Rudolph Valentino Anniversary

Ninety-eight years ago today, Silent Screen actor Rudolph Valentino died in New York City at the age of thirty-one. While the TikTok crowd probably doesn’t know of him, approximately 100,000 fans lined the streets of Manhattan for his funeral at Campbell’s Funeral Home (also where Judy Garland’s service was held). An art deco statue titled “Aspiration” was erected in 1930 in DeLongpre Park, Hollywood.  Roger Noble Burnham, who also created USC’s mascot, The Trojan, was the sculptor. While the fans loved Valentino, City Commissioners required that the tribute honor but not resemble the dead matinee idol.



Still there today!



And this not-so-stellar bust of the actor is there, too.



For many years, a mysterious woman in black would arrive at the Hollywood Forever mausoleum where Valentino was buried, deliver a single red rose, and disappear. Others have taken over the duty as the years have gone by. When I went in 2014, Hollywood Forever Cemetery tour guide Karie Bible was filling in for that role.





See more of my caricatures at my main website.

Rudolph Valentino Tribute, Pt. 3

Now we reach the portion of this trilogy that covers the 87th Memorial Service for the 88th Anniversary of silent screen actor Rudolph Valentino's passing.



The journey down the hallway to Valentino's crypt in the Cathedral Mausoleum of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery:



The final resting place, surrounded with floral tributes:



On the first anniversary of Valentino’s death, a woman by the name of Ditra Flamė began appearing at his gravesite in mourning clothes clutching a single red rose, beginning the tradition of the “Lady in Black.” She showed up annually 1926—1954, then stopped coming because she said there were too many "Ladies in Black," all crowding each other out for a little publicity. She changed her mind in 1977 and got in the papers again. The vintage publicity blurb that accompanied this particular photo from 1937 reads:

Much interest centered around the arrival of a woman in black who mysteriously arrives each year on this date. She is unidentified but always brings flowers and says a prayer on bended knees before the crypt of the former screen lover. She is shown placing flowers in a vase on the crypt.



The current one is Karie A. Bible, who was born on Halloween and is a cemetery tour guide. She considers herself a "Historian in Black."



Opening remarks for the tribute were by Valentino fan Tracy Ryan Terhune:



Michael Di Giuro gave an interesting talk about visiting Castellaneta, Italy, the hometown of Valentino:



Allison Francis read a poem from Day Dreams, written in 1923 by Valentino himself:



The Wegter family (Rachel is shown here) performed two songs that they had composed as a tribute to Valentino:



Garrett Bryant read a vintage newspaper article about an auction preview held in Falcon Lair, the Hollywood home of Valentino:



Christopher Riordan was the keynote speaker, giving an emotional talk about living in the guest house of Falcon Lair. Sadly, most of the estate has been demolished.



Stella Grace concluded the program with a reading of the 23rd Psalm:



Afterwards, guests were able to look at Valentino artifacts on display:



It was an interesting hour to say the least.

See more Daveland Hollywood Forever Cemetery photos at my main website.