Hollywood’s original Latin Lover, a term that was invented for Rudolph Valentino by Hollywood moguls. Alla Nazimova’s friend,Natacha Rambova (nee Winifred Hudnut) became romantically involved with Rudy and they lived together in her bungalow, from 1921 (during the filming of Camille) until they eloped to Mexico 13 May, 1922 in the belief his divorce from Jean Acker was official. After their re-marriage two years later she left him because he signed a contract that barred her from being involved in his pictures and wasn’t allowed on set. She went to Nice to live with her parents and never entered their new mansion, Falcon Lair. He began dating sexy ‘Pola Negri’ and was also linked to Vilma Banky. While touring to promote his last film, an editorial in the Chicago Tribune accused him of “effeminization of the American male”. He defended his manhood by challenging the writer of the article to a boxing match (which never took place with the author but another writer for the paper did enter the ring on behalf of the author who would not be named and Rudy beat him). He died shortly afterward while in New York attending to the premiere of his last film. He collapsed on August 15, 1926 in his hotel and died after an operation, which led to an infection on August 23rd. 80,000 mourners caused a near riot at his New York funeral. Another funeral followed in California.
