Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-27
Lite Story Reveals How Hun
ger Drove Him to
Cafe Job.
Start in Pictures Was Slow
and Tedi0uS-WaS
an Extra.
BY GEORGE BUCHANAN FIFE.
CHAPTER 3.

his skill during the days and nights
that Broadway had its hand in his
pockets.
When he had been reduced to an
extremity and was seeking work
wherever he suspected a chance of
obtaining it. he had tried to find EN-
ployment as a professional dancer.
1t was a far cry from that aSricul-
tural diploma, which now seemed
rather useless square of parchment.
Certainly it, with it's imposing desig-
nation of himself as bachelor or
agriculture" was no recommendation
for a tango specialist So he put the
thing aside and proffered his feet
instead.
Found job as Dancer.
He haunted the dancing places,
willing to engage himself for just
enough to provide him with food ana
shelter. but nobody wanted HIM.
These were hard and bitter days. 1t
is impossible to say where they might
have ended, for this youngster was
strongly tinctured with Latin emo
tionalism, had not.the manager of one
Of the dancing places just off Broad
way sensed cue and entered upon
the scene.
The place was Maxims, a night re-
sort of much vogue and always
crowded It may be called the birth
place of Rudolph Valentino as
professional entertainer. There he
took his first steps, as it were. and
these led him in roundabout way. 10
| be sure, but none the less fatefully,
| to the screen.
The manager engaged the young
Italian-still Rodolfo Guglielmi, and
having rather a time of it making
people remember the name-and ne
made his debut as a ballroom dancer.
Singularly enough. according to
Valentines own word. and also that
of those who knew him well. he re-
belled inwardly at these public ap-
pearances Dancing he liked. but not
as a means Of livelihood. Yet that Is
what it was in those days, and he did
it as well and faithfully as he could.
Became Talk of Broadway.
The upshot of it was that he became
| the talk Of Broadway. His dancing
partners were Joan Sawyer and Bon
ME Glass. two of the most diStln-
guished opponents of the art at that
time. both noted for their charm and
beauty as well. 1t became quite the
thing to drop in at MaXim's after the
theater to see that young Italian
dance His name was not even
known. He continued to be that
Young Italian" save to those who
knew him well. SO he danced and
danced and despised.
In the course of this narrative fire.
ouent reference has been made to
Valentino as a potential agriculturlst.
The reason is that this profession. the
ONLY one he knew, was constantly
To-, III f,,d
ever he buried that diploma of his, it
was ever popping up in his thoughts.
1t did so even when he was dancing.
Fate seemed set upon making farm
err of him.
Somehow or other he became pos
sessed of a desire to go to California.
Not on account of the film studios, but
because it was a great agricultural
State and people told him it was much
like Italy That was the place for
him. surely: for him and that diploma.
But how to get there?
Got Chance i'm Show.
AS his dancing had brought him
into contact with persons of the thea
ter. Rodolfo Guglielmi learned that
a musical comedy company was being
assembled in New York to go on the
road. with the Pacific Coast as its
objective Here was chance. He
hurried off to the manager and ap-
piled for a position in the company.
He explained that he was the "Signor
Rodolfo" who had danced at Maxim's
and later at the BeauX Arts, was still
dancing. in fact. but could do what
ever might he required of him in a
musical comedy.
The "Signor" was decidedly per-
sonable young man and he was en-
gagged In due course the company
set forth, bound for the coaSt-and
toward a future which this dancing
agriculturiSt never visiOned.
That day Rodolfo Guglielmi became
Rudolph Valentino. 1t was an adop-
ton of Valentino, one of his baptismal
names.
short Jumps" appearances in in
Vulnerable towns, engagements pro-
tracted as long as possible. made this
trip last for months. That it de-
veloped into a struggle for existence
ia proved by the fact that the show
collapsed in San Francisco. The
"Signor" was ION his own once
more.
All he had done was add little ex-
perience TO his assets. For time he
tried selling bonds, but without sue
cess. What he did now was turn to
dancing again. He had little diff
Guilty in finding a place for himself
at this and it meant livelihood.
Agriculture? Well. perhaps, after he
had made enough to venture out into
the country looking for it.
Advised to Try Films.
This was about nine years ago, in
the early part of 1917, as well as
Valentines friends can recall the
time. The date is that of Valentines
entry into the motion picture world.
It came about through chance meet
ing with Norman Kerry, screen star
whom he had known in the East.
Kerry saw something of film posi-
hiIitv in the graceful, young Italian
and suggested that he try out the
studios. Valentino said afterward that
Kerry financed this essay. because the
yUlng man was stony broke.
Kerry. indeed. took Valentino to
Los Angeles, indicated to him the
studios which gave most promise and
told him the rest was up to him. SO
. weary round was begun. While
Valentino could not convince the cast
inc directors that he was any sort OF
an actor. he managed to prevail on
them 10 employ him as an extra
now and then.
az those days, he said in pub
l,shed interview in the Musical OBJ
server: ,.,
II played almost everything: little
hovs old men with boards. bold. bad
men with pasts. men who had never
ta5 on evil thought in all their lives.