Rudolph Valentino

Silent screen idol Rudolph Valentino as he appeared in the 1921 film THE SHEIK. Hollywood's original Latin Lover, he was born Rodolfo Alfonso Raffaello Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella on May 6, 1895 in Castellaneta, Italy. After immigrating to the United States in 1913, he moved to Hollywood, taking up small film roles until he landed his breakout role as Julio in "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (1921). Idolized as "The Great Lover" of the 1920s, he starred in several romantic dramas, including "The Sheik" (1921), "Blood and Sand" (1922) and "The Eagle" (1925). Released in 1926, "Son of the Sheik" was to be Valentino's last film. While on a promotional tour, he collapsed at a party in New York. He was promptly hospitalized at the Polyclinic Hospital and underwent surgery. Just as he appeared to be recuperating, he took a turn for the worse. When his female fans got word of his impending death, the hospital received 2000 calls per hour. Valentino sadly passed away on August 23, 1926, of peritonitis and a perforated ulcer at just 31 years old. Upon news of his death, it was reported that a number of his female fans allegedly committed suicide. Before his burial in a Los Angeles crypt, thousands of hysterical fans viewed his body over three days at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel. At one point there was a riot around the building in which 100 people were injured. After Valentino's death, a cult of personality formed around him. Legend has it that a mysterious "lady in black" places flowers on his crypt each year on the anniversary of his death. His diaries were twice published: "My Private Diary" (1929) and "The Intimate Journal of Rudolph Valentino" (1931). Two film biographies were released in 1951 and 1977, both titled "Valentino" and a television movie, "Legend of Valentino", was made in 1975.

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