“Natacha was immensely admired wherever we went. But I became rather angry about that. In one of the cafes, we stopped at for supper, there was a group of officers present and they sat there, boldly, without attempt at camouflage, looking her up and down. I was just about getting ready for a good fight. Then it came to me that I probably did the same thing before I left Italy. I had forgotten that it is almost a custom of the country, a habit. But I felt resentment, because it really wasn’t a look of curiosity, polite or otherwise, It was a sort of mental undressing. The very boldness with which they did it should have disarmed me. For all the boldness of it, because of the boldness of it, I suppose, there was also a sort of naive innocence. It was stripped of all subterfuge, all attempt at concealment. In America, decidedly, had such an event taken place, I would have risen and smashed the offenders in their several jaws”. – Rudolph Valentino
Posts Tagged With: Rudolph Valentino
7 Mar 1922 – Sucess of Favorite Movie Stars
Fame has many fans. To be famous signifies the recognition of some sort of success achieved. And no surer fashion of determing the essential elements which make for higher popular acclaim can be found that which an individual exhibits in their handwriting. It is the intimatic link between the nerve-action of the hand and the mind. So when you regard the signatures of screen stars, you are looking squarely at the hgih or low lights switched on by the electrical currents of their personalities. The steady glow holds your attention. The power underneath you feel even if you do nnot know the cause. For this reason, if for no other, there is a wide demand for the personally-written signatures of men and women prominent in this expression of the drama. Likewise, upon the signature every writer unconsciously places great stress in using certain strokes that declare the prominent traits. Handwriting is the natural private gesture of each person’s whole makeup, and you will see that it only requires the eye and mind working together to form a fair judgement. In the same healthy atmosphere travels R. Valentino, whose even well-poised first moves ambitiously upwards, gesturing with his rather flamboyant capitals, exclamatory of his intense vitality and the conscious belief in himself. Each carefully-connected stroke invites you to look into his active mind, beeming with an intense desire to make good. In each curve lurks a laugh. In the straight base-line, strengthened by the long underscoring sweep, be assured you frankly t hat he has a great deal of nerve and will never be satisfied until you meet him frequently. That bold hook on the end of his “t” shows his grit, his clinching hold on every detail in order to produce in a versatile manner with artistic finesse. The way he gathers his letters together a clutch denotes his practical side. Once attempt to worst him by any ill treatment and his whole temperment will arise with an adequate come-back. It would surprise you, as he is tactful and pleasing in manner. by nature vitally strong, he is the type who will meet flame with flame and enter into the gaiety of living. Yet, pressure being even, he understands the art of self-dominance. By this his advance along, the stellar way can be measured by the height of his signature. “Very High”!
1922 – Studio Backlot Gossip
The Young Rajah,” Rodolph Valentino’s new Paramount picture which Philip E. Rosen is directing, has many fascinating situations and gives the athletic star a chance to show his metal. Wanda Hawley is the pretty leading woman and her co-star Rudolph Valentino is spending all his spare time lately with boxing gloves, fencing foils and a medicine ball—that is, whenever he isn’t riding horseback.
Mr. Rodolph Valentino is back at work on “The Young Rajah,” with Philip Rosen at the megaphone. The adaptation is by June Mathis. The story starts with a mysterious scene and works up to a dramatic climax which it would be hard to excel.
Baron James H. deRothschild, eldest son of the famous French family of financiers, was a guest at our West Coast Studio recently and under the escort of General Manager Victor H. Clarke, Paul Iribe, Fred Kley, Rodolph Valentino, and Adam Hull Shirk, inspected with keen insight and a ready comprehension the intricate W’orkings of the big plant where our pictures are made.
Sensational to the limit are said to be the scenes which Mr. Valentino does sword and cape play before the real fighting bulls. He was trained for the dangerous business by Rafael Palomar, famous Spanish matador, and became highly proficient in the art.
Rodolph goes to San Francisco May 5th to appear at the mammoth benefit to be given by the Mayor’s Citizen Committee to raise funds to help entertain the disabled veterans at the Convention June 26-30 of the Disabled American Veterans of the first World War. Silent Film Star Rodolph Valentino will be escorted by a squadron of cavalry and prominent officials to the hotel and will be royally welcomed.
When Valentino and Naldi were working before the camera, the entire personnel unconsciously drew around them and watched with awe the wonderful acting of this pair. Can you see Mr. Valentino doing a Spanish dance with Nita Naldi, and Lila Lee playing the beautiful Spanish wife? This production was directed by Fred Nihlo, the one and same man who directed “The Three Musketeers”-—that alone should be enough for any exhibitor to know, that together with this marvelous story, under the guiding hand of this capable director and with Rodolph, Nita Naldi and Lila Lee, it will do a record-breaking business at his box-office.
Feb 1922 – Around Hollywood
Perhaps you adoring lady-fans would like to know what becomes of the violet scented mash-notes you send in reams and reams to Rudolph Valentino “screen lover”. He gets only 900 of them a week and said recently that if they continued he might be forced to retire from the big screen. Forced to retire “by pestering women”. This may break the hearts of countless flappers but truth must out. His “fan” letters are turned over to Madame Rambovas maid, who is supposed to answer them in he name of the star. We did find out all money received from admiring fan letters and it is no small sum either goes to the maid. So maybe you might want to think twice about sending money.
Agnes Ayres has received legal permission to drop “Shucker” from her name, having recently dropped the gentlman to whom the last name belongs. Thought Agnes real name was Henkle? A boy who claims to be her brother makes a none too lucrative living by mowing lawns around Hollywood. Says he’d rather do that than work in films! Wow! Agnes is a mighty fine girl, anyway.
The editor of a movie periodical was enraged recently because of Katherine MacDonald’s refusal to pose for some hair-dressing pictures for his magazine she being the only star in Hollywood to pass up this form of publicity that takes so well with the feminine “fan” readers. It wasn’t because she wanted to be up-stage. Then why? Shh! Because the American Beauty is said to wear more “puffs” than real hair!
Rudolph Valentino, the Italian actor who played leading roles in Rex Ingram Productions for Metro “The Four Horsemen” and “Conquering Power” was being shown through the Italian gardens of a Hollywood hostess. “How charming” he exclaimed, with bubblinh Latin enthusiasm. “We have nothing like this in Italy”. Well of course you don’t
In 1914, at the Waldorf Astoria Wedgewood Room, there was a shy dark featured young man who was paid $7 a week. He always sat moody, tense and by himself in a corner. A woman patron when entered the ballroom was met by the manager who would clap his hands. Valentino must jump and dance with her and afterwards he hated it when the woman tipped him..
17 Jan 1924 – Valentino A Writer?
We just received two books by Rudolph Valentino. One shows the practical man, while the other is the product of an aesthetic mood. The titles are “How You Can Keep Fit” and “Daydreams”. The fit book is straightaway prose and its character maybe judged by the following chapter headings: The Foundation of Strength Is a Good Back, You are Judged By Your Chest and Your Shoulders and Let Your Abdomen Have the Strength of Iron Bands”. But Mr. Valentino does not derive from Sparta alone. He can turn quite readily from deep breathing to soft sighing. Even though he chins himself 50 times a morning in front of an open window, languor still creeps in his life. It is “Daydreams” that we find “Three Generations of Kisses” “Morphia” and “The Philosophy of a Pessimist”. Apparently, a good circulation is not enough to keep a man from gloomy thoughts. Many a melting heart beats behind an abdomen of iron. A man may touch his toes 100 times and yet find that he cannot put a finger upon the intangible. If Valentino wins a permanent place in our literature, he is going to cause all sorts of trouble for the commentators of succeeding generations. Two schools of criticism will rise out the conflict. One will content that Valentino is the literary heir of Shelly, while the other will maintain that he has picked up the torch of Walter Camp. And both schools will be right. To us the poetic Valentino is more appealing than the stern ascetic who writes: “The truth is that in order to keep the human body strong, flexible and in tip-top shape one simply must keep up enough physical activity to insure a maximum of condition. Just as soon as one becomes lazy or careless, he begins to slip back. There is no reason why one should slip back. There is no reason indeed, but genius is neither logical nor reasonable. Pagan man knew is neither logical nor reasonable. Pagan man knew that inconsistency was an attribute of the gods and demigods. Great Jupiter had a good back and shoulders and chest above reproach, but he did break training upon occasion. And so, it is with Rudolph Valentino. He has been careless, at the very least, or he could hardly have penned the bitter lament which occurs in the opening stanzas of “Cremation”: “Just a packet of letters tied with a bit of blue; Just a packet of letters, that once were sent by you. To one who proved unworthy of the love inscribed within the tiny packet of letters, a witness of my sin”. Consider still another contrast between Valentino the prophet of Puritanism and Valentino the Bacchic of the groves. We quote first from “How to Keep Fit” “When working in pictures in California, I make it my business to be in bed by 1030, if not sooner. Ten thirty is the extreme limit. To stay up any later than that is dissipation in its most exaggerated form. Only a few big yearly events ever tempt me to ignore this retiring hour of 1030; at least when working in pictures. The truth is that I could not keep up with the exacting demands of my work otherwise. In California, I always arise at 6 o’clock and then put in about 45 minutes in my gymnasium at boxing, wrestling, and throwing the medicine ball. After such a workout I have a shower. The task of reconciling these apparent contradictions is beyond us. We give up and leave the problem, “Rudolph Valentino May or Myth” to the ages. For that is where it belongs
06 Jan 1939 – Time Has Been Cruel to Rudolph Valentino
Filmed in 1926, “Son of the Sheik” still has its entertainment value as long as it is viewed in its proper light and movie setting. Patrons of the cinema where this picture is being shown, will think it very funny. Remember Valentino would not have given a similar performance today. He is dead and unable to protest against a revival of a 13 year old film. The acting profession has changed a great deal since the silent era. Judge this film for yourself movie goers and the characterization as equal to that of Charles Chaplain and Harold Lloyd. That is being unkind to a great artist.
1920 – Once to Every Woman
Initially released 6 Sep 1920 and re-released again in 1922, “Once to Every Woman” is about a selfish spoiled young woman named Aurora Meredith. Aurora has become well-known locally in her small village as having a wonderful singing voice. One day, a wealthy woman has decided to take her under the wing and sponsor her continued music studies in Italy. After three years, on the continent, her sponsor dies, and she is without funds to complete her final year. Desperate Aurora accepts financial aid from an unknown young Italian man named Juliantimo. A bargain was struck and in lieu of payment she will marry him. When Aurora starts to gain fame and recognition, she starts to avoid Juliantimo. Soon with an offer to appear in New York City she immediate accepts and leaves to avoid the young Italian. During a singing appearance she meets the Duke of Devonshire who is besotted with her. The duke asks for her hand in marriage and arranges for her to have a leading role in an upcoming opera.
The night of the opera’s premiere Juliantimo appears in her dressing room and demands she uphold her bargain and marry him. Aurora refuses and orders him out. A discouraged Juliantimo returns to his sea and the Duke of Devonshire along with his fried Phineas Schudder to watch her performance. Towards the end of the performance Aurora notices from the stage Juliantimo has a gun and he fires a shot at her and misses. Turning the gun, he commits suicide. Aurora traumatized by all that has happened and discovers she has lost her voice. Doctors tell her she will never sing again and once her so-called friends find out leave her utterly alone. Aurora realizes how false and fleeting fame is and realizes without love life has no meaning. In the meantime, Phineas has become famous as a poet and tries to see her to no avail. Aurora returns to hearth and family and realizes there is no place but home for her. Aurora’s mother has become ill and begs for her to sing a song and in her sorrow doesn’t realize she has her voice back. But it doesn’t matter she remains in her local village and realizes that giving back is the greatest happiness of all. She starts teaching the village children and reunites with Phineas who gives her all the love she has been looking for.
Directed by Allen Holuber, Jewel Productions, released by Universal Pictures. The lead role was Dorothy Phillips, Rudolph Valentino, Margaret Mann, William Ellingford, Elinor Field. This is a lost film.
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