Valentino, Rudolph (1895-1926), was the most popular romantic star of American silent motion pictures. He gained fame for his roles as a handsome, passionate lover.
Valentino’s real name was Rodolfo d’Antonguolla. He was born on May 6, 1895, in Castellaneta, Italy, near Taranto. He came to New York City in 1913 and worked briefly as a gardener and laborer. Valentino then toured the country as a dancer in stage musicals. He probably began his film career in Alimony (1918). He became a star in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921). Valentino played a desert warrior in The Sheik (1921) and Son of the Sheik (1926) and portrayed a bullfighter in Blood and Sand (1922). His other films included Camille (1921), Monsieur Beaucaire (1924), Cobra (1925), and The Eagle (1925). He died on Aug. 23, 1926, at the age of 31 following surgery for peritonitis.
