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Viola Lawrence

Viola Lawrence

Known For Editing
Birthday Dec 01, 1894
Died Nov 20, 1973 (78)
Birthplace Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Popularity 0.1 (history)
Updated Aug 18, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Aug 18, 2025
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Viola Mallory Lawrence (December 2, 1894, New York – November 20, 1973) is considered by many to be the first woman film editor in Hollywood. She was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing: for Pal Joey (1957), with Jerome Thoms; and for Pepe (1960), with Al Clark. She began wo ... rking at Vitagraph Studios in Flatbush, Brooklyn as a messenger at the age of 11. At 12, she was holding title cards. In 1915, she became the second female film cutter in cinema history, after Anna McKnight, who also worked at Vitagraph. She married Frank Lawrence, her film cutting teacher at Vitagraph. In 1917, she moved to Hollywood and worked for Universal, First National, Gloria Swanson Productions and Columbia Pictures at various times. She became Columbia's "head editor" or "supervising editor" in 1925. After director Erich von Stroheim was fired from the production of Queen Kelly (1929), star Gloria Swanson herself directed an alternate ending, with the help of cinematographer Gregg Toland and Lawrence. Lawrence edited Samuel Goldwyn Studio's first sound film, Bulldog Drummond (1929). She rejoined Columbia in 1934 and remained there for the rest of her long career, ending with Pepe (1960). Orson Welles biographer Charles Higham wrote that, when Lawrence was assigned to The Lady from Shanghai (1947), she reported to studio boss Harry Cohn that "the footage was a jumbled mess". She also informed Cohn that Welles "had not shot a single close-up"; Welles reluctantly obeyed orders to add some. Following poorly received previews, the studio had Lawrence make drastic cuts, over an hour of footage, shortening the film to 87 minutes.

Known For

Filmography

No data available

Pepe

Pepe

1960

Editor

Who Was That Lady?

Who Was That Lady?

1960

Editor

Pal Joey

Pal Joey

1957

Editor

Jeanne Eagels

Jeanne Eagels

1957

Editor

The Eddy Duchin Story

The Eddy Duchin Story

1956

Editor

Tight Spot

Tight Spot

1955

Editor

Queen Bee

Queen Bee

1955

Editor

Chicago Syndicate

Chicago Syndicate

1955

Editor

Three for the Show

Three for the Show

1955

Editor

The Miami Story

The Miami Story

1954

Editor

Salome

Salome

1953

Editor

Miss Sadie Thompson

Miss Sadie Thompson

1953

Editor

Man in the Dark

Man in the Dark

1953

Editor

Paula

Paula

1952

Editor

The First Time

The First Time

1952

Editor

Affair in Trinidad

Affair in Trinidad

1952

Editor

Sirocco

Sirocco

1951

Editor

In a Lonely Place

In a Lonely Place

1950

Editor

The Flying Missile

The Flying Missile

1950

Editor

Harriet Craig

Harriet Craig

1950

Editor

Tokyo Joe

Tokyo Joe

1949

Editor

And Baby Makes Three

And Baby Makes Three

1949

Editor

Knock on Any Door

Knock on Any Door

1949

Editor

The Dark Past

The Dark Past

1948

Editor

Down to Earth

Down to Earth

1947

Editor

She Wouldn't Say Yes

She Wouldn't Say Yes

1945

Editor

Cover Girl

Cover Girl

1944

Editor

Secret Command

Secret Command

1944

Editor

First Comes Courage

First Comes Courage

1943

Editor

My Sister Eileen

My Sister Eileen

1942

Editor

You Belong to Me

You Belong to Me

1941

Editor

Bedtime Story

Bedtime Story

1941

Editor

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

1941

Editor

Glamour for Sale

Glamour for Sale

1940

Editor

I Am the Law

I Am the Law

1938

Editor

Penitentiary

Penitentiary

1938

Film Processor

Devil's Playground

Devil's Playground

1937

Editor

She Married an Artist

She Married an Artist

1937

Editor

Craig's Wife

Craig's Wife

1936

Editor

The King Steps Out

The King Steps Out

1936

Editor

Lady of Secrets

Lady of Secrets

1936

Editor

Party Wire

Party Wire

1935

Editor

A Feather in Her Hat

A Feather in Her Hat

1935

Editor

Love Me Forever

Love Me Forever

1935

Editor

Jealousy

Jealousy

1934

Editor

No Greater Glory

No Greater Glory

1934

Editor

Lady by Choice

Lady by Choice

1934

Editor

Man's Castle

Man's Castle

1933

Editor

Queen Kelly

Queen Kelly

1932

Editor

What a Widow!

What a Widow!

1930

Editor

Bulldog Drummond

Bulldog Drummond

1929

Editor

This Is Heaven

This Is Heaven

1929

Editor

Two Lovers

Two Lovers

1928

Editor

The Awakening

The Awakening

1928

Editor

The Devil Dancer

The Devil Dancer

1927

Editor

Blind Husbands

Blind Husbands

1919

Editor

The Heart of Humanity

The Heart of Humanity

1918

Editor

No data available

No data available

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

No data available

No data available

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


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2024 6 1 3 1
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2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 1 3 0

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