Valda, a sensitive and charming individual with a lovely smile, began her journey in the world of acting in the late 1950s, starring in a play called "Accidentally Yours". It was during this time that Ed Wood, the renowned filmmaker, took notice of her and deemed her an ingenue.
Ed Wood had initially considered casting Valda in his short film "The Night the Banshee Cried" (1957),but ultimately decided to feature her in his first movie, "Night of the Ghouls" (1959). Valda, who was just 16 years old at the time, recalled that she was "sweet and innocent" during filming, which would have placed her birth year around 1943.
Ed Wood was impressed by the hand gestures of Bela Lugosi and instructed Valda to incorporate a similar technique into a scene, where she eerily moved her hands with her long, silver fingernails, resulting in a striking visual effect. This performance caught the attention of another famous actor, Joe E. Brown, who had just completed filming "Some Like It Hot" (1959). Brown wanted Valda to be his leading lady in a proposed movie, "Operation Salami", which unfortunately never came to fruition. Joe E. Brown passed away in 1973.
Valda went on to appear in a variety of films, including "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid", "Slaughter's Big Rip-Off" (1973),"Bikini Bandits", "Outer Space", "Norma", "Outlaw Riders", and others. She eventually retired from acting in the late 1970s and passed away in Hollywood in 1993.
Despite her passing, Valda remains fondly remembered by fans as one of the nicest and sweetest members of Ed Wood's circle of actors.
