returned to Hollywood and began building his film empire with just forty dollars and one short film starring Virginia Davis. The Davis family soon moved to Hollywood, partly because Virginia had experienced pneumonia and other health issues, and her doctor recommended a drier, warmer climate for her recovery.
Virginia signed her first contract with Disney, earning $100 a month, and began shooting the Alice shorts in Walt Disney's first studio, located in his uncle's garage. His brother Roy O. Disney served as cameraman, and the Disney family dog, Peggy, featured in many films. The Alice shorts gained popularity, giving Disney his first national success. However, as the series evolved, Disney focused more on animation, reducing Virginia's live-action role; she appeared in about thirteen Alice shorts before her contract ended. She later auditioned for the voice role of Snow White in Disney's 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs but was not cast because her mother declined the modest salary offered.
Virginia had minor roles in feature films like The Harvey Girls (1946) before leaving acting to pursue a degree from the New York School of Interior Design. She later worked as an editor for the 1950s magazine Living for Young Homemakers and, during the 1960s, worked in real estate in Connecticut and later California.
Interest in the Alice series revived in 1992. While retired in Montana, Virginia was overwhelmed by fans honoring her significant contribution to the early days of Walt Disney Studios. She was guest of honor at the 1992 Pordenone Silent Film Festival in Italy and was inducted as a Disney Legend in 1998. Virginia also actively participated in silent film festivals and events at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
