Valentino and The Lady in Black

By Crusader1307

Rudolph Valentino was the undisputed ‘’Box Office Draw’’, of The Silent Era of Film. Men wanted to be Him, Women ‘’wanted Him’’. The Italian Immigrant carved a massive niche for Himself in early Film History. His unexpected death in 1926, generated a crowd of 100,000 mourners that lined the streets of Manhattan, New York. Later, (1928) – His remains were moved to The West Coast (California), His ‘’second Home’’ and where He made most of His Films. Re-interred at what is now known as The ‘’Hollywood Forever’’ Cemetery, it is here that a rather bizarre ritual went on for nearly 60 years since. Every anniversary of Valentino’s death, a ‘’Lone Woman’’ – dressed in Funeral Black (to include at times a veil), comes to His Crypt to leave (at first) a ‘’single Red Rose’’. Quickly picked up by local Press – the now dubbed ‘’Lady in Black’’ became a bit of a ‘’celebrity’’. NEVER speaking, ‘’She’’ goes about Her task every August 23^rd (Valentino’s day of death). During the 1950s and early 1960s, The Lady in Black was at Her ’’zenith’’ as it were. Many theories were presented, from a ‘’long, lost Love’’ of Valentino to even reports of an ‘’illegitimate Child’’, honoring Her ‘’Father’’. Even when most of Valentino’s Fans had ‘’passed on’’ themselves, ‘’The Lady’’ still came around. In truth, there had been several ‘’Ladies’’ (some who are even daughters of a former ‘’Lady’’). It was generally thought that that this bizarre ‘’Fan Club’’ strove to maintain Valentino’s Memories – forever. Currently, the presiding ‘’Lady’’ is a Film Historian – trying, if nothing else – to generate interest in Hollywood History.