Valentino Has Left the Rio

"The Rio Theatre was on Walnut Street across from Capitol Park and adjacent to a large YMCA building in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Built in 1908, it began life as the Majestic Theatre featuring vaudeville and shows such as 'No, No, Nanette' and 'Rose Marie'. “

On October 8, 1943, Rudolph Valentino appeared at the Rio in The Son of the Sheik, and he received the following review. For me these little scenarios back in time are time capsules. I almost remember 1943 but it was a bit before my time.

The reviewers' mention of Valentino being successful in his love scenes for his lack of bother or need to speak is good insight I think. It probably does not matter whether the movie is silent or not. Plenty of conversations were had in silent film. I think reviewer Paul Walker was on to something.

Traveling back in time to 1943, to a bus ride and the chatter of a couple of teenagers who had just seen The Son of the Sheik. 

The Rio Theatre where this took place. It is long gone but what a great Art Deco facade. 

We Wore White

Renato and I with Chicca Guglielmi Morone and her husband Ettore, who is the Luxembourg Consul in Turin. On the occasion of Luxembourg National Celebration Day, June 23rd, we were invited to attend a fabulous luncheon al fresco. Five minutes after this photo was taken, a tempest whipped in and blew the tables, the food and dishes to the winds. We all moved indoors and Chicca had a pasta dinner improvised for us all. This was taken sometime around 2013 and Chicca and Ettore posed with all of their guests and sent them the photos. 

 

Respect Where Respect is Due

I am someone who respects the hard work entailed in serious research. I also think writing in the style of narrative non-fiction to be the finest way to tell the story of the data retrieved from serious research. For me it is like putting salt on food. Someone told me once that putting some salt on food guaranteed people would eat it. Same with sharing a story built on heavy research. No one wants to read a bland, boring and lengthy document as a straight up report of the data. And the creating of the narrative non-fiction book for me is an art that has always been appreciated.

“Narrative nonfiction, also known as creative nonfiction or literary nonfiction, is a true story written in the style of a fiction novel. The narrative nonfiction genre contains factual prose that is written in a compelling way. Facts told as a story.”

It is critical to include sources in a narrative nonfiction book to support the content and in this Professor Aurelio Miccoli excels. In his fine book, The Infancy of the Myth, he includes several Appendices detailing his research sources and discoveries. He has traced Valentino's childhood, schools, residences, family, the priests and neighbors, military records and more.

I suggest to anyone contemplating a work on Valentino's origins to first contact Professor Miccoli and review his meticulously itemized Appendices in both of his fine books. 

I share his list of local archives he studied, sourced and shared from Infancy of the Myth (partial listing) and thank this intrepid researcher for his countless hours of hard work in factually detailing the story.

And the cover image with the photo belonging to Chicca Guglielmi Morone's collection which is inscribed by Valentino's sister Maria. (see below)

The Chicca Guglielmi Morone Interview

"The Cinema's Most Spectacular Legend..."

This review of The Eagle, from 1939, fourteen years after the film was made, is not as harsh as some Valentino commentary at the time. I think there was a tendency to mock and belittle the silent stars and their films with the advent of sound, but this review has some good comments. It is interesting his noting how Valentino dominates all aspects of the film, "Everything is subjugated to his sleek, fascinating personality."  From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 12, 1939, see image below. 

I also found this article on silent film's disappearance in The Atlantic Monthly interesting and share the link.

 https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2013/12/most-americas-silent-films-are-lost-forever/355775/

Spot the Mistakes

A friend assured me recently that I did not need to post on this blog every day. They said they found plenty to read and look at and not to worry about. I like posting on this blog even though sometimes I think I have nothing to share, even though I make mistakes.

And regarding those mistakes. I do my best as does anyone but wow. My circumstance regarding a mistake is horrendous. Imagine if you had two fiends poised, watching your every move and word written and whose main desire was to find you made a tiny mistake. And when they did they seized it like a treasure and began to post all about it online on the WORLD wide web in every possible way to mock you for your mistake. Something like that could deter a normal person from ever trying.

Do I fear their mocking, their defaming me so brazenly by exploiting my mistakes? No, I do not. I still like posting here and pouring my heart out about what is happening. I know most of you reading this care and get the difficulty we face in this. Thank you.

And to those who sneer and see us as deserving villains... well who needs you anyway? Awful people are not welcome anywhere let alone here.

I watched The Sheik in 1997 and have lived a lot of Valentino experience obviously. So I think there are still things I could write about here.

I will say both Renato and are I are working diligently on two new books. (And yes his is in Italian) We are very excited about them and its hard to stay mums the word. But soon come.

So meanwhile feel free to suggest ideas. 

Some Fresh Air

Valentino posing at the Italian Embassy the end of January 1926 with Alberto far left (wearing the spats), Count Delfino Rogeri di Villanova, Rudolph Valentino, Signor Romolo Angelone and Signor Luciano Mascia.

Below Rudy posing with B. J. Beckman. 

There is a certain narrative in the two images I think. The cigarette in Rudy's hand in the formal pose has just been lit.... tree behind. 

The cigarette in the pose with B.J. Beckman is about half spent...same tree to the left. Both photos taken with a few feet of each other within the span of that cigarette? Its kind of endearing he would step over for a shot with the cop on duty that day and a nice memory for B. J. Beckman.

Danke Shön! 

 

That "Nickel-Plated Lining"

How Bad They Really Are

I have been thinking that many people new to the Valentino World have no idea the extreme levels of bullying that David Bret engages in everyday regarding us and under the auspices of Tracy Terhune. Historically, it goes like this...after I delivered my speech in Turin in 2009, thinking it might generate some discussion about how Valentino became gay, I had no idea I would be living from then on in hiding. Good lord I did not.

I know people today will roll their eyes and think I am being overly dramatic, etc. but I will pose the following in response. Roll back time to about 2010... say the entire year.

When Bret found out I dared to challenge his book on Valentino and call it fiction, dared to point out how he plagiarized the book from Mank's book... when he found out I critiqued his book for about 5 whole minutes in my 30 minute speech before a world audience, he began to obsess on my death.

So I pose the situation to anyone doubting my sincerity in hiding by asking what they would do if some lunatic began opening blog after blog after blog to write about your death, delight in the details of your corpse, hope for maggots to do their job and regaled you with images of coffins and nooses? I really think you might get as far away as you could from that person and not let them know where you were.

I did call authorities many times and in three countries. I contacted his local police. They paid him a visit and served him with some piece of paper telling him to stop advertising my books. He lied about what happened when the police were in his home having their cuppa tea and I wrote the police. They wrote back saying Bret's account of the visit was inaccurate. I think making a false report publicly of police action should be a punishable offense.

But at some point in 2010, back in the day, Tracy Terhune decided to link to Bret's million and one death blogs and toss in his Satanic touch. For me this made it all even more reason to hide because people have been known to place an extra layer of emphasis on a “cause” when they have some religious motivation. Yikes, no.

For my daring to say Valentino was made gay and in great measure by David Bret's hysterical inventions, he has written continually about my death and now our deaths for a decade. So much so that he was and is known by some for that as “Death Bret”.

Do I think a person doing something like that belongs in jail? Yes, I do. Do I feel I should warn people about his extreme malevolence? Yes, I do. He is Joey Jenkinson, Mrs. Trellis, Albert Morris, Edel Man, Edelman, Ms. Vollmer, Etienne/who likes to be called Stephen, David Bret (an actual alias) and more. And he is Tracy Terhune's absolute point man in the drive to shut me up and bury all our books, except the ones he keeps in plastic sleeves cuz valuable.

Some have mocked our being in hiding but I pose the situation we are in to them. What would they do? I did sue Bret and won and posted the verdict, the original filing and some evidence here: www.zumayawinslawsuit.com They greeted that by opening blogs claiming I never filed a lawsuit, it was all a lie and this while Bret was showing up in court in his hometown declaring bankruptcy to avoid paying me damages. 

And this little sampling (see below) is not about past events at all. Check the date on the last excerpt. So I can not "move on". Not possible until Terhune and Bret close that killer blog they run under Affairs Valentino. They are at it everyday and it is very bad. It needs to stop and anyone imo choosing to skulk about with the two of them, is no friend of mine. I excerpt under Fair Use guidelines to illustrate a point in my narrative. 

1 -  From an e-mail from Bret vintage 2012-2013

2 - Email excerpt from Bret via my personal e-mail:

3 -  Tracy Terhune's bestie sends me another e-mail wish for daring to challenge his book of fiction.

And this gem just posted a few days ago by Tracy Terhune as he promotes the horror that is David Bret to attack us. This on a blog Terhune claims is a "literary critique". And btw, I spent one year interviewing Bill Self.

A "Movie Star's Mail Bag"

I have cropped and enlarged this article below the first image. Enjoy.

 

"RUE-DOLL-FFF"

An ad posted on February 3, 1937 in The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. Puzzle book sold "Anywhere Cigarettes are Sold"? I guess in 1937 that would have been almost everywhere. 

Was I Supposed to be Afraid?

Tracy Ryan Terhune posted the image below on the blog he runs under the title of my book, Affairs Valentino; the blog he has run for ten years where he works hard to do as much harm as possible to Renato and I and our books. It is there he bullies us as he has done consistently since August of 2012. He feigns legitimacy on that blog these days disguising his hateful diatribes as "literary critique". 

Back in 2018, Terhune was taking a darker and more Satanic approach to his harming us. (see below) I never could understand exactly what that was about. He was openly deceiving my web traffic into thinking it was my deranged blog, that I was therefore deranged and etc. etc. But apart from that malicious plan, what was he thinking?

In this post below for example. Who is supposed to read such a book? Why is he recommending it on his hit blog targeting us specifically? Was I supposed to be afraid? Does he consider himself a "saint", a "Holy Warrior"? Truth is I did feel afraid with these satanic posts because I consider anyone doing this to terrify us over a book they did not like... really unstable. 

Do I think his fake "literary critique" is less scary? No I don't because Tracy Terhune's ability to be mean is off the charts imo. I base that statement on facts supported by hundreds of screenshots. As I flailed away, year after year, coping and doing the best I could through despair, fury and panic.... I used every thing I could think of to make him stop and close that blog. Humor, debate, exposing what he was doing there so secretly. But it is obvious....

Satanic references posted on a blog by a malicious person openly trying to harm you... is not something that creates a peaceful state of mind. 

And to those who think we should just "get over it and "life is short". Life is short and I will spend that short time exposing the very wrong things Tracy Terhune has done and continues to do to us. I ask him again to close that mean and spiteful blog, apologize and move on. Having that blog up impedes our right to do a fair business and that imo constitutes a crime. Here is Terhune's post there from Thursday, February 22, 2018... Terhune posts under his known moniker TRT96. (Excerpt from blog used under Fair Use guidelines to illustrate a point in my narrative)

 

Thank-you!

One more inspiring piece of art before moving on. Below "The Last Trumpet" by American Illustrator, Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965). More about him here@  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Artzybasheff

Food for Thought

"And that, as the saying goes, is Hollywood."

 I do not have a citation for the clipping below. Rudolph Valentino comments on life in Hollywood. I wonder what he would think of life in Hollywood now.

 

"The Adventures of a Star"

Renato has translated the following article as it appeared in the Parisian newspaper, Le Figaro, on September 21, 1922, in the section relating to life in the United States. The author muses over the advertising opportunities of Valentino's troubled marital situation and mentions it could be the invention of a clever manager. At the time of this article the only person “managing” Valentino was Doug Gerrard and he was not acting in any official capacity. I think if Valentino had a working manager then things would not have been so disastrous. The author relates a scenario he alleges took place for the benefit of reporters which he claims took place at a pier with Rudy and Natacha.

In September 1922, Rudy and Natacha were not heading to Europe together. But maybe a trip was contemplated at some point; a trip which did not happen and the journalist claims it was a set-up for publicity.

But this is the first time this quizzical article has appeared anywhere in English and thank you Renato!

The Adventures of a Star...by Georges Pierredon

"Rudolph Valentino is the young, most fashionable star in the world of American cinema. Is he, in life, as charming as on the screen? It depends on one's taste. Because he has a rather heavy nose, a strong oriental look, and his appearance shines neither with an extreme vivacity or by a domineering aspect.

But when you're famous, you don't have to be beautiful. You are always loved too much.

Rudolph Valentino, for reasons of his own, divorced a few months ago, a normal fact in the United States and in the world of cinema.

Once divorced, he understood that the laws of the state of California, in which he was divorced, did not allow remarrying until after a year. He then left for Mexico which is close to California. There he married an exquisite young girl, Miss Winifred Hudnut, who uses the cinematographic and theatrical pseudonym of Natacha Rambova (Russia is very popular in the United States).

But as soon as Valentino returned to California, the authorities were notified (and also the vice police) and it was discovered his divorce would only be valid in California after a year. He could have committed bigamy and the authorities were going to lock him up, as well as his young wife.

Valentino had to send the charming Natacha to a less severe state and he told the California authorities he had only sinned by ignorance of the law. With a little help (Valentino is very useful to his managers) things improved. But Valentino is ordered to live several months apart from his young wife, until he was legally divorced.

However, we have just learned that, under the influence of chance and the gods, the two young semi-marrieds found themselves in New York. Immediately, with great emotion and deep sensation, forty reporters set off after Rudolph and Natacha, who can no longer live in peace and alone. This is excellent for the advertisement of Valentino, and one begins to wonder if it is not to his manager that Rudolph owes half of his troubles.

The young woman decides to leave for Europe. She and Rudolph board a steamer. We interview and photograph them. Then they retire to their cabin. At the last moment, Rudolph descends from the boat, mingles with the people who appear from the second class area. No one recognizes him. The reporters are stunned. The same evening, we discover the farce. New sensation. New photos. New articles.

What now, will the impresario of Valentino do to astonish the reporters and the crowds?

Max Linder once tried to reach a ship by plane. He missed his chance. We offer Valentino a suggestion. He could go and wait for his young wife on the open sea, near the Nantucket flagship, disguised as a pilot or even a castaway.

If Valentino even disappeared that day, in a storm, the film would be more complete and the advertising even more intense. But the impresario, the advertising manager, as they say on the other side of the pond, will he go that far? And will he kill the goose that lays the golden eggs after such a whirlwind?

Everything is possible, from the point of view of advertising. It suffices to understand the very spirit of American advertising to see these phenomenal events in an honorably commercial aspect."

Georges Pierredon

(Below the original article)

On January 19th

       A Birthday Remembrance for this lady. May her fighting spirit never die. 

Our List of Books!

Renato compiled a list of all our books with accompanying data (see below) which I share today. It is astounding to me that throughout the years, all of these fine books, of which we are extremely proud, have taken a continual beating from those who have tagged themselves as “the team”.

Tracy Terhune calls our books “fan fiction”, or “pure fiction”, he runs a designated blog under the title of Affairs Valentino, where he does little else but try to do the maximum harm to us personally and to our work.

Eleanor Gribbin tells people asking about Affairs Valentino, that the book is the “ravings of a madwoman” and Donna Hill refuses to give the tiniest nod to any of these titles, pretending they do not exist.

Cindy Martin told anyone who would listen that Michael Morris did not write his posthumous book, Beyond Valentino. This was a travesty to deter anyone from reading his work and a tremendous insult to him as he did write it. We were working on it together when he passed away. I am still waiting for her to issue a public retraction of her false statement about that.

And David Spurr Bret? He just wakes up every day I guess to vomit more angry insults our way on his unintelligible Twitter account.

I am pleased to say that this core group of people... have not affected the content or integrity of our work in the slightest!

I present the account as Renato set it up... and wave it high as a banner of pride and happiness that we accomplished all we did. Renato wants me to add that he will soon be updating the list! The image might have to be downloaded to be enlarged. 

Dr. Wyman Sent Back to Welfare Island

Another chapter in this character's saga. Dr. Wyman had a wife and child and interesting to see a better picture of the con artist himself. The article is not so clear what he did to violate his parole. But poor Mrs. Wyman, he was really awful husband material. This article is from The Times Union, Brooklyn, New York, March 1, 1932. I wrote about his death in Affairs Valentino in the "What Ever Happened To" section. I add this to that account. (see below)

More From Renato Floris

"I have read with great regret the descriptions of both Evelyn and myself in Mad About the Boy and We Never Forget in which I recognize neither her nor me.

We are described as two mythical monsters who do not like dialogue and who are perched on their positions in an uncompromising way. Nothing could be more wrong.

Evelyn and I are always looking for new points of view, new stimuli, but a smear campaign has been launched and managed against us that has now lasted well over eleven years.

Add to this, the fact that exactly 3328 days ago, Tracy Ryan Terhune stole the then blog of Evelyn which she closed due to threats made against her family from David Bret. Tracy Terhune, 3328 days ago turned Evelyn's blog into his tool aimed only at harming us.

In those posts on that Affairs Valentino Blogspot blog, Terhune's literary criticism does not exist if only in name because there it is, and always has been only his signature bullying, insult, defamation and so on and so forth.

It is enough, for those who do not believe me, to go and read there the disreputable lies and comments by David Bret and the fundamentalist hatred of us by Tracy Ryan Terhune. Bret uses Terhune's blog just to vomit homophobic, transphobic and ageist insults about us and nothing more.

Regarding "Mad About the Boy", some time ago, maybe two or three years ago, I asked to be admitted to the group but the administrator treated me in an offensive way and told me that I was not liked, he added that my fame preceded me and that if I did not leave immediately he would have reported me to Facebook as a nuisance.

I asked the administrator to explain the reason for all this, I came in peace and with serious interest in Valentino, he reiterated his intention to denounce me.

In my recent post I just asked Eleanor Gribbin to contact me via email, to explain the reasons for our being banished and denigrated.

I have never denied an effective and honest dialogue with those who have good intentions.

Asking is lawful and answering is courtesy!"

A Direct Response to Eleanor Gribbin

In response to your day of insult and delusion about Renato's post to you...I respond with the following:

“My rants”, as you called them... are responses to the harassment Renato and I have had to endure for years on end because of the likes of you and your eternally menacing and alias-ridden overlords.

And in response to your fury over why someone is sharing posts from your group with us... Perhaps you have forgotten that your group is public and anyone who is not blocked can see what you are doing and saying. If people share what you write it is because they recognize good from evil. Some people actually do good things.

Yet you issue a threat to the person who forwards those posts, threatening to ban them everywhere and not just on your group. Wow. My point proven.

I must remind you that Renato once politely requested to join your group and he did not just receive a rejection but a traumatic attack by your partner then Simon Constable. He told Renato he would report him to Facebook, that his “fame preceded him” and that he should “go away”.

Did you amend that? You did not. Instead you goaded Constable on, saying I smell, (see below) and collaborating with him in a ban of us and our work's mention which was and always is laden with defamatory innuendo about us and our work.

And in response to your chit chat with Ms. Mary O'Bannon/Cindy Martin or whoever it is today... your statement claiming you never “voiced an opinion over my statements”? Well that...would be a complete lie. (see below)

We are sick and tired of you and your cronies harassing us, inspiring hatred of us in unsuspecting people's minds...when your own rhetoric and actions prove you are the bully. Renato bravely and intelligently wrote the truth. So own it lady, own it.

A couple of last points to be made:

You dash my blog's anonymous commentators... when your main commentators are fake aliases such as Etienne....who is Bret and we know this because he revealed this himself with an ill-timed tweet...remember? All those tired and ridiculously obvious aliases... the lunacy goes on and on. 

And is it not obvious why we have to have the comments turned off on our Youtube channel? Because of people like you. I once woke up to a long list of obscene comments posted on a video years ago and learned that lesson. Because of people like you and Bret.... with his 1000 Gribbin-approved aliases, i.e., Albert Morris, Etienne whatever... we do not have the privilege of allowing comments.

So not so fast with your curtsy and bow to the membership there Ms. Gribbin. There is much more to this story as you well know. Much, much more.

But now to share a few of the deplorable things you claim to have never said in your group about us: (the following excerpts are reproduced under Fair use guidelines to illustrate a point in my narrative)

 

And a quick banishment....

Here (below) you claim I added things to Ullman's memoir....

(Above) you turned off comments when one of our books was mentioned. And lest we forget this classic....

Rudolph Valentino's Uncle Ernesto

Clarification

Some clarification about the signature of S. George Ullman. I received an image of a book of poetry published in January of 1923, purported online to be written by S. George Ullman. (see below)

I was asked if George Ullman published this book of poetry in January of 1923. After some research I found an inscription written by the author in a copy of “Captive Balloons” (see below)

The above inscription is certainly not S. George Ullman's handwriting as his signature was consistent throughout his lifetime. I share some examples and there are many as he signed endless documents and letters. To share but a few as example:

I can verify that although on some sales pages for the book titled, “Captive Balloons", it identifies the author as a “friend and manager of Rudolph Valentino”, in my expert opinion after studying this man and his handwriting/signature for two decades, the book "Captive Balloons" is not written by S. George Ullman and the inscription in the copy of said book of poems is not the signature nor handwriting of S. George Ullman. The handwriting of the book's inscription is from a very different hand.

The inscription in the copy of "Captive Balloons" was found here:

https://rb.gy/3inues

Dear Mary O'Bannon

We have not “attacked” Donna Hill as Tracy Ryan Terhune accuses us of doing. We have pointed out her shunning of all of our Valentino work and publications and the books of Aurelio Miccoli. It is a glaring omission on her part and it is an obvious thing for us to do to make this omission known.

Terhune is doing his best to now destroy our Rudolph Valentino Case Files with innuendo and his signature bullying. He calls us hypocrites because we did not include Bret's absolutely awful book on Valentino in our bibliography. Well Donna Hill has also shunned his book so there you go.

"Cindy Martin" gave us an earful some time ago about Ms. Donna Hill's role in Terhune's, “Campaign to Ruin Evelyn” (and that is what she said they call it). She said Ms. Hill participated actively and wrote everything Terhune published on that designated hit blog he runs under the title of my book Affairs Valentino. She said Ms. Hill was desperate to get back into Terhune's good graces because he was furious she told me about the exchange of those stolen Valentino court records between Ms. Jeanine Villalobos and collector Jim Craig for one of Valentino's shirt.

I knew Donna Hill way back when and for a while believed she was a supportive friend. How naive I was back then. I think the label of “hypocrite” can be applied to all of them because they publicly carry on as if they are interested in Valentino when they bash and lie about all of the ground-breaking work we have done.

They can project their own behavior on us all they wish but it does not change the reality that we are working hard, have worked hard and are very proud of all we have contributed. I would think they would distance themselves from someone the likes of David Bret, close obvious bullying blogs and get on board instead of making themselves look so wicked and small minded.

If you look up the word, “mendacious”, you will find the description of their actions. “Given to or characterized by deception, or falsehood or divergence from the absolute truth.”

It is revolting Terhune is still using that bully blog, and anyone else not wondering who “Mary O'Bannon is”? Maybe she should update her book list one of these days.

The Rudolph Valentino Case Files contains years of our research archive and we stand behind the content 100%.

"Every Show One of Happiness"

When Love Grows Cold, as advertised by Bard's Theatre in Pasadena. (see below) Here Natacha Rambova gets a mention under her name along with her "Mrs. Rudolph Valentino". I am told this program is for sale on a French site. I think Bard's Theatre's motto is rather uplifting, "Every Show One of Happiness". Sounds inviting doesn't it?

I honestly believe Natacha was sincere in pursuing an acting career after Rudolph. She soon realized it would be impossible because she was forever branded as his ex-wife with all the accompanying slander. In the article titled, "Her Years as Valentino's Wife" written by Herbert Howe, Natacha addresses the situation a few years afterwards. 

"Natacha says, 'I've been called everything from Messalina to a dope-fiend.'

'Did you feel it much?' (Herb Howe asks her)

'I was tortured. I was tortured to agony,' she said. Her eyes met mine in an eloquence of silence."

I included the article in its entirety both in Beyond Valentino and in Astral Affairs Rambova because I consider it Natacha's final, candid and fascinating testimony on the marriage. 

"When Love Grows Cold", Distributors Exploit

While I was writing Astral Affairs Rambova, I learned Natacha Rambova was furious to be billed as "Mrs. Rudolph Valentino" in her acting debut in "When Love Grows Cold." She made the film in the weeks after she left Hollywood, during the most bitter days of her separation from Valentino. The film was originally called, "Do Clothes Make the Woman" and then changed just before distribution to "When Love Grows Cold". 

The movie had nothing to do with the status of her divorce from Rudolph, but distributors exploited her newsworthy divorce to such an infuriating degree, it ended Natacha's film aspirations. I did discover she appeared in one last movie with Valentino's cousin titled "Who Am I?"... and was proud to add that film to her filmography. I included an essay on that discovery with photos from the cousin, Cassio's, family archive. 

Simon Constable attempted to take credit for my Cassio, "Who Am I?" discovery by posting pages from Astral Affairs Rambova without crediting it to me. 

I always find it offensive when women are referred to by their husband's names, and in this case an ex-husband. It negates their identity. Evelyn Brent was given her name on the theater bill, etc. so why not Natacha Rambova? I think we know the answer. 

This would have been in March of 1926, and there are reports that Valentino's movies were very often shown before her movie. It did not bode well with the ex-Mrs. Valentino. (More on the theater through the link below the image.)

https://buildingsofnewengland.com/2021/01/19/larcom-theatre-1912/

Fifty Dollars to Editor Zobel?

Here (see below) Rudolph Valentino writes a check to Martin Zobel. Myron Zobel was the editor of Screenland Magazine and the short-lived Hollywood Confessions in January of 1923. At the time he was writing extensively (lots of gossip) about the motion picture industry in several syndicated columns.....so I am wondering what Rudolph Valentino could have been paying him for. Fifty dollars by today's exchange rate would be exactly $830.00.

Photographs? An article? Was he repaying a loan? Keeping some gossip out of the news?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelfilmarchive/8228201086

                                    Myron Zobel @ 1923

A Renato Floris Commentary on Eleanor Gribbin

When I received a few screenshots forwarded to me by a Good Samaritan, I was reminded of an episode which happened to the Valentinos during their Mineralava tour and related by Evelyn in her book Affairs Valentino.

I quote that episode here:

“In advance of the tour's arrival, George was often contacted by local dignitaries requesting a private meeting with the Valentinos. In Rochester, Minnesota the eminent Dr. Walter Mayo made such a request by inviting Rudy, Natacha and George to tour his clinic, including the psychiatric wards housing the most afflicted patients.This seemingly harmless invitation turned out to be a hair-raising experience for Rudy.

As Dr. Mayo escorted his guests down one corridor of the women's ward, the female patients began shrieking and rattling the metal doors of their cells. When some of them recognized Rudy, they began clawing at him through the door's barred windows. The resulting bedlam became so deafening and terrifying that the stroll through the asylum was cut short. Natacha consoled her visibly shaken husband as she whisked him out the nearest exit, while George diplomatically concluded the visit with Dr. Mayo.”

My opinion is that in some Valentinian circles there are many honorary citizens of Rochester, Minnesota, all worthy of residing at Dr. Walter Mayo's psychiatric clinic.

Today I acknowledge the honorary citizen, Ms. Eleanor Gribbin. In her group which, coincidentally is titled Mad About the Boy, she warns all members of the group to never ask a single question about Evelyn or about her books.

Both Evelyn's and my names, like our works, are overtly banned by Eleanor Gribbin from any discussion.

In one of her most recent posts, Gribbin, administrator of the Mad About the Boy group, sternly confirmed that any question or discussion relating to Evelyn Zumaya or her books is banned from the group and that no explanations are needed because the administration of the group has the “right” reasons for that demand.

No, Ms. Gribbin, it is not enough to just dismiss a question of this type in this way.

Today I ask you to directly explain to me and to the public, exactly what is your “right” reason for this despotic edict. What gives you any “right” to banish even the mention of our names and work on Valentino to a group devoted to Valentino? What is your, “just cause”? If you wish you can e-mail me with your answers here: viplibri@libero.it.

I also wonder how is it possible that any one would join, in 2022, a group issuing censorship of literature commands and itemizes names of authors never to be mentioned. How could anyone want to be a part of a group which goes to that lengths to avoid "annoying arguments" just because they contradict the "dogmas" carried forward by the administrators? For me any such group is not worth joining at all! And censorship of literature is a hallmark of a cult. 

I'm sure that I won't receive any reply to my question unless Ms. Gribbin is given her response to send to me. I really feel she doesn't know what to say on her own because she repeats, like a parrot, that dogma which has be inculcated in her lost mind!

Let's make sure that Valentino doesn't have his hair raised for an eternity! Enough of that mad howling.

Some Whimsy

Clearing the air here with some whimsy sent to me. Thank you! 👍These are painted on Masonite which is a poor surface for any paint. It does not stand a test of time well at all. But someone labored long and diligently on these renditions of Valentino and maybe a bit of appreciation is in order. I understand they are for sale at auction for $10.00 the lot. 

 

Tracy Terhune's Motivation

I reiterate... anything Tracy Ryan Terhune posts on that Affairs Valentino blog he runs with David Bret is bullying. In light of the history of cruel and disgusting posts on that blog, nothing can be remotely construed as being a “literary critique” as he now claims.

Terhune opened that blog when I was bullied into closing it long ago by David Bret. Terhune runs it as a massive designated cyber bullying blog which he and Bret have used to harass and bully us for ten years and counting. There they have debased, defamed and diverted legitimate traffic seeking information about Affairs Valentino to find the following. (see below) I share but a meager sampling of the history of Terhune's diabolical and defamatory posts there. For him to feign it is anything other than bullying us demonstrates the level to which he goes to bury our work.  A few of Tracy Ryan Terhune's previous posts on his "literary critique"....

 

Renato responds to the latest post Terhune published on the blog he runs under my book's title:

Renato's Response:

"Tracy Ryan Terhune and David Bret never miss an opportunity to show who they really are, that is, stubborn, obtuse and, above all, obstinate people who have both whipped themselves into a frenzy of envy of our work and our research.

Again Tracy Ryan Terhune, in a blog under the title of Evelyn's first book, "Affairs Valentino" tries to discredit and belittle our work with bogus criticism, but his "Thumbs Down", on this blog? If this is not prejudice I do not know what could be.

Tracy Terhune talks about a talent which according to his past behavior, he really lacks, namely "intellectual honesty". He says I am intellectually dishonest because we did not include the title of Bret's book in our bibliography. Odd because in Donna Hill's list of Valentino books, there is a complete non-presence of our titles as well as that of David Bret's "Dream of Desire". Maybe he should extend his accusations to Donna Hill for that.

And he is referring to a book's index and not a bibliography. If Tracy Terhune cannot distinguish a bibliography from a book index that is not my problem.

Regarding my non-citation of Bret's work in our bibliography, I recall that the bibliographies show the texts used as sources and direct citations for the writing of the book. Bret's “Dream of Desire” is certainly not to be considered a source of genuine research results because gossip and innuendo are worthless as citation sources.

A different consideration must be made regarding Mank and Steiger's book as that book launched the inventions regarding Valentino's sexuality, a real saraband of salacity.

In closing I add that Evelyn never rallied against Bret or Mank & Steiger, she limited herself to analyzing the sources of the legendary and non-existent homosexuality of Rudolph Valentino and I am not saying this out of homophobia but for the sake of truth.

By continuing to run that blog Tracy Terhune's motivation is obvious and he has once again seized the opportunity to look malicious and ill-informed."  

UPDATE... I received notification from David Bret confirming he was "Etienne".