Evening Star Newspaper, April 18, 1930, Page 35

The Truth About Rildolph Valentino THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, P C, FRIDAYX, AlilL 18, 1930. NATACHA RAMBOVA, HIS WIFE Actor Showed Poor Business Judgment in Making Contracts As Rudy's fame as screen artist grew also living on Whitely Heights, just a | was lit, Rudy seized me by the arm and dragged me upstairs, into my bed room, saying: “Don't you dare move until I cail ~and grew by leaps and bounds—quite naturally he wished to share the fat box office profits through increased sal- ary. ~—at least for several years Of course, it was largely fault. As I have already explained, he knew absolutely nothing about business nor how to manage his affairs. age of 25 years he had had no' more interest in or understanding of finance than at the age of 25 days. It wasn't his fault; he was born that way. So it wasn't strange his producers were quick to_take advantage of his weakness. im Rudy alone they could manage ex- #The Sheik” became a synonym for Valentino. This sketch was made from life by Natacha Rambova. sactly as they chose, but when I under- took to look after him, as I did from the start, they had some one else to reckon with, Consequently, I was as popular with his producers as a hornet's nest. The following incident is typical: After “The Conquering Power,” Rudy left Metro to make “The Sheik” for Famous Players-Lasky. And no one who remembers Rudy need be told how successful “The Sheik” was. Yet when they offered him another contract it was at the same old salary. They recog- nized his ability, but weren’t willing to pay: for it. | Rudy Calls Own Bluff. | ‘The new contract was a flattering | one—in everything but salary. It in-| pictures— | supporting ‘Beyond the starring Gloria Swanson. But Rudy'’s salary, as I remember, was only | 8500 and, knowing he was worth much ' more, I suggested the following plan: It happened that Mme. Nazimova | was going to New York on business| #nd taking me with her. I suggested to Rudy that he go East with us and discuss the contract with Famous Play- ers in their New York office before sign- ing up with them. I explained that if he told Famous Players he had been sent East by a rival company he could make a better bargain with them by signing up then in the Western office. Stars on the coast were always kept n ignorance of box office profits, while in New York they knew their value @nd could make better terms. Rudy agreed it was a_splendid idea #nd I warned him that, before leaving, he must not go near Famous Players’ office. By borrowing every dollar we could @nd leaving the family jewels on an extended loan to ““uncle,” between us 'we managed to scrape up the money for his New York expenses. The east-bound train left at noon. but as the hour drew near I missed Rudy. Where was he? 1 grew wor- ried, particularly when I discovered he wasn't at the station. But just as the train was pulling out he swung Bboard, shouting triumphantly: “We've got plenty of money now for this trip! I've just signed the con- tract.” 1 gasped incredulously. Rudy pro- | ceeded to explaih. That very morning Mr. Lasky, who had heard Rudy was eaving for New York, had phoned him stop at the office on his way to | he train. Without a word tc me, he jhad done so, and, in a moment of old feet lest he lose out aitogether, signed up at the original figure. But, Rudy!” I cried in_ exaspera- ion, “you could have signed the self- game contract in New York if our plan ell through. Why did you do it?" But Rudy refused to have any re- ets, He gave me his usual answer: “Well, T did best I could, fidn't 12" And 5o the trip East was purposeless. Thrilled to Love Nest. That Autumn, 1921, Rudy and T de- | ided to buy the little house on Wedge- | wood drive, Whitely Heights, that was | be our first real home tigether. We | ad no definite plans, except that v oped to be married in the Spru By that time we felt sure his divor rom Jean Acker would be granted and 1l _would be well The cash paid down on the purchase fvas almost more than we could scrape ogether, but somehow or other we anaged it and agreed to worry about urniture later. We could sit on the floor and eat off the stove. For the the But this privilege was denied him | his own | At the | | wherever a piece of furniture should | few doors down the hill from our | house, so it was arranged that Rudy | would temporarily share his friend's | apartment, and I would move to the | | new house right away. That way he could be near me and we could con- tinue to have meals together. One thing at least was definit>—we would have Christmas together in our new home What little furniture I had at the | bungalow was carted up the hill, and | | with light baggage and high hopes I | moved in just two days before Christ- as. It was well we were young and en- thusiastic, for the initial outlook was dreary—no gas, no hot water, no heat of any kind, bare rooms, blank walls, empty spaces. The only furniture in the living room was one chair and a Christmas tree. But how we decorated that tree! And what fun we had doing it! We' behaved like & couple of chil- dren; we were both little else at the time, Poor, Joyous Christmas. On either side of the mantel hung a stocking, mysteriously bulgy: holly wreathes hung in all the windows; have been we stuck up some symbol of Santa Claus. Christmas dinner we cooked on an electric grill. We could have used more burners—but never was there such a meal! At midnight we were to open the presents, but just before the witching hour, ter every candle on the (ree SAFE, DEPENDABLE, FCONOMICAL This is modern transportation. Fine drivers, good roads and buses kept in perfect condition insure your safety. Our buses are dependable— leave on time—arrive on time. Rates arefarlessthanordinary travel costs. ‘When next you take a trip,go by bus. Pittsburgh .. .. §7.00 Detroit . 13.00 . 18.00 . 13.75 1.00 3.50 5.50 5.00 2.85 . 20.00 3.50 Baltimore Philadelphia . New York ... Atlantic City. Wilmington . St. Louis .... Richmond, Va . Los Angeles . . 67.00 San Francisco. . .. 71.00 UNION BUS DEPOT 1336 New York Ave. N.W. Phone: Metropolitan 1512-3-4 DEPENDABLE fnoment we were deliriously happy. At that time a friend of Rudy’'s was O super-absorb- ent that it takes up five time weight in wa Compare it alas for softness. iort Howa: Water Crepe Tissue. Chil- dren prefer it It’s guarants “Whtts as Suew oo« Saft o Dowe™ you!" I heard him bang the outside door | |and race madly up the hill. | under the sun was he up to? long minutes passed, then | banged again | curiosity could stand “I'm coming down!” I sang out Dead stlence. | tiny bark, which sent me flying down No answer. . order It was more than my or no orders. “The head of a silky Pekingese pup and a pair of tiny paws was peeping over the top of my stocking, while Rudy stood mischievously by. 1 screamed with delight and squeezed them both— and that is how little Chuckie became a member of our family. ‘We opened the packages, laughed and cried, played with the Christmas puppy until the candles on the tree burned out—which meant that Christ- mas was over. It was our first and, incidentaily, our happiest Christmas together. After the holidays Rudy started work on “Blood and Sand,” his first star- ring picture under his new contract with Famous Players. had adapted the story for the screen and made it a wonderful script. No | one ever understood or wrote for Rudy | s she did. Her version of “The Four | Horsemen” had given him his first big | chance, and now she wrote for him the role which to me was the greatest thing he ever did Of all the characters Rudy ever played I know he loved most of all | Juan Gallardo, the toreador. thrust me What Ten the deor Then a This sign always says: “Your Druggist” Factory Items : Regular Price Alum Powder USP . 2 oz. § .10 American Mineral Oil . 16 oz. 1.00 Analgesic Balm, Tubes . 1 oz. .50 Aspirin Tablets, 5 gr. . . 24’s Aspirin Tablets, 5 gr. . . Blood Tonic . . . Borax Powder USP Buchu & Juniper Comp. Pills Cascara Comp. (Hinkle) Tab. Cascara Comp. (Hinkle) Tab. Castor Oil Ruby (Aromatic) Castor Oil Cold Pressed USP Comp. Licorice Powder USP Corn Remover . g Cream of Tartar USP . Digestade Tablets . . . . . Digestive Tonic . . . . Emulsion Mineral Oil & Agar Epsom Salt USP . . . . 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He read Spanish his- |tory and books, studied Spanish pic- |tures and costumes until he has steeped |in the atmosphere of the land that made the bull fight famous. He took lessons in bull fighting from a retired | matador who later became his dresser, talked Spanish with him, learned every | incident of this old toreador's past. Real toreador costumes and outfits | complete were imported from Spain. | Motion pictures of the corridas in Mad- 7id_and Seville, also Mexico City, were |sent to the studio to study—and how | Rudy ate them up! Among them were films that showed |dor, who only a few months ago was killed, & great national favorite. Be- | | tween this man and Rudy was a strong | resemblance—they might have been | blood brothers--and Rudy chose him as his model. In the picture he showed |many of this man’s identical gestures. | Every one at the studio commented on this. Meanwhile, Rudy lived and moved in a world of his own creation. His ex- istence as Rudolph Valentino ceased; | he was Gallardo, the toreador. He grew sideburns, learned to walk |like a toreador, even to eat like one. His table manners were boorish, his conversation blustering apd rough. If ever a character came back to life, it was Gallardo as lived by Rudy. Role Was Prophecy. He and Gallardo had much in com- mon. In fact, from birth to death there was a strange parallel between their |lives. Both had simple beginnings, |rose to quick fame and died at the height of their careers, spoiled by | money and the adulations of women. ‘The Gallardo of Ibanez's story was a peasant, and while Rudy was not of peasant birth (ne belonged to the | poorer branch of a middle class Italian | | family, his father a veterinary surgeon | |in the little village of Castellenata), yet all his early interests were in things of the soil. He was educated to be a land- scape gardener, and at the Royal Acad- emy of Agriculture, which he attended as a lad, was praised for his splendid handling of the bulls. From this obscurity, he, like Gal- lardo, was suddenly hurtled into suc- cess, with more money and fame and feminine flattery than any man could stand. A few years later—again like Gallardo—he died at the peak of suc- cess. As I used to watch Rudy's faultless !interpretation of this character, it often seemed like a dramatic prophecy of the very thing that would happen to him—so much so that at times it frightened me. It seemed as though | Rudy was subconsciously interpreting | | bis own life. i | Subsequent happenings proved that | this was true. | (Copyright, 1930. in the United States and foreign countries by Natacha Ram- bova All rights reserved.) | . Alabama's prison population jumped | ‘ix;;r; 3.674 to 4,283 in the fiscal year | -29. o DAMES OF LOYAL LEGION ELECT MRS, P. Y. SCHELLY Final Session of Annual Convention Is Held at the Willard Hotel. Mrs. Percy Y. Schelly of Philadelphia was elected president of the National Society, Dames of the Loyal Legion, at the final session of their annual con- vention at the Willard Hotel. The other national officers elected were: Mrs. Logan Tucker, senior vice president; Mrs, Willington I. Hunt, Detroit, junior vice president; Mrs. Isabelle L. Thompson, New Jersey, re- corder; Mrs. Charles O. Cook, Detroit, treasurer; Mrs. Frank B. King, Wash- ington, registrar; Miss Edna B. Ruby, Indiana, historian: Mrs. Samuel Reber, New York, chancellor. - et ol Australia plans to extend federal con- trol of immigration. 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