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.