 After graduating from Santa Cruz high school, she was accepted by the Pasadena Playhouse and, while studying there for a year and a half, settled on "Valora Noland" for her stage name and moved to Hollywood.Valora's first job was an improvised scene with three other actors for the film "Five Finger Exercise", later cut before distribution.Still, it enabled her to buy her SAG card, and somewhat larger parts in TV shows followed.