Early Life
Valentino was born in the town of Castellaneta in Southern Italy. His mother was French and idolised him. His father was an army vet who disapproved of his often spoiled and troublesome nature.Valentino did not perform well at school but did attend agricultural college and was awarded a degree. Following a year in Paris, he returned to Italy but unable to find a job he emigrated to the United States in 1913
Relationships
Valentino’s private life was often troubled by his relationships and questions about his sexuality. He befriended the Chilean heiress Blanca de Saulles and was arrested on unspecified vice charges after her husband used his political influences to end the relationship. The evidence was poor and following the trial Blanca de Saulles shot her husband dead over the custody of their son. Valentino found difficulties in obtaining employment following this episode although a romantic link was never confirmed.
His first marriage to Jean Acker never really got off the ground. Acker, a lesbian, regretted her decision to marry him and locked him out of their room on their wedding night. She eventually divorced him because of his ‘desertion’ but despite this, they remained firm friends until his death.
Valentino’s stormy second marriage to Natacha Rambova initially resulted in an annulment and a second arrest. His divorce had not been finalised forl twelve months at the time and he was considered a bigamist. Rambova and Valentino lived separately for a year before finally having their union finally recognised. His friends and business colleagues did not approve of Rambova and he became ostracised by many of them. His marriage was to end bitterly.
Finally, his masculinity continued to provide source of speculation. Valentino always maintained he was heterosexual and vehemently attacked those who questioned his preferences. Many Americans believed he was a threat to the male image and disliked his looks and his success on screen. Women, however, loved him.
Career
When Valentino first arrived in the US he did not find work easily and lived on the streets for a short time. He found dancing success but was encouraged to follow a career in cinema which at that time was still in the silent film period. He had several small parts in several films but always as a ‘heavy’ despite his desire to become a star. His role in The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse (1921) was to raise him to stardom. It quickly became a critical and commercial success and was among the first films to make $1million dollars at the box office. However, the film studio rejected his star status and continued to pay him at his pre star salary and offering him a bit part in a B movie. Eventually, French producers who offered him more respect and better pay seduced Valentino and he went on to star in many roles..
His creative nature was not just confined to the screen, however. Valentino published a book of poems Daydreams (1923), wrote several serials in magazines which would later be published as books, founded his own production company to satisfy his fascination with movie making and made two vocal recordings which were not released until after his death.
Following surgery for a perforated ulcer, Valentino developed peritonitis and died eight days following the operation. There was a full public mourning with over 100,000 people lining the streets to pay their respects. His funeral however, was marred with a failed publicity stunt. At the time of his death, he was just 31 with a lifetime of achievement yet to fulfil.
References:
A Walker, Rudolph Valentino, Stein and Day (1976)
Irving Shulman, Valentino Trident Press (1967)
Robert Obefirst, Rudolph Valentiono: The man behind the myth, Citadel Press (1962)
