Monthly Archives: Nov 2016

1925 – Rudy and Natacha

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Valentino in Palm Springs

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26 Aug 1926 – Sheik Poor Financier, Says Friend

The world’s greatest lover was the world’s poorest financier. If Rudolph Valentino had any bank balance at all when he died, it was but a few hundred dollars, his close friend, Joseph Schenck hazards. Last year the sheik earned between a million and a million and a quarter dollars and spent virtually every cent of it. There was no reverence for money in “Rudy’s” makeup. There was no bent-for its accumulation.  Valentino was prodigal, gullible. If he saw something he wanted whether an automobile, a tapestry or a fishing pole he bought it, regardless of price says Schenck., head of United Artists. “I should judge his home at Hollywood was worth $75,000. He always owned four of five cars and some riding horses. “For his home, he bought many painting s and tapestries often at inflated prices. He had a collection of fencing foils, and another of guns/ “Anybody could touch him. He carried $50,000 personal insurance. Friends often advised him to increase the amount, but here again is Valentino’s disregard for money was manifest. Accumulating lasting wealth in life or leaving it in death meant nothing to him. “But for his business manager George Ullman, he might easily have died broke.” Valentino had a 50% interest in the net profits of “The Son of the Sheik” and “The Eagle.” These two pictures still are playing over the country, and the Valentino Estate doubtless will receive a comfortable amount from them. His salary from the production organization of United Artists was $6500 per week $338,000 a year. For making each of his earlier pictures of importance, Valentino generally received $200,000 and a 25% share of the profits.  So far, as Schenck knows Valentino never invested in stocks or bonds and owned no real estate other than his house. Thus his estate is without “quick assets” other than his insurance. Both his parents are dead. Valentino was unusually fond of his brother Alberto Guglielmi and his sister Maria. He was devoted to Alberto’s children. To these kin, probably will go such worldly goods as failed to slip through “Rudy’s” fingers. The world’s greatest lover was the world’s poorest financier. If Rudolph Valentino had any bank balance at all when he died, it was but a few hundred dollars, his close friend, Joseph Schenck hazards. Last year the sheik earned between a million and a million and a quarter dollars and spent virtually every cent of it. There was no reverence for money in “Rudy’s” makeup. There was no bent-for its accumulation.  Valentino was prodigal, gullible. If he saw something he wanted whether an automobile, a tapestry or a fishing pole he bought it, regardless of price says Schenck., head of United Artists. “I should judge his home at Hollywood was worth $75,000. He always owned four of five cars and some riding horses. “For his home, he bought many painting s and tapestries often at inflated prices. He had a collection of fencing foils, and another of guns/ “Anybody could touch him. He carried $50,000 personal insurance. Friends often advised him to increase the amount, but here again is Valentino’s disregard for money was manifest. Accumulating lasting wealth in life or leaving it in death meant nothing to him. “But for his business manager George Ullman, he might easily have died broke.” Valentino had a 50% interest in the net profits of “The Son of the Sheik” and “The Eagle.” These two pictures still are playing over the country, and the Valentino Estate doubtless will receive a comfortable amount from them. His salary from the production organization of United Artists was $6500 per week $338,000 a year. For making each of his earlier pictures of importance, Valentino generally received $200,000 and a 25% share of the profits.  So far, as Schenck knows Valentino never invested in stocks or bonds and owned no real estate other than his house. Thus his estate is without “quick assets” other than his insurance. Both his parents are dead. Valentino was unusually fond of his brother Alberto Guglielmi and his sister Maria. He was devoted to Alberto’s children. To these kin, probably will go such worldly goods as failed to slip through “Rudy’s” fingers.

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2017 Rudolph Valentino Calendar

Miss Donna Hill has provided another beautiful calendar for the year 2017. Rudolph Valentino is shown with his friends and colleagues throughout this calendar. This product is spiral bound for the price of $15.00. You can purchase your calendar here:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/donna-hill/rudolph-valentino-friends-2017/calendar/product-22920374.html
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“Natacha Rambova is a newcomer among moving picture artists, her first commission shows that she belongs to the seekers after new methods of scenic expression”. Edward Weitzel, Moving Picture World, Oct 1921

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1924 – 270 Park Avenue, New York City

 The year was 1913, the beginning of modernizing New York where old buildings were torn down and new construction widespread throughout the city in the form of luxurious hotels and house-like apartment buildings. At the same time, famous streets such as Park Avenue began their start when they became a high-class residential area. Famous New York Society Architects Warren & Wetmore were commissioned to design another ambitious project. The building would be u-shaped in the form of ultra-luxury mansion apartments combined with an apartment hotel located at 270 Park Avenue. As soon as the news hit the street rich and famous alike rushed over to become the newest building occupants. In 1917, construction was completed and newspapers had headlines that read “the largest apartment building of a kind” with an arcaded central courtyard featuring 3000 rooms and 100 millionaires who called this place home. New Residents had choices beginning with 6 room apartments up to 19 room apartments that come with exorbant rental prices no matter the apartment choice.  270 Park Avenue, had some of the most famous names of the day, as building residents. In 1924, silent film star Rudolph Valentino and his wife newly arrived into New York City from their recent trip to Europe where they bought props for their next joint movie titled “The Hooded Falcon”. They leased a long-term spacious apartment furnished with antiques purchased from abroad. It is not known how much the rent was for this apartment but from what I read the amount was massive  for that time period. While the Valentinos were living in the apartment preparing for their next picture they heard producer J.D. Williams bought the film rights for what would be Rudy’s next movie picture titled “Cobra”. However, at the same time Rudy experienced financial setback with “The Hooded Falcon” also there was limited movie studio space available in the city for them to film. So after many weeks, of delays and with an uncertain future for their movie Rudolph and Natacha decided to moved back to Hollywood so Rudy could film his next picture “Cobra”. Research has shown as of early 1925, Rudolph Valentino still maintained a lease on the apartment.

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1932 – Rudy still speaks to Natacha

This morning, I came down the hill from Rudolph Valentino’s home Falcon Lair where I had slept in his bedroom, reported to be haunted, I was consumed with an intense longing to meet Natacha Rambova, the woman for whom Valentino had built this crag perched nest. I had heard and read about her meetings with Rudolph Valentino’s spirit. I wanted to hear what she would say about them, I was not at all certain but that I had felt that same spirit during the memorable night in his bedroom. I have said I am neither a believer in the return of the spirit. I say now that were I to spend many hours with Natacha Rambova, I should be a believer. I spent several with her in NYC and I believe her to be as assured of her messages from her departed former husband as you and I are assured of what we have eaten for breakfast each morning. Her faith dates back to the time when Rudolph Valentino discovered he was psychic. Until then she had paid no more attention to the occult than the average man or woman who is spending every moment to develop a career and make a living. The insight into Valentino’s powers came shortly after the death of June Mathis mother. The four were constantly together and the three Natacha, Rudolph and June suffered together a the mothers departing. A woman who had been a longtime friend of Mrs. Jenny Mathis was at the funeral. This was the first time Mr. and Mrs Valentino met her. A few weeks later they received a letter from her. Natacha laughed as she recalled this letter. “It was a wild letter. the woman was afraid we would think her a fool. She said something like this ‘I was sitting down the other day starting to write when my pencil suddenly started to go backwards. It was really embarrasses me to write this to you but when I had finished my hand writing automatically I had to hold the paper before a mirror to read it. It was a message for Rudy.’ The message was from an Italian woman who had been his nurse when he was 8 or 9 years of age. It asked if he remembered certain childhood happenings such as rumbling from the porch backwards. All this time he was reading it, Rudy kept exclaiming my heavens. When he finished reading the letter he was frightened. There were things in that message which no one in this country, not even myself, could possibly have known. I don’t want to know anything about it. I don’t want to get into this sort of thing he kept exclaiming. But curiosity overcame that reluctant feeling which most people have in contemplating messages from departed spirits. Eventually Mr. and Mrs. Valentino sent for this woman to visit them. She would take plain yellow paper (yellow is the most psychic color) and a large soft lead pencil. Understand, she had never received messages until the first one for Rudy. We would sit around and talk at random. She would join in the conversation merely holding the pencil. When the writings began she kept right on talking. She made absolutely no effort with the pencil. The first communication was from Jenny Mathis and it was advice for Rudy. As amazed as we were, we could not help but believe it. Throughout the litigation with Famous Pictures we were told four and five days ahead of time what was going to happen. It was as though we were given a warning. And if we, had only followed the advice given by the automatic writings we would have been saved much trouble. But we didn’t pay too much attention to the advice. We had seen too many people go crazy about this sort of thing we were determined to keep our common sense with it all. Then Rudy discovered that he could receive messages through the pencil. I never could. I am not mediumistic. Of course there were other happenings which proved that Rudy was psychic. His handling of animals was nothing short of remarkable. One time we had a pet lion. We took it as a very young cub and it grew as devoted to Rudy as any dog could possibly be. When it was four months old it discovered a way to unlatch the windows and slip out for an outing. The Hollywood neighbors didn’t seem to appreciate these wanderings, so we were forced to send it to the zoo. Some months later we were leaving for San Francisco and went to the zoo to say goodbye. The keeper warned us to keep away from our pet as he had turned
vicious and would not recognize us. We stopped to the cage and were met with a snarl and a growl. We went on to inspect other cages. Suddenly, I missed Rudy. I turned back to the lion’s cage. Sitting on the inside, on the floor, was my former husband. Crouched across from him was the lion. Would he spring? I stood rooted to the spot. There were several moments of suspense then the lion crawled over and placed his shaggy head in the man’s lap Rudy had conquered. Naturally there were other examples of Rudy’s ability to communicate with those on the astral plane. Jenny always told him she would be the first one to greet him when he passed from this place of existence. People wondered why Rudy called ‘Jenny’ when he was so desperately ill at the hospital. They hunted for an unknown girl. He was calling to Jenny Mathis with whom he was in constant communication. He had seen her. And he knew, during those dreadful hours of his illness, that since he had actually seen Jenny, he himself was really departing. I was in Paris. By the time, of Rudy’s death I had become seriously interested in the occult and had taken it up as a study just as you investigate any science. To me it is no more unusual for people on this plane to talk with those on the next plane. Just so you must have, unless you yourself are psychic a medium through which you can listen to those who are on the astral plane. There is nothing weird, uncanny or religious about it. It is just as much a science as the radio or telephone or aeroplane. Only in communicating with those who have passed on, you require a person as a medium. There are few really developed mediums in existence. I realized that there are many people who use what they call occult powers unscrupulously to misguide gullible people. Because there have been so many fakes, people are accustomed to pooh-pooh the idea without investigation. A medium must be a vacuum. He or she must have the power to allow the conscious call to pass from the body. He must become as negative as possible. He must be the paper upon which a thing is printed, never the one who does the printing. George Wehner of Detroit is such a man. He is the most negative of any medium I have known. He chanced to be in France when Rudy was dying. We knew everything that was happening in New York two and three days before it happened. Before he died, Rudy talked with us he was under an antistatic He was terribly depressed. He had seen Jenny and knew he was going to die. He did not to die the answers were incoherent. A few days before he actually passed on George Ullman sent a cable saying Rudy was better. A message from Mesolope an old Egyptian who used to communicate with Rudy through automatic writings reversed the decision of the doctors in New York City. We had hoped that Mesolope was wrong that there had been a mistake in the communication. This was on a Friday. Monday Morning, I awoke to find the atmosphere of my room heavy with tuberoses. Then I knew
Rudy had passed on. When the delayed cable gram arrived, I was glad Mesolope warned us. His message from beyond that Rudy was coming to them somewhat softened the cruelty of the news for us. Rudy began communicating with us at once. At first he was wretched at sea in his new life. He hadn’t wanted to
die. His own writings will some you something of his attitude. For convenience Miss Rambova read the early message from Rudolph Valentino to me from her book “Rudy” printed in Great Britain. She has, however, all of the original copies as sent by Valentino through the medium and taken down by her as delivered. We
give only a few of the number she gave to us.” “There are so many things to learn it is pretty confusing at times I have to let go, it seems of the old way of looking at things. Is the earth world, I or we, I think I had better say, looking only at the outward appearance of things and events. But here, we
are the outside of the world and the inside as well. It is strange but since I am in this new plane of life I do not feel hurried or rushed anymore. So much love I have never seen before. Everyone seems to beam with it. Caruso whom as you remember I always admired so, comes to see me frequently. I am not sure
whether he comes to me or I go to him. He does not look just as he used to either. He looks more as his music sounded, if you can imagine what I mean. You see, there does not seem to be the right kind of words to tell these things with understanding. Because I knew something about life after death before I came over, it has not taken me long to find myself. That is, to acclimate myself to these new conditions. My automatic writings which you enjoyed so much Natacha taught me a great deal. We did not pay attention to them as we should. It was so easy just to find them interesting. It is difficult to put real help and advice into our daily lives, isn’t it? I have seen many lovely houses over here. The houses are built by spirits who have learned how to mould this thought force. It is all done by the thought process. These are numerous other messages dealing directly with his experience on the astral plane. He has foretold her of coming inventions. The most recent is a sled-shaped affair upon which we will sit pull a lever and fly through the air via radio control. People often ask Miss Rambova how she knows so certainly that it is Rudolph Valentino talking to her? She answered ‘But if your husband called you on the telephone would you not recognize his voice’? In his enthusiasm he often misused certain English expressions. He uses the same semi-Italian semi-American phrases in talking now. Naturally, we could write a book on this subject. She talked to us for more than 2 hours as unaffectedly as though she were discussing the Presidential elections. We may believe or scoff, but we could not but believe that she was sincere. “And do you think that Rudolph Valentino stalks at Falcon Lair?” We had waited until the end to put that question forth. Miss Rambova replied he returns there of course. It was his home. It was only natural that he should come back, is it not? As for the dogs naturally they could see what you could not. Animals have more psychic than persona.

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“American women have developed their own sense of beauty tremendously, especially in the last year. There is an increasing desire on the part of more and more women to express their own individuality in their clothing”..Natacha Rambova, Clothing Designer, 13 Sep 1930

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In 1924, for Motion Picture Magazine Natacha Rambova poses for famed photographer Russell Ball.

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23 Aug 1934 – After 8 years, Rudy on the Silver Screen

This year and it is with pardonable pride that Movie Classic Magazine presents this exclusive scoop story upon the occasion of the commemoration of the 8th anniversary of Rudolph Valentino’s death. How can his memory be honored more fittingly than by the announcement that you may see him on the screen again? There has never been a autobiography of a motion picture personality before. Can it be that Rudy sensed his destiny as an immortal? Could he have felt that his admirers would remain faithful All these years? Did he recognize the demands of his public to see him after death and therefore provided an undying memorial? These are questions to which you and I will never know The answers. We can only guess. Amateur photography was one of Rudy’s hobbies. As a large number of star’s today are devotees of the amateur or 16mm camera, so did he experiment With standard-size moving pictures. In a particularly gay mood, it was his pleasure to send for a studio cameraman to film little impromptu plays that he enacted for his own guests amusements. This private film was later screen at other parties. In rummaging through some of Rudy’s effects his brother uncovered reels and reels of it. The reason this film was not discovered sooner that the cans containing it were thought to be merely discarded screen tests. It must be remembered that Alberto saw very little of Rudolph in the latter span of his life. The brothers were separated by half the world one in Italy the other in Hollywood. From time to time, there had been talk of a long-lost private Valentino film. Pola Negri once told me of it. Regretting its loss. Now it has been found. I have seen several reels in a projection room. Even in uncut un-chronological form, the film is tremendously impressive. Imagine if you can, a smiling, laughing Rudolph Valentino, a care-free vital fellow at play a tender lover. It is a far more revealing portrait of the actual person than was ever discovered. In a compromising situation by his wife and Rudy. His wife takes Alberto away by the ear and Rudy proceeds to spank Pola. There are many informal pictures posed in the swimming pool. Once Pola is seated astride a rubber sea horse waving at the camera, when Rudy suddenly dives to upset her for a ducking. Several other times there are evidences of his fondness for practical joking. With Natacha Rambova he is more sedate, the nearest approach to a playful mood being a romp with his dogs on the lawn of his Whitley Heights home. Jean Acker his first wife, appears only one time and never with Rudy. The identity of some of the other ladies who play with Rudy in this, his greatest film may never be known except to themselves. Others, of course, are well remembered actresses of the day Agnes Ayres, Nita Naldi, Alice Terry. The wedding of Mae Murray to fake prince David M’Divani consumes nearly a reel. The reception held at Valentino’s home is peopled with famous guests. Contrasting With such intimate scenes is the large amount of scenic footage taken with Rudy as the cameraman. His devotion to beauty and appreciation of it could have no more convincing proof than the pictures of his beloved Italy. He achieved startling and breath-taking pictures of imposing cathedrals and quaint little churches. He realized fully the art of the motion picture camera and made use of it with the masterful Hand of a true artist. The camera was an important part of his luggage when he made his last trip to his native land. He must have spent days traveling about, photographing things that caught his fancy Preserving bits of beauty in celloid that he might again enjoy them upon his return to America and work. There are several dozen views of the exquisite bay of Naples. Scenic Italy has been the subject of many Screen travelogues. But you have never seen it as Valentino photographed it the man was homesick and his nostalgia is evident by his almost reverent presentation of his beautiful homeland. Thousands of writers Have penned great epitaphs for Rudolph Valentino. Yet he unconsciously wrote a greater one for himself I loved beauty. Rudy also photographed the magnificent castle on the Hudnut estate. It is Believed that he took them after his separation from Natacha Rambova the girl he married under her screen name and continued to love until his death. Only once did Valentino take his camera with him to the studio and then solely for the purpose of filming his blooded Arabian horse in action. Is Alberto’s possession more than a reel of film taken at Rudy’s funeral in New York and Hollywood. Thousands of people can be seen lining the streets of both cities. Movie celebrities by the score came to bid a final farewell Charlie Chaplain, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Sr, Harold Lloyd, The Talmadge’s Joseph Schenck and hosts of others attended the services It comprises an imposing climax for the screen’s first autobiography.

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1934 – Rudy Lives

Rudolph Valentino lives again on the screen! A film record of his most intimate private life has been recently discovered by Alberto Valentino the late film star’s brother. It is possible that the memoirs of the movies greatest lover may be released to the public within the next few months.

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