Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-14
The Truth About Rudolph Valentino
RAMBOVA
Circumstances of Actors Hollywood Romance Revealed

liked, he forgot to inquire his salary.
His mind refused to function on prac-
teal matters. The only things within
his world were his motor, his horse, his
dogs, the character he was portraying,
his costumes, his armor, his sword and
the romance of historical novels and
places. AS a result he was always in
volved in hopeless litigation.
When I would say to him, Rudy, II
you 60 on like this you'll be sleeping in
the park" he would reply:
well, I've slept in the park before.
Anyway, did the best could"
No material disaster could dent this
cheerful philosophy. He had gone
through dire poverty since he came to
shared Wretched attic rooms, but 1t
made no impression on him. Besides,
hadn't his "sainted mother" endured
the siege of Paris?
Start Of Their Happiness.
One of the things that drew Rudy
and me together was the attraction of
opposites. I was intensely practical;
he, as impractical as possible. There
are two kinds of people in the world;
those who take responsibility and those
who don't. And you couldn't pass a
worry on to Rudy, however acute 1t was.
AS we'll try to make a flying squirrel
come down and talk brass tackS. !, on
the other hand, took worries seriously
not only my own, but every one else s.
and just naturally I assumed Rudy's.
He was such a likable young man
and he needed looking after. So be-
gan to look after him until-well, he
| Just became my job. His faith in me
and his dependence on me were the
| finest things in our relationship.
Rudy and I were very happy together
until Hollywood interfered.
At first I was far from enthusiastic
about the dandified young Latin whom
Nine Nazimova wanted to play Armand
in her Camille" His first incongruity
| for the role was his patent leather hair.
The Armand of our script was an I'M
sophisticated French boy from the prov
inces, who certainly had never seen
hair pomade. This sleek young Valen-
| tho would be absurd in the part.
The three of us, madame, Rudy and
I, gathered in my Office at the studio
! to discuss the weighty problem Finally
madame, who was determined to give
him trial, said:
why don't your curl his hair, Nata-
cha, just to get the effect?"
| did-and that was our real intro
duction.
I can't remember now just why this
| Job was detailed to me, the art director,
| instead of one of the regular studio
hairdreSsers, unless it was because Rudy
was so averse to the oper4tion.
II look all wrong in curly hair" he
protested. II vowed I'd never make a
| picture that way
Still protesting, he was sent to give
himself a shampoo to wash away his
cherished glaze, then into one of the
dressing rooms, where I was heating
curling irons
please, only fluff it slightly" he
begged.
I twirled the tongs ominously.
Hair pomade doesn't make an actor, ="
said and proceeded to do as thought
best.
When finished the effect was not so
bad. Madame was delighted and even
Rudy grew amenable when he saw the
result of the screen tests. There was
nothing he loved like Characterization :;
to be all dressed up for part fired his
romantic imagination. 1t was agreed he
should be our new leading man.
/ Copyright. 1880. in the United States and
| foreign countries by Natacha Rambova
All rights reserved.
The next installment of THE
| Truth About Valentino" will appear
in The Star tomorrow.