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Thread: Rudolph Valentino

  1. #1
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    Rudolph Valentino

    Rudolph Valentino, with his smoldering and dark good looks, he such a mystique and sex symbol, though alot of people still consider him one. I still do. Besides me on here, do we have any Rudolph Valentino fans? I read somewhere that he knew he was going to die young. Any thoughts? Opinions?

  2. #2
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    Count me in. When I read something that indicates Hollywood in the twenties (1920's), It is Valentino that first comes to mind. He did have a sexy regal quality about him. So sad to die at 31. I've always thought how great it would be to actually view his beloved estate Falcon Lair in person. I doubt much is left of the original interior design.


    Due to years of insomnia, I have learned to appreciate those wonderful channels that showcase the old silent films of the twenties. I'm also a Mary Pickford fan.

  3. #3
    Phartus Guest

    Thumbs up Rudolph Valentino history in Indiana

    For those of you who live in the eastern United States, Rudolph Valentino was married in the Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point, Indiana, which is a terrific place to visit. The courthouse is now a visitor's center with shops and so forth. There is a cafe there called "Valentino's" which displays a copy of his marriage certificate. Crown Point is located in northern Indiana, not too far from Chicago. They have also had other noteable celebrity marriages there including I believe, Muhammed Ali, among others. Beautiful place and neat old downtown square setting, particularly during the summer months.

    http://www.crownpoint.net/courthouse.htm

    http://www.crownpoint.net/valentinos.htm

    And one other great place to check out: around the corner is the famous jail that John Dillinger escaped from by carving a bar of soap to look like a gun and painting it with shoe polish (it's about a block from the Courthouse Square).
    Last edited by Phartus; 10-08-2007 at 08:36 PM.

  4. #4
    erin Guest
    How neat! I live in Lake County, CA.

  5. #5
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    Awesome, it's nice to know that there are Valentino fans out there. I lived in Cali for the longest time, and never too, the time to go see his grave nor his star on the Walk of Fame we did alot of walking and drinking that day and never made it to his star, I did get to see Hollywood High School, home of the Sheiks.

    Well here's a great site with some cool pic and info on him


    http://www.rudolph-valentino.com/

  6. #6
    ST Moron Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Valentino009 View Post
    Rudolph Valentino, with his smoldering and dark good looks, he such a mystique and sex symbol, though alot of people still consider him one. I still do. Besides me on here, do we have any Rudolph Valentino fans?
    I was fortunate enough to see some of his silents on the Big Screen with Mighty Wurlitzer accompaniment years ago. Needless to say, he made quite an impression.

    I think Blood and Sand stood out the most.

    Valentino was one of those actors for whom the silent era was ideal. There's something about black-and-white film and not hearing their voices that just seems....kinder...to them somehow.

    I wish I could explain it better, but the movies lost something when actors were expected to talk.

  7. #7
    I'm from Crown Point and I've been to Valentinos to eat. The court house is really a sight to see.

  8. #8
    Mrs. Watson Guest
    I got interested in Valentino when I was given a copy of the book Dark Lover. He was so sexy and handsome and lived such an interesting life. He's really something onscreen.

  9. #9
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    Does any off you go the annual valentino service at the cemetary he is in?

  10. #10
    I'm a major silent movie buff. When I visited Hollywood Forever, I couldn't decide whether to visit Rudy or Douglas Fairbanks first. I ended up going to Fairbanks first and left two carnations - one for him and one for Mary Pickford, since it's nearly impossible to get into the locked garden at Forest Lawn where Mary is interred. Glad to see that so many other people are interested in silent movies.

  11. #11
    SistaSara Guest
    Here is a picture of what is left of R.V.'s house in the Hollywood Hills. a.k.a. Falcon Lair


  12. #12
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    did rudolph put campbells on the map,or were they already well known? they have a site of course.

    i like silents too,but the overlap period,where you still have silent actors and sound,such as in 42nd st.and even later such as fort apache,are for lack of a better term,real good.
    Last edited by midnitelamp; 10-30-2007 at 02:46 AM.

  13. 10-29-2007, 05:16 PM

  14. #13
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    SistaSara- Wow....the house looks cool from that angle, though I heard that the owners are going to renovate it and possibly tear the whole thing down.

    Jayne- I love that pic of him!!!! So many thoughts running through my head. LOL! Though I read one of his interviews that women always perceived him to be more than he really was in person. But can you blame us? LOL!

    The book Dark Lover is really great read as well. I think it was one of the best biographies written about him out there.

  15. #14
    Captain Kundalini Guest

    Exclamation

    Mr. Valentino is also a ghost and with good reason.

    I've heard from my contact in LA that RudolphValentinostill haunts his former estate, Falcon's Lair, as well as Hollywood Forever Cemetery (in the Cathedral Mausoleum where he is interred in crypt 1205) because he had unfinished business at the time of his death. He was set to star in a movie called "The Hooded Falcon" to play the part of "El Cid". This was his obsession. The project fell apart when his wife and fellow Producer of the movie, Natacha Rambova, suddenly left him. This must have been what lead to his perforated ulcer which finally resulted in his death. He died on August 23, 1926 with his dog Kabar (a Great Dane) by his bedside. The story goes that when Valentino's spirit passed into the Afterlife, the dog began to howl mournfully. Any time anyone tried to come near his dead master, he menaced them by growling and barking at them. The dog was finally over powered and Valentino's body was shipped from New York City back to Hollywood where his emaciated body lay in state for his thousands of fans to view. Ever since his death, a mysterious Lady In Black has made visits to his crypt to leave roses. To this day, no one knows the true identity of the original LIB, though some speculate that it was Valentino's first wife. Valentino's restless ghost has also been seen walking the studio lot of Paramount Studios which is right behind Hollywood Forever.. A Security Guard once reported seeing a man of about 30 years of age walking on the studio grounds after the studio was closed. He told the man that the studio was closed, so the man tipped his hat to the guard and walked thru the wall...back into the cemetery.
    In regard to Valentino's dog, Kabar, he too haunts the cemetery where he rests, the Los Angeles Pet Cemetery where Hollywood Celebs have buried their beloved pets. Petey, the cute dog from "The Little Rascals" rests there, as does Mary Pickford's dog and Hopalong Cassidy's Horse. It is Kabar, Valentino's Great Dane, who does the most haunting here, however. Kabar died in 1929, three years after his master. Its ghost is playful and has been reported being heard panting or even licking those who wander near his grave.

  16. #15
    Captain Kundalini Guest

    Exclamation

    As late as April of 1989, he was reportedly seen in the old Valentino Place Apartments in Hollywood.
    According to the report, an actress was living in one of the apartments and she was drifting off to sleep one night when she felt a heavy weight press down onto the side of the bed. It sagged as though someone were sitting on the edge of it while she lay there, too frightened to even move. The weight on the bed became the solid figure of a man and it shifted beside her, moving beneath the thin sheet. The form then slid closer to her, and pressed against her so that she could feel that he was excited. As heavy breathing washed over her, she finally dared to open her eyes.
    She lifted the sheet and there she saw the face of Rudolph Valentino! She was so terrified that she fainted. When she awakened, the figure was gone, but the bed sheets and pillows were left in a complete disarray and strewn about the room. She fled, never to return.

  17. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Kundalini View Post
    Mr. Valentino is also a ghost and with good reason.

    I've heard from my contact in LA that RudolphValentinostill haunts his former estate, Falcon's Lair, as well as Hollywood Forever Cemetery (in the Cathedral Mausoleum where he is interred in crypt 1205) because he had unfinished business at the time of his death. He was set to star in a movie called "The Hooded Falcon" to play the part of "El Cid". This was his obsession. The project fell apart when his wife and fellow Producer of the movie, Natacha Rambova, suddenly left him. This must have been what lead to his perforated ulcer which finally resulted in his death. He died on August 23, 1926 with his dog Kabar (a Great Dane) by his bedside. The story goes that when Valentino's spirit passed into the Afterlife, the dog began to howl mournfully. Any time anyone tried to come near his dead master, he menaced them by growling and barking at them. The dog was finally over powered and Valentino's body was shipped from New York City back to Hollywood where his emaciated body lay in state for his thousands of fans to view. Ever since his death, a mysterious Lady In Black has made visits to his crypt to leave roses. To this day, no one knows the true identity of the original LIB, though some speculate that it was Valentino's first wife. Valentino's restless ghost has also been seen walking the studio lot of Paramount Studios which is right behind Hollywood Forever.. A Security Guard once reported seeing a man of about 30 years of age walking on the studio grounds after the studio was closed. He told the man that the studio was closed, so the man tipped his hat to the guard and walked thru the wall...back into the cemetery.
    In regard to Valentino's dog, Kabar, he too haunts the cemetery where he rests, the Los Angeles Pet Cemetery where Hollywood Celebs have buried their beloved pets. Petey, the cute dog from "The Little Rascals" rests there, as does Mary Pickford's dog and Hopalong Cassidy's Horse. It is Kabar, Valentino's Great Dane, who does the most haunting here, however. Kabar died in 1929, three years after his master. Its ghost is playful and has been reported being heard panting or even licking those who wander near his grave.

    VALENTINO'S first wife, JEAN ACKER was a small slender brunette.
    The Lady in Black was a big girl, like a good size 14, possibly larger.
    DITRA FLAME was leading contender to the (alleged) title of
    The Lady in Black; MARION BENDA was another.

  18. #17
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    [SIZE=5]I[/SIZE]n 1936 marking the 10th anniversary of the death of VALENTINO, some of his films were rereleased into the theaters. The general consensus from the women in the audiences was one of laughter, rather than 'awe' & 'swooning' as they had just a decade earlier. In only 10 years, his style had become completely passe. In actuality, VALENTINO'S english and grammatical usage was poor. Had he lived several more years into the age of sound one wonders whether he would have successfully made the transition into 'Talkies'.

  19. 10-30-2007, 03:29 PM

  20. #18
    SistaSara Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Valentino009 View Post
    SistaSara- Wow....the house looks cool from that angle, though I heard that the owners are going to renovate it and possibly tear the whole thing down.
    I think I read that in 2003 the new owners started renovations but never completed the work. I took that picture last year in 2006 and it was in the same condition the first time I ever went up there in 2005.

  21. #19
    Wow I am such a fan of his. Even after all these years he still has appeal. I found this interesting website on him.

    http://www.rudolph-valentino.com/

  22. #20
    Jaynrand Guest
    Sista Sara thanks for the great pic of Falcon Lair! wow!

  23. #21
    knothere Guest
    Click image for larger version. 

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  24. #22
    Miss Swallow Guest

  25. #23
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    Did any one see Larry king the other night? The theme was about ghosts...they had a live web cam at Rudys grave...mind you the camera was soooooooo close to the sign that the only thing possible to see would have been a ghostly hand! They apparently were on the look out for the black lady.. the owner of the cemetary admited that he had never seen a ghost there!

  26. #24
    jimmy's One Guest
    Valentino In Death


  27. #25
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    epitome of the latin lover. wonderful video of rudolph valentino doing the tango in the movie 'four horsemen of the apocolypse' : http://youtube.com/watch?v=L7RCRlnsbe0
    Last edited by hell0kitty; 04-12-2008 at 01:59 AM.
    pull the string!

  28. #26
    NOVSTORM Guest
    He also had trouble performing in the marital bed. He said something like women think he is a sex machine and he disappointed them or something like that. I need to look in the garage for the book I have on him to get the exact quote. He sure married so lulu's for wives lol

  29. #27
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    Here's a pic that we took of his crypt at Hollywood Forever last weekend.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvGs...feature=colike

    My own, personal, Dexter...

  30. #28
    SistaSara Guest

    rudolph valentino's 1923 avions voisin tourer in front of Falcon's Lair


    Last edited by SistaSara; 06-13-2008 at 07:43 PM.

  31. #29
    Vamp Guest
    I have read that both his wives were lesbians. That is rather strange.

  32. #30
    Avalon Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by SistaSara View Post
    Here is a picture of what is left of R.V.'s house in the Hollywood Hills. a.k.a. Falcon Lair
    Please tell me you are joking... that CANNOT be Falcon's Lair!!

  33. #31
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    Sadly it is....shame they didn't leave it all in it's former glory.

    Vamp- Yeah I know...well I did hear that Natacha played for both teams. Makes you wonder about Rudolph himself. He definitely is a man of mystique and continues to be until this very day.

  34. #32
    Ms. Black Guest
    Rudolph Valentino, what a hunk!

  35. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrisdr View Post
    Wow I am such a fan of his. Even after all these years he still has appeal. I found this interesting website on him.

    http://www.rudolph-valentino.com/

    love the site, just wish they had left it how it was or restored it, why do they have to destroy old Hollywood

  36. #34
    Sampiro Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Valentino009 View Post
    Sadly it is....shame they didn't leave it all in it's former glory.

    Vamp- Yeah I know...well I did hear that Natacha played for both teams. Makes you wonder about Rudolph himself. He definitely is a man of mystique and continues to be until this very day.
    Some odd trivia that I mentioned in another thread (forgive the dupe post), but Natacha Rambova was born Winnifred Kimball Shaughnessy in Salt Lake City and was embarassed by the fact her grandfather, Heber Chase Kimball (an early convert and close assistant to Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism), was possibly the most polygamous Mormon of his time: he had dozens of wives and almost 70 children. That's one reason she changed her name- she wanted to avoid associations with the family's polygamous past.
    Ironically, when she married Valentino it turned out his divorce from his first wife was not complete and he was charged with bigamy. The irony of this along with Natacha/Winnifred's unique family tree (in addition to her grandfather many of her uncles and other relatives were polygamists) of course made headlines.

  37. #35
    lisalouver Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
    Here's a pic that we took of his crypt at Hollywood Forever last weekend.

    Christ, is the plate in that good of shape or have they replaced it?

  38. #36
    Heavenly Tiger Guest
    Images of the inside of Falcon Lair

    http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

  39. #37
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    I enjoyed Dark Lover too. It was a very interesting read. I'm a huge silent movie fan, have a few on DVD, try to catch what's on TCM. Have the only movie he and Gloria Swanson did PVR'd from TCM. Just wish I could figure out how to save all my PVR's silents, any suggestions?

  40. #38
    Sampiro Guest
    Falcon's Lair can't be allowed to just fall down. It's going to be a century old soon and it's definitely historically significant and California has plenty of megamillionaires and billionaires (many of them from entertainment) so surely somebody will have the class and sense of heritage to buy it and restore it and, ideally, open it as a museum. It would be almost one-of-a-kind as Valentino himself was, and something that future students of film history and American Studies will groan over when reading "The mansion, host to virtually everybody of significance in the Pentateuch Generations of films, was demolished in 2009 to make way for a STARBUCKS and a row of wi-fi pay toilets/organic composte processors." There have been houses in far worse condition that were beautifully restored (Jefferson's POPLAR FOREST comes to mind- you'd never have believed they'd restore it to what it looked like under TJ) and it could be practically the Monticello or Mt. Vernon of L.A..

  41. #39
    Lucy Furr Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Sanddodger View Post
    Images of the inside of Falcon Lair

    http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN
    Thank You for these! I've searched like a mad man for indoor photos of the place!! I know there are a few small shots of it in that link that was posted earlier...I wonder where these self portraits and the front door are today:

    http://www.rudolph-valentino.com/fl-9.htm

  42. #40
    Lucy Furr Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by KELT View Post
    [SIZE=5]I[/SIZE]n 1936 marking the 10th anniversary of the death of VALENTINO, some of his films were rereleased into the theaters. The general consensus from the women in the audiences was one of laughter, rather than 'awe' & 'swooning' as they had just a decade earlier. In only 10 years, his style had become completely passe.
    It's so hard to imagine there would be even a moment where he could illicit any more than amazement. I see his movies today and I find myself wondering how he got away with the feelings he must've stirred up especially back in his era. He had a gift I just can't put into words.
    I can see how Rudy could've caused one hell of a stir. He is going to be my next tattoo.

    I have Valentino The Unforgotten and I love it. I was waiting to hear more about which bio of his to get; It looks like Dark Lover is next on my reading list!

  43. #41
    Gorey Guest
    I have a silver framed photo of him on my dresser. 'nuf said??

  44. #42
    LemonPopsicle Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by seurtoFW View Post
    I enjoyed Dark Lover too. It was a very interesting read. I'm a huge silent movie fan, have a few on DVD, try to catch what's on TCM. Have the only movie he and Gloria Swanson did PVR'd from TCM. Just wish I could figure out how to save all my PVR's silents, any suggestions?
    I love TCM! I love it when they air rare things that aren't even released on VHS or DVD. I went and got a cheap DVD Recorder from Walmart, and transfer them to DVD because too often mine crashes and erases things on it's own.

  45. #43
    Gorey Guest
    Imagine being the woman who got to tango with him. I would've fainted. My fave movie is The Sheik just because he was so domineering in it. When I was little I used to speak alittle French, Now I can't say a word in French, but pick up Italian in a heartbeat. I would've been able the converse with him. I also wanted to name our house Falconlair but hubby won't allow it. I also have many, many books and videos on him too.

  46. #44
    LemonPopsicle Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Gorey View Post
    Imagine being the woman who got to tango with him. I would've fainted. My fave movie is The Sheik just because he was so domineering in it. When I was little I used to speak alittle French, Now I can't say a word in French, but pick up Italian in a heartbeat. I would've been able the converse with him. I also wanted to name our house Falconlair but hubby won't allow it. I also have many, many books and videos on him too.
    I keep a photo of him on my bedside table. I can't even image being the women who got to tango with him because I would faint if I were anywhere near fifty feet of him.

  47. #45
    Sam Guest
    Photos of Falcon's Lair taken in 1979.
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  48. #46
    SistaSara Guest
    I am sorry to report that I was told that what was left of Falcon's Lair has been torn down. The guest house remains and the white and iron gate.

  49. #47
    Morrissey Guest
    Oh, was he amazing...

    We all know he's hot, but his movies were fabulous.

    The Delicious Little Devil is one of my favourites.... Camille too.

  50. #48
    puddles Guest
    I've always had a thing for "old" Hollywood celebrity home's and Falcon Lair is probably on the top of the list, damn it should have been made a historic landmark but than again look at Pickfair!!! also the pic of him with the boat over his head "at attention" on FAD is super hot!! sorry I can't spell canoe??

  51. #49
    jimmy's One Guest
    lOOK AT THOSE BEDROOM EYES



  52. #50
    SistaSara Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by puddles View Post
    I've always had a thing for "old" Hollywood celebrity home's and Falcon Lair is probably on the top of the list, damn it should have been made a historic landmark but than again look at Pickfair!!! also the pic of him with the boat over his head "at attention" on FAD is super hot!! sorry I can't spell canoe??
    I was talking to a member of the Hollywood Heritage on Saturday and he was telling me that back in 2001-2003 the person who owned it was trying to repair it and bring it back to its own glory. But it was a miracle it was still standing. Termites had completely gotten thru to the foundation. The electrical wiring system was shot. The place needed to be redone from the bottom up. The guy started repairs but then his Beverly Hills neighbors started complaining about construction and the guys ideas with installing a pool. About a million dollars later they guy sold the place and left. It was too much of a headache. And the frame of the house that you can see in my picture previously posted...was torn down in Feb of this year. So sad. I was told the guest area remained and the classic white gate.

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