Valentino, Rudolph (1895-1926)
"The Great Lover" was the nickname given to Rudolph Valentino when he became a motion picture star in 1919. While the nickname is still synonymous with Valentino, his last name is sufficient to evoke the same picture, that of a handsome, suave man who is irresistible to women. His female fans copied styles from his movies, and some men copied his hairstyles. During his brief stardom, he was often the butt of criticism from men. Despite this, women of the era literally fainted at the sight of him and worshipped him at the altar of their local movie theater.
For someone who had such a profound effect on popular culture during his lifetime, Valentino came from rather humble beginnings. He was born in Castellaneta, Italy, with the impossible name of Rudolpho Alfonzo Ralfaelo Pierre Filibert Gugllielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla. Ironically, the year of his birth, 1895, is also generally looked on as the year motion pictures were born. His father, Giovanni, was a veterinarian who died of malaria in 1906. While the young Valentino longed to become a cavalry officer, his family felt that after the death of his father he needed a better paying career to help take care of the family.
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