BORN: May 8, 1895
DIED: August 23, 1926
AGED: 31 yrs from peritonitis from a burst appendix
REAL NAME: Ruolpho Alfonzo Rafaelo Filbert Guglielmi Di Valentina D'antonguolla-Whew!-What a mouthful!!
MARRIAGES: Twice-Jean Acker-She wouldn't let him into the bedroom on their wedding night. Natasha Rambova (AKA Winnifred Shaunessy)-she turned out to be a lesbian-this guy could pick 'em or what!
ENGAGED: Pola Negri-She flung herself on the coffin-it is all about her after all
AFFAIRS: "Just a Gigolo, everywhere I go..."
He came to this country penniless and even slept on park benches. He moved up from being a male prostitute to a gigolo where rich women paid for him to dance with them(I am certain the dancing was on the ball room and in the bedroom). He got paid for these meetings with the socialites-busy boy:). He moved out to California and due to his excellent dancing and looks got his start and broke out in The Four Horsemen. Unfortunately he was not the best in picking women and they seemed to rule over him. Others of the time said he loved just to be known as Rudy and was shy. From his movies he became known as "the Great Lover" but men didn't care for him and called him the "Pink Powder Puff" I think they were jealous because all their wives swooned over him. When he died, suddenly, thousands flocked to the funeral and some women actually committed suicide. There was one woman known as the lady in black who went to his grave every year and placed a red rose at his grave until she passed away in the 1980's or '90's.
FILMS: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Camille, Blood and Sand, The Sheik, Son of the Sheik, The Eagle
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ReplyDeleteI thought I'd suddenly been sent to another blog when I saw what was written above! I am awaiting a visit from this man. He probably pastes the same thing into every blog. I'm with him on the Bible, though.
ReplyDeleteHello, Birgit - getting back to Rudolph Valentino. I can't remember ever seeing one of his films, but who could forget his name and how women swooned over him?
I never knew that he'd died so young, that and the fact that he was so hopeless with women, should be so sad.
However, this blog made me laugh so much, I'm feeling quite guilty now.
yes i read this spiel on my page-hahahaaa and I saw him on others. Even though I am all for people believing in their religion and respect it completely I don't like the preach thing. he was the hot ticket in his day-hotter than anyone now even Brad Pitt. Don't feel guilty, when I read his biographies i laugh because these ladies would just whip him-Love the actual name of the dramatic Natasha Rambova
DeletePoor guy. Why is it shy, timid men often attract overbearing, mean women? Or is it that those are the women those men deliberately choose?
ReplyDeleteI think it has to do with lack of self-esteem and insecurity. men can fall for the Vipers and women fall for the men who physcially abuse. The abusers-physical and mental seek these people out and know how to do it. sad isn't it
DeleteHe died really young. Considering how many women pursued him, he made lousy choices when it came to a wife.
ReplyDeleteoh boy did he ever!
DeleteWow, he died so young. Too bad he didn't pick a better wife. Wonder who the lady in black who went to his grave was? Interesting.
ReplyDeleteSilvia @
SilviaWrites
You know-nobody knew-I recall watching Entertainment Tonight years ago and they spotlighted her dressed all in black and laying a red rose where he resides, she stood there a few moments in respect and then silently left. She wore a veil and had her head down and the newshounds were trying to ask her but she never said a word. I think they did find out after she passed and she would have been a young gla in the 1920's but not sure what else
DeleteI never got the attraction of Valentino (or James Dean, for that matter). I'm not so sure he had such a bad eye when it came to women. I share the opinion of the men at the time and think Rudy was marrying beards, and his actual interests lay elsewhere...
ReplyDeleteYou never know and if he was in nowadays times he probably would feel a lot better and more open. Those women were nasty
DeleteI'm with Lexa above - I don't see the attraction. I guess you would have to look at him with the eyes of another age.
ReplyDeleteAnabel at Anabel's Travel Blog
I agree but he was bigger than anyone you can think of today. he is not my type either
DeleteHe really had kind of a sad life. I've heard of him of course but never knew anything about him. I think Lexa is probably right.
ReplyDeleteThe story about the woman leaving the rose on the grave is so intriguing and I feel like it could make a great idea for a story!
Oh I think it would and always thought of her as ghostly even thought she was real
DeleteHe was definitely one handsome dude. You've got me curious to learn more about him. It's interesting that he was shy but yet the ladies' man.
ReplyDeleteYes it is wild and he didn't like that publicity at all. I watched a documentary with silent stars who talked of him and he loved to go to their home and play games and then he could feel more himself. They said he was sensitive
DeleteI never knew that this vaunted ladies' man had such lady trouble. I wonder if he WAS, shy, or if others are right, and he too was closeted!
ReplyDeleteOh possibly and he could have even been confused because he was Italian and one would never admit to being gay because at that time one could be jailed for that
DeleteRudy was actually born on May sixth. I've never seen May eighth given for his birthdate before. As far as I've read, his birth surname was just Guglielmi, and he only added the other surnames later on as some kind of attempt to seem more high-bred or illustrious. It was also Jean Acker, not Natacha Rambova, who was the lesbian. Natacha only had relationships with men.
ReplyDeleteHmmm I will double check the dates as I looked in a few books to make sure but I will check. In many of my books they listed his full name because it was part of his heritage to have the surnames of his relatives but he would often just give the last name as it saved time:)Both gals, from what I read dabbled:)
DeleteI think The Sheik was the first romance novel I ever read. The old movie couldn't quite convey the feelings in the novel but Rudy was so very handsome.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he would have survived the coming of sound as he showed his passion but, given the times and all and he probably had an accent(I would be surprised if he didn't), he would slowly disappeared. Strange but his death kept him alive in history and in love
DeleteOh the days when people died from a simple appendix... :-(
ReplyDeleteIf that is his real and complete name, it is without hyperbole the most awesome name in the history of the world.
Well I double checked in 6 books I have on film greats and silent cinema and all but one have this full name listed so that is what I went with-lengthy isn't it. I also found 4 other birthdates-hahahahaha so unless I see an actual birth certificate we know he was born in May-the early part.
DeleteSo cool! New follower here. I'm stopping by from the "A to Z" challenge, and I look forward to visiting again.
ReplyDeleteSylvia
http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/
Thank you! Hope you enjoy the posts:)
DeleteLOVE The Eagle.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen that one so need to check it out:)
DeleteSounds painful......! : )
ReplyDeleteit must have been-poor guy with bad women
DeleteI love silent cinema and I love Valentino in those silent films. He, along with Douglas Fairbanks, were the be all and end all of the silent era swashbuckler.
ReplyDeleteSee ya 'round the web. All Things Kevyn.
oh they were for sure and Douglas Fairbanks was so much fun to watch
DeleteHow tragic of what he died from; these days with the way medicine is, he probably would have survived it. Interesting short life he lived.
ReplyDeletebetty
Yes he did have an interesting life and I bet he would have survived if it was nowadays
DeleteWhat a life story! And o what tragic death he had. Can't remember off hand if I have watched any of his movies....
ReplyDeleteHis movies do not come up that often which is a shame because they are silent and his style is not for today
DeleteWow. there should be a movie made about his life. Very interesting. That's the stuff that makes good stories. :-)
ReplyDeleteDeb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
They did make a movie with Rudolf Nureyev believe it or not but I have never seen it and I don't think it was the best movie. It would be great if they made a film about him
DeleteWow..he died so young, didn't know this or about his awful lifestyle. Sounds like he was a very troubled young man...but forever beloved on the screen, so we can give him that. I wonder who the lady in black was.
ReplyDeleteShells–Tales–Sails
I am not sure and I should look it up as it was always a mystery. they would film her every year going to his gravesite on the anniversary of his death and she would always be veiled. He had quite the life and actually feel bad for him in picking the wrong type
DeleteThank's for your information ^___^
ReplyDeletethis a nice post
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