Rudolph Valentino

Rodolfo Alfonzo Raffaelo Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla
1895 - 1926 (perforated ulcer, blood poisoning)
Italian /US born Castellaneta

Nickname The Sheik . Height 5' 10" (1.78 m) . His father Giovanni had been in a traveling circus before meeting his mother and settling down as a veterinarian. Though his father was a strict authoritarian, his mother doted on her "beautiful baby" even to the exclusion of his older brother Alberto and younger sister Maria. By the time he was eleven he was an undisciplined, pampered bully. He was expelled from many schools, finally obtaining a diploma in the Science of Farming from the Academy of Agriculture.He went to Paris where he learned apache dancing, joined a gay crowd, returned broke, took his inheritance of $4000 and, December 1913, sailed for New York. He worked as a busboy, then gigolo, while pursuing dance, especially the tango. In 1917 went to Hollywood and obtained a small dancing part in Alimony (1917). When he did get acting roles they were villains not lovers. Script writer June Mathis and director Rex Ingram convinced Metro to do The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) and to cast Valentino in the lead. The first million dollar production saved Metro and made Rudy a star.It also brought him to the attention of Alla Nazimova who wanted him to play opposite her in Camille (1921). Alla's friend, Natacha Rambova (nee Winifred Hudnut) became attached to Rudy and they eloped to Mexico 13 May, 1922 in the belief his divorce from Jean Acker was official. He was jailed as a bigamist and fined $10,000. After their re-marriage the following year she fled to Paris having never entered his new mansion, Falcon Lair. He took up her interest in séances and the occult. He began dating sexy Pola Negri partly to improve his image as a man. While touring to promote his last film, an editorial in the Chicago Tribune accused him of "effeminization of the American male". He defended his manhood by challenging the writer of the article to a boxing match (which never took place). He died shortly afterward. 80,000 mourners caused a near riot at his New York funeral. Another funeral followed in California. Spouse Natacha Rambova (17 March 1923 - 19 January 1926) (divorced), Jean Acker (5 November 1919 - 4 March 1923) (divorced).

The Son of the Sheik (1926) , Cobra (1925) , The Eagle (1925) , A Sainted Devil (1924) , Monsieur Beaucaire (1924) , The Hooded Falcon (1924) , The Young Rajah (1922) , Blood and Sand (1922) , Beyond the Rocks (1922) , Moran of the Lady Letty (1922) , The Sheik (1921) , Camille (1921) , The Conquering Power (1921) , Uncharted Seas (1921) , The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) , Stolen Moments (1920), The Wonderful Chance (1920) , Once to Every Woman (1920) , The Cheater (1920) , Passion's Playground (1920) , An Adventuress (1920) , Eyes of Youth (1919) , Nobody Home (1919) , A Rogue's Romance (1919) , Big Little Person (1919) , Virtuous Sinners (1919) , The Delicious Little Devil (1919) , The Homebreaker (1919) , The Married Virgin (1918) , All Night (1918) , A Society Sensation (1918) , Alimony (1917) ,
Patria (1917) , Seventeen (1916) , The Foolish Virgin (1916) , The Quest of Life (1916) , My Official Wife (1914)