A post from Mad About the Boy was passed on to me in which Eleanor Gribbin cited Sylvia Huber in regards to the date of the death of her Aunt, Maria Strada, saying she “thought it was around 1950.” According to the impeccable research of Professor Aurelio Miccoli, Maria Strada died on July 25, 1969. As we are banned from any participation in that group, perhaps someone might want to inform the family of this date. I find it sad they do not even know.
Meanwhile:
It is somewhat quizzical to me how various women have been tagged as the great love of Valentino's life. I think the general consensus would be Natacha Rambova but at one point Alberto made the statement that his brother told him Blanca DeSaulles was the great love of his life. Blanca and the “dancing partner” (see below) were certainly involved to a serious degree and enough to be mentioned in articles, divorce proceedings and the murder trial.
Since Alberto also claimed Valentino's divorce from Natacha was like an “early death”, I wonder about that claim he made that Blanca was the great love. It made for some interesting copy but who knows?
From the Oakland Tribune, August 7, 1917.
