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Viola Lawrence
Viola Lawrence
Viola Lawrence
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Viola Mallory Lawrence (December 2, 1894, New York City[1] – November 20, 1973)[2] is considered by many to be the first female film editor in Hollywood.[1][2][3] 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.[3]

Key Information

Career

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She began working at Vitagraph Studios in Flatbush, Brooklyn as a messenger at the age of 11.[4] At 12, she was holding title cards.[2] In 1915, she became the second female film cutter in cinema history, after Anna McKnight, who also worked at Vitagraph.[4] She married Frank Lawrence, her film cutting teacher at Vitagraph.[4][5]

In 1917, she moved to Hollywood and worked for Universal, First National, Gloria Swanson Productions,[4] and Columbia Pictures at various times.[2] She became Columbia's "head editor"[5] or "supervising editor"[2] 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.[6] Lawrence edited Samuel Goldwyn Studio's first sound film, Bulldog Drummond (1929).[1] She rejoined Columbia in 1934[4] and remained at the studio for the rest of her career, ending with Pepe (1960). She was a founding member of American Cinema Editors.

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".[7] She also informed Cohn that Welles "had not shot a single close-up"; Welles reluctantly obeyed orders to add some.[8] Following poorly received previews, the studio instructed Lawrence to make drastic cuts, over an hour of footage, shortening the film to 87 minutes.[8]

The California State University, Fullerton University Archives and Special Collections has a collection of material related to Lawrence.[9]

Complete filmography

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References

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Viola Lawrence

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Viola Mallory Lawrence (December 2, 1894 – November 20, 1973) was an American film editor regarded as Hollywood's first female film editor and known for her pioneering contributions to the profession over a career spanning more than five decades. She began working in the film industry at age eleven, holding title cards for the Brooklyn-based Vitagraph company, and edited her first film as early as 1912. Her first on-screen credit as an editor came in 1918 with the Universal war drama The Heart of Humanity. Lawrence worked across several major studios, including Universal, First National, and notably Columbia Pictures, where she edited dozens of feature films. Among her notable collaborations were films directed by Howard Hawks, Orson Welles, and Nicholas Ray, including titles such as Only Angels Have Wings, The Lady from Shanghai, and In a Lonely Place. Her work earned her two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing, for Pal Joey (1957) and Pepe (1960). Throughout her career, Lawrence edited over one hundred films and helped shape the craft of film editing during Hollywood's Golden Age, paving the way for future generations of women in the field. She retired after a prolific tenure, leaving a legacy as a trailblazer in a male-dominated industry.

Early life

Birth and childhood

Viola Lawrence was born Viola Mallory on December 2, 1894, in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in Brooklyn during the early rise of motion pictures, as the medium rapidly gained popularity and established itself in the region. This Brooklyn upbringing placed her in close proximity to the burgeoning film industry, which would soon draw her into its orbit.

Entry into the film industry

Viola Lawrence entered the film industry at Vitagraph Studios in Flatbush, Brooklyn, beginning work around 1905 at the age of 11 as a messenger and holding title cards, reportedly standing on a box to reach them. She apprenticed under the studio's lead editor, Frank Lawrence, and gravitated toward cutting and editing. In 1912, at age 18, Lawrence edited her first film, the three-reeler O'Henry. By 1915, she had become the second female film cutter in cinema history, following Anna McKnight who also worked at Vitagraph, though Lawrence is often regarded as the first female cutter in the Hollywood context. These formative years at Vitagraph laid the groundwork for her later relocation to Hollywood in 1917.

Career

Early career and move to Hollywood (1917–1933)

Viola Lawrence moved to Hollywood in 1917 after being signed by Carl Laemmle at Universal Pictures, marking her transition from earlier work in New York to the growing film industry on the West Coast. At Universal, she gained her first major editing credit on the World War I drama The Heart of Humanity (1918), where she shared credit with Frank Lawrence, whom she married that same year. She continued editing at Universal with Blind Husbands (1919), Erich von Stroheim's directorial debut. Following her initial stint at Universal, Lawrence worked across several studios during the late silent era and into the early sound period, including First National, Gloria Swanson Productions, Samuel Goldwyn Productions/United Artists, and Columbia Pictures (where she served as supervising editor as early as 1925). She later took on freelance and short-term positions at various companies as opportunities arose. Among her notable contributions in the late 1920s were editing Bulldog Drummond (1929), Samuel Goldwyn's first sound film. These years encompassed the final phase of the silent era and the challenging transition to talkies, during which Lawrence built a versatile career across independent and major productions before settling into a more stable role later in the decade.

Supervising editor at Columbia Pictures (1934–1960)

Viola Lawrence rejoined Columbia Pictures in 1934 and served as supervising editor until her retirement in 1960, maintaining a continuous tenure of 26 years at the studio. In this role, she oversaw the editing department and supervised post-production on numerous major and mid-budget productions. Her work during this period spanned a diverse array of genres, including dramas, film noirs, musicals, and early 3D films. She collaborated with prominent directors such as Howard Hawks, Nicholas Ray, Dorothy Arzner, and Orson Welles on various projects. By the time of her retirement, Lawrence's overall career in film editing had spanned nearly five decades.

Notable films and editing contributions

Editing style and philosophy

Awards and recognition

Viola Lawrence received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. She was nominated for Pal Joey (1957), shared with Jerome Thoms, and for Pepe (1960), shared with Al Clark. No other major awards or wins are documented in authoritative sources.

Personal life

Viola Lawrence was born Viola Mallory on December 2, 1894, in Brooklyn, New York. She married fellow film editor Frank Lawrence, her mentor from her Vitagraph days, on June 21, 1918. Frank Lawrence died in 1960. Lawrence died on November 20, 1973, in Hollywood, California.

Death and legacy

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