12 Sep 1967 – Gerardo Cetrulo, Foils Expert Assisted Valentino in Movie Career

Gerardo Cetrulo, 89 world fencing champion who lived at 556 Clifton Ave, died Sunday at Clara Mass Memorial Hospital. “Fencing whets the minds appetite” he said, at the age of 73 when he agreed to teach the sport at the Boys Club of Newark, New Jersey. “It develops alert mental faculties and stars a youngster on the road to clear thinking. A youngster who has his wits about him is not apt to get into any mischief”.  Mr. Cetrulo came from Caposele, Italy to New Jersey before the turn of the century and was introduced to the sport that was to dominate his life thereafter.  A colorful figure, Mr. Centrulo was the center of many controversies among fans of the sport.  His sharpest rivalries were those with Don Generos Pavese, his former teacher and Gus Troxier.  Mr. Cetrulo helped Rudolph Valentino get a start on his film career.  Valentino studied fencing in Newark under Mr. Cetrulo who introduced him to D.W. Griffith, movie mogul who was then working at movie studios in Ft. Lee, New Jersey.  After reaching stardom Valentino always returned to Mr. Cetrulo for fencing lessons before a new picture.  Mr. Cetrulo was a former fencing instruction at Barringer High School. In 1929, he won the collegiate fencing championship, New York Athletic Club.  Mr. Cetrulos 8 children were all fencers. Two of them, Dean a teacher in Parasnippay, Dr. Gerald Cetrulo were members of the American Olympic Team at different times.  Mr. Cetrulo’s 3 daughters were also accomplished fencers.