9 Jul 1956 – Rudolph Valentino Shrine Keeps Alive his Memory

Rudolph Valentino the greatest screen lover of them all, will have been dead 50 years on Aug 23 but his spirit lives again in a modest walkup apartment on Hollywood Boulevard. Nearly hidden among the shops is a flight of stairs leading to one of the movie colony’s strangest sights a shrine to Valentino. Its keeper is a stunt man who worked with the late star and so admired Valentino that he changed his own name to Rudolph Florentino. After Valentino died, Florentino devoted his life to collecting the stars photographs, momentous and 10 years ago organized them into a shrine. “I want to keep his memory alive” explained Florentino as he showed me through the three rooms bedecked with Valentino possessions. In our room are Valentino’s fencing rods and the hat he wore in the “Four Horsemen” I even tried on Rudy’s navy-blue yachting jacket or at least the NY Tailor’s label inside the jacket said it was his Valentino was a slender, small man. “I have all his publicity photographs” said Florentino bringing out stacks of negatives. The second room holds a library of books about Valentino plus the actor’s own scrapbooks. The third room is decorated like a sheik’s tent – sand, oriental rugs, and lamps and low couches and tables. On the bed where Florentino himself sleeps are Valentino’s cane and sword. Two candles burn beside a picture of Valentino. His scarves, homburg hat, and spats are above the bed. Florentino proudly wears a silver wrist chain inscribed “To Rudy from Rudolph 1925”.