Ring in the New!

A bit of a squib to, “Ring out the old! Ring in the new!”... with commentary on Rudolph Valentino and Natacha Rambova obviously in the first days after their separation.

Natacha muses over keeping it all private. Good luck with that... while Rudy makes his gallivanting in her absence no secret. The journalist feigns disinterest implying divorce is an old and not so shocking development calling it all a "passing ripple". I hardly think so because their divorce is still a "hurricane of discussion". 

A Happy New Year wish from Renato and I and a great wish for 2022 to be a bit more merciful! Cin. Cin.

Paradise Lost

Ever since Michael Morris died in July of 2016, I have been drawn to images of St. Michael; the archangel with wings spread and foot on the devil's head. Of course this image would resonate with me, the image of the winged warrior silencing the devil's words. This, as I head into my 12^th year I believe of trying to silence Tracy Terhune and David Bret's devil actions towards us.

Terhune has made many posts on that blog he runs under the title of my book, the book he is obsessed with ...many posts about Satan, Lakes of Fire, Holy Warriors, etc. (see below just one of years of Tracy Terhune's satanic images posted over the past decade to bully me on that defamatory blog he runs under my book's title) *Note Tracy Terhune's signature, "TRT" as the person who posted this for me. 

IMO Terhune has some fixation with me and the devil. And Bret with my death. Lovely couple aren't they?

So it is not so out of line for me to point out my being inspired by St. Michael. He is a sort of totem now in this battle for OUR TRUTH..

Oddly, Michael used to refer to Terhune and Bret as “Satan's angels” and “The Devil's Brigade”.

The twist in this is that Satan is not the enemy of God. Satan is St. Michael's opposite and enemy.

I think in all of the images of St. Michael, there is a message of victory over the devil angels. Or “fallen angels” I guess they are called. St. Michael is far in control of the situation. I take heart in that. More on St. Michael v. Satan and “The War in Heaven” here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Heaven

Another Rudy Photo Bombing!

Thank you to the eagle-eyed reader who sent in the previous Colombo "Rudy-Bomb". Yesterday they sent one more (see below) They wrote:

"I discovered another Rudy photobomb. I was watching the film, Cheaper by the Dozen, with Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy. In this scene, they are in their daughters' bedroom. And who should appear on the wall? And then it hit me how both Webb and Loy have connections to Valentino. Rudy took Webb's place dancing with Bonnie Glass. Loy was discovered by Rambova and had a part in What Price Beauty. It's funny I have seen this movie a few times before and never notice the photo of Rudy in the background."

Modesty or Scars?

Michael Morris claimed Natacha Rambova covered her legs with long dresses and robes because she was self-conscious. He said her cousin Ann Wollen told him Natacha did not have thin legs and for this she did not follow the flapper trend of shorter hemlines.

But I always thought she was hiding the scarring from Theodore Kosloff's attack. Ann Wollen also said Natacha's leg was left severely scarred when Kosloff shot her in the leg with buck shot. It could be a little bit of both.

I also always believed Rudolph Valentino encouraged Natacha to dance professionally. How could he not? And I believe Kosloff got away with the crime and no doubt because Natacha never reported it.

In the photos of Rudolph and Natacha swimming in the falls in Palm Springs, (see below) which we included in The Rudolph Valentino Case Files...Natacha stands with her legs again obscured in the water.

Self-conscious of her legs? Scarred for life? And how obvious in this picture (see below) Rudolph's joy to be dancing with his lady.

How It All Began

The lie that Alberto never received his “fortune” from his brother Rudolph's estate is so pervasive. I wonder why no one bothered to tally up the actual numbers of the advances and other monies he raked in and squandered. Was I actually the first to do that?

Maybe he thought generating pity would make him more attractive or appealing. And it is not so surprising we find little to nothing about this from sister Maria. This is because it was not true at all.

By today's exchange rates Alberto and Co. received over a half a million dollars which he obviously burned through immediately. I have itemized this in The Case Files.

But here we see a new mention, claiming Alberto was a “talkies extra” and a "part-time book-keeper" and that his “pennies” were being spent putting Jean through college to become a “surgeon”. What next? This excerpt from an article published in 1936, titled, “1926 – Valentino's Memory Fades – 1936”

 

David Bret Lies About Everything

Just an FYI... everything David Bret says, writes or believes is a lie. He is the biggest liar in the world today. He has always been a liar, always will be and his pride in his lying is rewarded by Tracy Ryan Terhune. I know that may be hard for some to believe but that is how it works. Liars and thieves work well together. 

I can not imagine how miserable their daily lives must be to be so angry and full of malicious thoughts as to spend so much time lying. It is painfully evident. David Bret's level of lying is impossibly high, so high he should be rotting in jail for the all the lies he has wrought on humanity. There is still time I guess for justice to be served. It will be.

Everything David Bret writes is a lie. 

Fact. 

I am sure he will soon begin his saddest of all pathetic routines... his very revealing end of the year wish list of people he hopes to die. Well he can rest assured we are doing very well thank you and intend to stay that way... at least until JUSTICE IS SERVED. 

And isn't he the actual Valentino widow after all... drowning in his lies about his great love, Rudolph? 

Happy holidays to you all. 

His Connections

The image below is from the Spanish fan magazine, Cine-Mundial and I do not have a date for it. The caption translated reads:

“Alberto Valentino, brother of the lamented Rudolph, who lives in Hollywood and who is photographed at his desk where he works translating books for 20^th Century Fox.”

I guess brothers and sisters of celebrities try to get press... lest we recall Brother Billy Carter and his “Billy Beer”. In this regard I think Alberto takes the prize. I am not sure why anyone would ever have been interested in him at all then or now had it not been for his earnest efforts to promote himself.

I think he is a point of interest in the Valentino world today because he began the war like construct which is about as bad as it has every been these days. I have made no secret of my belief Alberto's trenchant disappointment at not being his brother lives today in the irrational fury at Ullman.

Controlling Alberto's bogus version of events still creates the war like dynamic. IMO because even those people invested in controlling it know they are wrong.

I wonder what Alberto was translating. When he arrived in the U.S., and until 1930, he could not speak English well at all. In his court testimony he claimed he did not know what the word, “satisfactory” meant. Who knows? Maybe he was translating Spanish to Italian. But it is not surprising he had such jobs because he had his connections at 20^th Century and other studios because of Bill Self. 

Valentino Sightings

A reader sent along this image (see below). They were watching an episode of Colombo and guess who was photobombing the scene? Thank you for sharing this one!

 

The Baying Villagers

The subject of Rudolph Valentino being abused as a child of fifteen by the women being abused in the Taranto brothels has been bandied back and forth. But at what age is a person an adult? Legally that varies in the U.S., from state to state... and many laws allow a fifteen year old to marry. In Maryland, Kansas and Hawaii you can marry at fifteen. Twenty-one other states set the age at sixteen.

I think the subject of Valentino's syphilis is a moral one and will depend on the person's own moral stand. I do not judge a fifteen-year-old Valentino for frequenting the brothels but find the subject of the abuse of him interesting.

The abuse inflicted on Valentino from the brothels was that he contracted an incurable disease which in a perfect world would never have been shared with anyone. How reputable was the health care of those abused women then?

But despite the question of this abuse of Valentino... absolutely nothing compares in my opinion to the abuse of Valentino today by his brother's family. As overlords of his public presence, they not only remain silent in the face of a completely false rewriting of their iconic ancestor's life story, they affiliate with the perpetrators.

The abuse of Valentino's truth is sickening. A teenage Rudolph being seduced by a brothel lady is nothing at all as far as abuse is concerned in comparison to what is happening to him now. Some people might say it does not matter, who cares? Well, I do.

Because its a moral question and I find what is going on wrong.

Imagine a day way back then when a fifteen-year old Valentino was walking into a Taranto brothel. Outside the brothel there is a small crowd of baying villagers yelling, “No, Rudolph, you're gay!”... you get my point. I see those who deny Valentino's true history as baying villagers tormenting him with their lies and greedy motivations.

Abused by prostitutes? I don't think so, the abuse of Valentino is happening right now and I guess anyone reading this blog can fill in the blanks as to who those torch wielding villagers are.  

Interesting Suggestion

 https://evelynzumaya.blogspot.com/2021/01/why-do-eleanor-gribbin-simon-constable.html

An interesting suggestion was left as a comment on this previous post. 

Renato Responds

"A kindly Good Samaritan forwarded to me the screenshot of two ridiculous tweets from David Bret in which he tries yet again to prove Valentino's homosexuality and this time with a set of letters sent by Rudolph Valentino to his friend Bruno Pozzan. 

Of those correspondences, sent to Bruno Pozzan, Bret presents two letters in particular, the first sent on 6/22/1910 and the second on 8/29/1910.

Please note that both letters were mailed, by Valentino to Bruno from Taranto, well before his infamous Parisian trip, so Bret's claim this has anything to do with Parisian male prostitution is to be discarded immediately.

The text of the letters is very clear and unequivocal as Valentino refers to his suffering from syphilis.

I quote the original text in Italian: “Ora sono a casa ammalato per una malattia presa da meretrici e sto soffrendo tanto, etc. etc.” and the correct English translation of this sentence is:

"Now I am at home sick from an illness taken by harlots and I am suffering a lot, etc. etc.".

It should be taken into account that in the Italian language there are two clearly identifiable genders and it is not possible to confuse male prostitution with female prostitution, certainly a limitation of the English language is that, often a semantically male or female term becomes neutral and therefore an easy victim of misunderstandings. Bret tries to use this semantic issue of translation to prove Valentino was gay and fails.

I advise David Bret to be careful about comments like those contained in his pathetic tweets and, if he can, check the sources well and refrain from spreading inaccurate news. Those letters to Bruno were written and posted from Taranto two years before Valentino's trip to Paris and Valentino clearly in Italian refers to female prostitutes.

It is not worth my time to even address the rash quotes Bret attributes to Damia who was in England in 1910. I say they are pure invention. Absolute lies."

On That "International Riot"

In 1948, Adolphe Menjou penned his autobiography, It Took Nine Tailors in which he included memories of working with Valentino in The Sheik. Menjou's political beliefs would relegate him to a precarious position in Hollywood history and more about that in his Wiki page.

But I always found Menjou's willingness to take out an option on Valentino after The Sheik an interesting footnote in Valentino's history. According to Menjou, Valentino was so insecure and anxious over his success in the film he confided in his co-star. This would be understandable if for one major point; this was after he made Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It just seems incongruous to me, as apparently it did to Menjou, that Valentino was not being recognized by movie moguls as the “sensation” and talented young star he was.

Granted an option of thirty days is not a long time. But Menjou was powerful enough he could have come up with a project for Valentino in that time frame. I wonder what movie Menjou would have made starring Valentino?

If Jesse Lasky had no future interest in promoting Valentino past The Sheik, how would Valentino's career have progressed? And when his next project might have been one produced by Adolphe Menjou? At what point did the controversy surrounding Valentino begin? Would that little option by Menjou have prevented Valentino from suffering Sheik madness?

From It Took Nine Tailors:

Menjou and his second wife, Kathryn Carver in 1928

Beltran-Masses "Recognized for His Genius"

A final word on Senor Beltran-Masses and his being recognized for his genius by King Alfonso the 13th of Spain. The King not only recognized Beltran-Masses, but the woman who brought him to America. This quizzical tale is excerpted from The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, June 18, 1928.

Renown as a Master of Color

I learn something new and sad about Rudolph Valentino every day it seems. Today, it is the general and idiotic demeaning of Federico Beltran-Masses. Who in their right mind would question his iconic presence in the world of Deco art and history? Only those with no clue as to the actual fact of the matter would question the prolific genius of Beltran-Masses.

He was and is “renown as a master of color”... and “psychological portraiture”. The Stair Sainty Gallery houses many of his paintings (see below). I share a few links (below) to right the wrong apparently done by Leider and the Lemmings. And I remind them that anyone with a true discerning artistic eye and awareness quickly recognizes this man's ability. Rudolph Valentino recognized it also.

Now that I have expressed admiration for Masses, I am fairly sure “they” will come out and ensure he is vilified. But I dare to dream of ever owning one of his master oils. The surety of his hand, his academic prowess with the oils, the depth of his composition and profound ability with color can never be demeaned. Shame on them all for again demonstrating their lack of knowledge in this. Learning that Leider and the lemmings dashed Mr. Beltran-Masses was not surprising yet I felt I had to defend. Enjoy some true artistic genius here: 

https://www.stairsainty.com/category/artists/beltran-masses/

https://www.stairsainty.com/category/artists/beltran-masses/page/2/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Beltr%C3%A1n_Masses

http://www.beltranmasses.com/biography/

"Valentino's Wraith in the Background..."

From the Chicago Tribune, September 30, 1930, (see below); Beltran-Masses attempting to collect for his work which he claims was commissioned by Pola Negri. Collections seemed to have played a major role in Valentino's after-life. Natacha sued Mae Murray for bangles and clothing she ordered from her New York dress shop, Alberto was frantically attempting to collect here there and everywhere, Pola was attempting to collect money from Alberto and here Beltran-Masses appears to be doing his own collecting. 

It is not so surprising Pola Negri would try and stiff Masses and I wonder if he ever collected the full amount.  

 

The Tiny Animal Factor

I never believed Natacha was a cold and unfeeling woman as her haters claim. How many images of her are there where she is cuddling a tiny animal? I found this hard to reconcile with the hater image. I found this iconic image to be better quality than many others and nice to see more of the surroundings. Natacha and Zela. 

More From Mr. Throw the Stone and Hide the Hand

Despite Tracy Ryan Terhune's pride in showing off more of his Valentino collection, he fails to show off with an equal amount of pride... his disgusting attacks on me and my dear husband Renato. He hides these attacks and outright bullying of us obviously because he knows it is cruel, mean, hideous behavior and something to hide.

It sickens me he has a single shred of paper that has anything to do with Valentino when he censors the documented truth about the entire subject of Valentino and this has been proven so many times. It is a gross display by a man imo who does not give a rat's behind about Valentino but has exploited the subject to bolster his “fame” as a collector. Just because you own something that once belonged to Valentino does not make you an expert or in the slightest way knowledgeable.

While he preens with his displays of ego disguised as god knows what... behind his attempts to sell his glossy image... he calls Renato, “The man who wears a dress”, finds it hilarious to count downs to our death, “tick tock tick tock”, says “no one will miss them when they are gone”, mocks Renato calling him endless names like “child star 72” and posts a toilet as his office... calling me every name from Madwoman to forger while saying I write, “fan fiction”.... who is he kidding? Proof of this? I have posted plenty in many previous posts.

Running a secret blog under my book's title now for almost ten years where he has in the past fancied himself a “holy warrior” and hosted the likes of David Bret allowing him to violate a court order posting filthy lies about us. And yes you will not find links on Mad About the Boy and We Never Forget... Terhune's domain... no links to his Affairs Valentino blog. For this, Renato has always called him, “Mr. Throw the Stone and Hide the Hand”.

It is one of the greatest miscarriages of justice that he owns anything of Valentino and all of his collection, no matter who rightfully owns it...belongs in a public, legitimate archive available to researchers and PROTECTED from people like Tracy Terhune. He censors the story to fit his ego demands and false narrative about Valentino and in this way corrupts Valentino's truth.

I can not believe people do not scratch the surface and see the cruelty he heaps on us and the bully behavior which never ends with him. I intend to show the Valentino world those stones he hides... and it will be an interesting development.

Terhune's “sharing” the letter to Jean is to me a travesty because he hoards the historical documents, censors and bans our research and prevents the truth from being told.

What is my impression of an act of display like that? IMO it is just more of the self-serving and disreputable behavior of Mr. Hide the Hand and Throw the Stone.

All Things Considered

It has been obvious since my first peep in the “World of Valentino” some time around 2003, that a target was slapped on my book, my back and then on my dear husband Renato. My point being that if I proved someone was a hero in Valentino's story, such as George Ullman, Natacha Rambova, Frank Mennillo...those targeting the bulls-eyes would make them all villains. And conversely they did and still do the same with those people in Valentino's life we proved to be actual villains... “they” made them instant heroes such as Mahoney, Alberto, etc. For them it is not about expanding Valentino's history in an honest way, or contributing to a documented body of knowledge, it is about destroying Affairs Valentino, me, Renato and all our books for that matter.

I am pleased to read the recent comments here regarding Tracy Terhune and Lou Mahoney specifically. This is a perfect case in point. And his attempt to provide any other vantage on Natacha Rambova is more than a tad hypocritical imo as one of his oft repeated party lines is that she was, “the worst thing that ever happened to Valentino.” Fact is... she was the very best thing that ever happened to him.

Thank you to a reader who sent me this photo of the lovely lady (see below) where she is with Zela and wearing her wedding dress. An interesting piece to date all things concerning. What do you all think?

Rudolph Valentino, The Handyman & More

Well no biographer of Valentino mentioned Lou Mahoney until Lou mentioned himself. Natacha, George, no one felt his role as cranky handyman enough to merit a single comment. He was not Valentino's "trusted confidant" as Tracy Ryan Terhune alleges... how idiotic. He was the handyman along with his brother Charles. Lou was paid a whopping $40.00 a week and when he was found by Jack Scagnetti, oh brother he got grand. Then, there was the "rest" of the story which was oh so well documented. Sorry Tracy Terhune, but the person writing the "fan fiction" would be you. 

Alberto Launched the Ruin

It is not that Valentino is fictionalized so brutally....endless lies told about almost every aspect of his life. It is that for all of that fiction to be remotely true, everyone would have had to be lying about everything. 

It is a ludicrous assumption to make... claiming everyone over the years conspired to lie and that all those things "they" claim were Valentino's truth were collectively obscured for decades on end. In all the years I spent on the subject of Valentino, I only exposed one tremendously consistent liar and that was Alberto.

He rolled that fiction out with confidence, knowing no one would dare contradict the word of Valentino's only brother. Even today if you contradict the family party line, you are banished to the hinterlands and forever.

Like patriotic soldiers marching in lock step, that party line is upheld. Sickening isn't it that such a thing could evolve around a movie star?

That someone who lived so long ago has become a flash point, a line in the sand as far as the fictionalization of a life goes. Enough already. Under the Hollywood sign, sirens wail, cars, cars everywhere, a city never sleeps...unaware those who guard that front line where Mr. Valentino is concerned are mean, lying sons of bitches.

Life is too damn short for ego wars. Our books are our armor, our line in the sand. The only person who lied was Alberto. He began the ruin of his brother's truth. If he were here today would he object? How far would he go today to defend his lies?

Under the Hollywood sign, the moment waits to become truth forever. 

A Musing

Well there has been some exchange here about what I knew and when. I will be the first to admit I have learned a great deal since I first published Affairs Valentino. And some things are about to be corrected, some additions made.

I stand by the story as I uncovered it and sent it out as Affairs Valentino in 2011 amidst a horror of abuse online. I did not then realize the gravity of Valentino's suffering from syphilis, and did not know a few more key things which I am about to change.

I am excited about the new projects which are finding their way to completion. And we are working hard. Soon come.

And no I did not exactly piece together the drastic consequences of Valentino suffering from syphilis. When Renato was saying that is how he died, for a while I disputed him. I see it now and many clues were certainly left.

I was also skeptical about the love child theory. Renato was not. I think it is an Italian trait to be convinced. They are not a timid people in general and his confidence is inspiring and challenging.

Valentino's story certainly took a new direction and the tired old studio-generated version has run its course. The new truth about Valentino is running free and unimpeded and his true story imo is more amazing than it ever has been. No longer a mannequin vulnerable to any hack's fictional take...talking to you Tracy Terhune, Simon Constable, David Spurr Bret, Eleanor Gribbin, Donna Hill.... as you carry on doing your best to keep that mannequin alive.