13 Mar 1923 – Rudolph Valentino Married in Crown Point

The Crown Point marriage mill cut another notch in the hall of public fame on Wednesday afternoon when Rudolph Valentino and Miss Winifred De Wolfe, with a party of friends from New York and Chicago journeyed to the famous “Gretna Green” and were married by Justice of the Peace Howard Kemp. After securing the necessary license at the county clerk’s office, in which Valentino gave his name as Rudolph Gugliemi, aged 28, and his bride as Winifred De Wolfe, aged 26.  the couple went immediately to the office of Judge Kemp and the ring ceremony was performed which made them man and wife. Several witnesses were present at the marriage ceremony and those signing their marriage certificate were Attorney Michael Romona, of Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Butler Graham, of New York, and Mrs. Welner, of Salt Lake City, Utah.  Judge Theodore Klotz, of Hammond, a friend of the party accompanied them to Crown Point.  When it became noised about that the famous screen artists were in the city, a crowd quickly gathered curious to see Valentino and his bride and they were given an impromptu ovation and showered with congratulations as the party started Chicago-ward after the ceremony.   Following the marriage, the news was flashed to the press of the world and once again Crown Point gets into the limelight as being the scene of the marriage of famous folk. Valentino, while going through the ceremony appeared as nervous as any country swain that ever took the important step and there was nothing about his appearance during the ceremony that bore out world-wide reputation of being the cool, calm deliberate and “perfect lover” of screen fame.