Norval Weir Mitchell (1904 - 1972)

Born 6 Nov 1904 in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Vallory (Stevens) Mitchell — married 13 Nov 1937 in Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada, United States

Husband of Adriana Loretto Caselotti — married 1952 in Broward, Florida, United States

Died 28 Apr 1972 at age 67 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

Biography

Norval was born 6 Nov 1904, in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was the youngest of three children born to John and Louise (Johnson) Mitchell. Norval's father died when he was very young, leaving his mother a widow with three young children. In 1910, his family was residing in Ypsilanti, where his mother kept a boarding house.

In 1920, the family was residing in Pasadena, California, where Norval's mother was again operating a boarding house. Norval would have graduated from high school in about 1922, and then attended two years of college.

In 1930, Norval and his sister, Gretchen, were residing together in Pasadena, where he was now working as an actor. As early as 1922, Norval was performing on stage, when he participated in a production of King Lear as a member of the Pasadena Community Players. He remained a regular cast member at the Pasadena Community Playhouse for at lest the next decade, and by 1932 is said to have performed in more than 60 rolls there.^[1] By 1934, he had also begun producing and directing, with a production of the melodrama Streets of New York at the Altadena Social Club, and later that year with East Lynn at the Olvera Street Theater in Los Angeles, starring Vallory Stevens as the heroine.

In about 1936, Norval left the stage and opened an employment agency in Los Angeles. On 13 Nov 1937, he married the young actress, Vallory Stevens, in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[2] In 1938, the couple returned to the theater with a revival of Streets of New York at the South Pasadena Little Theater, produced by Norval and once again starring Vallory in the lead roll.

In 1940, Norval and Vallory were residing in Los Angeles, where Norval was working as a box office treasurer at the Earl Carrall Theater on Sunset Blvd. In the 1940s and early-1950s, Norval was a small time film actor with a few bit parts in such films as Delinquent's Daughter (1944), Rogues Gallery (1944), Government Agents Against Phantom Legion (1951), and Chained for Life (1952). Norval later worked for CBS-TV where he was the head of properties in 1958.

In 1950, Norval, now separated from his first wife, Vallory, Norval was living alone in Malibu, California. He has no occupation listed.^[3] In April 1952, Norval married Adrianna Caselotti, in Broward County, Florida. Adriana is best known for having performed the voice of Snow White in the classic Walt Disney animated feature film of te same name. Norval and Adriana remained married twenty years until his death in 1972.

Norval died 28 Apr 1972, in Los Angeles County, California, at the age of 67. He was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood.

Sources

1. ↑ Shakespeare Play, Eagle Rock (CA) Sentinel, 2 Dec 1932, p. 4.
2. ↑ Itemettes, The Pasadena Post, 21 Nov 1937, p. 22.
3. ↑ 1950 U.S. Federal Census, California, Los Angeles County, Malibu, ED 19-182, sheet 77, dwelling 55W, household of Norval Mitchel. Available at Ancestry.com $$. (Image 44).

• 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Ancestry.com (database online with images), Michigan, Washtenaw County, City of Ypsilanti, Ward 3, ED 149, sheet 11A, dwelling 286, family 296, household of Louise W. Mitchell [image 21].

• 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Ancestry.com (database online with images), California, Los Angeles County, City of Pasadena, ED 510, sheet 1B, dwelling 17, family 17, household of Louise Mitchell [image 2].

• 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Ancestry.com (database online with images), California, Los Angeles County, City of Pasadena, ED 1240, sheet 11B, dwelling 334, family 346, household of Norval W. Mitchell [image 22].

• 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Ancestry.com (database online with images), California, Los Angeles County, City of Los Angeles, ED 60-151, sheet 5B, dwelling 97, household of Norval Mitchell [image 10].

• California, Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/10815164/norval-mitchell : accessed 06 May 2021), memorial page for Norval Mitchell (6 Nov 1904–28 Apr 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 10815164, citing Hollywood Forever, Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by TLS (contributor 372) .