Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-23
WAS CAVALRY OFFICERS son.
Valentino Tried Farming After I.eav.
ing Genoa Military Academy.

LOS ANGELES, August % R-
From brass polisher and landscape
gardener to the heights of screen star.
d0m was the stride made by IiudoIph
valentino, f1lmlard'S perfect lover. :"
in his l3-year span of life in the United
States
The movie sheik was born in the
little Italian village of Castellaneta,n
May 6, 1895. His full name was
Rudolpho Alfonseo Raffaelo Pierre
filibert Guglielmi di Valentino dan
tonguella. His mother was the
daughter OF Partisan doctor. Pierre
flilbert Barbin. His father, Giovanni
Guglielmi, was in his youth a captain
or Italian cavalry and later q yeteri-
nary doctor.
When Valentino was II his father
died and the future screen lover
matriculated at Dante Alighieri Col
lege: Finishing here at the age of
10, ne entered the military college
Della Bapionza at Perugia. From this
school he was sent home because of
breaking. discipline to see the King.
who was visiting the school.
Next he went to Venice to try for
the naval examinations, but failed
there and returned home for a wear
He next entered the military academy
H.
ated at the age of II with the degree
of doctor of agriculture.
Left Farm for Paris.
Finding farm life little to his Xix.
ing. he drew all the legacy coming
to him from his father and went to
Paris. The Riviera and Monte Carlo
followed quickly and at last Paris
again and bankruptcy. According to
MS own accounts. he sold his auto
mobile and two Irish jumpers to pay
oents' the remainder Of which were
settled by his mother.
America attracted him and he ar
rived in New York December %, 1918.
with $4,000 given him by his mother.
lie set out to learn English by taking
private lessons. Between his studies
and odd jobs he began freuuentine
cafes, where he took up dancing.
lie shifted from one job to another
tackling landscape gardening for a
time in Central Park His quest for
work found him doing everything
from sweeping out stores TO shining
brass on automobiles.
The start of his career as a pro.
tessional dancer came when he per.
suaded the head waiter at Maxim's to
give him job as an entertainer
Later he travelled with a musical
comedy road show, and at Oakland
Calf. he became a dancing instructor
Drifting to Los Angeles, he met
Emmett J.. Flynn, film director. who
gave him his first part in pictures
as a heavy" at $50 a week until
after appearing in several pictures he
was selected by June Mathos, scenario
writer, for the part of Julio in The
-Four HorSemen of the Apocalypse, ~
A role which started him on the road
to fame.
In November, 1919, Valentino mar.
ried Jean Acker. screen actress. hy
whom he was divorced in January
1922.
Starred i'm "Sheik."
The film career went on apace and
Valentino became a matinee idol with
his appearance in 1921 in the "Sheik. -
the first of a series of desert no
manceS
Before his divorce from Jean Acker
became final Valentino married .Nini
fred de Wolfe Hudnut. dane and
adopted daughter OF the &c .s.tics
manufacturer. May -. 1922. at MeXi
cali, Lower California. He was ar
rested I'D charged with bigamy and
released on bond. Later the charge
was dropped. The couple were re
! married March Is, 1923, at Crown
Point, Ind. A rift in the marriage
appeared early in 1925 when Mrs. Val
entino left for New York to return
to the stage under the professional
name Of Natacha Rambova.
/, was termed by the two a "tria
separation" Mrs. Valentino later
vent to France. followed shortly by
her husband. She obtained a Paris
divorce last Decent r. Valentino ~