Like many men whose names have become a household word, there was no undue excitement when Valentino was born in Castellaneta on May 6th 1895.
Perched on high ground and backed by deep ravine the sleepy little town of Castellaneta lay underneath the hot Italian sun. White stone houses overlooked the green vineyards and olive grovesl. Below, and away in the distance towards Taranto the sea sparkled and shimmered.

The Italian father of Valentino Giovanni Antonio Guispepe Fedele, Guglielmi was born in Martina France on February 8th 1853. When misfortune overtook the family they moved to castellaneta after graduating from the University of Naples he entered the service and became an officer in the Royal Italian Cavalry.

When Valentino was born Giovanni Guglielmi was practicing as a veterinary surgeon, and devoting himself to bacterialogical research into bovine diseases. The result of his endeveaours was recognised and made the subject of a Treatise by Professor Nacard, a member of the French academy and Pastuere institute. *

On June 22nd 1889 Giovanni Married Babriella Barbin  ‘Da Lueve’ in Taranto. She was the daughter of a French doctor in Paris and had lived through some of the worst horrors and privations of the siege of Paris.

The new baby was warmly welcomed into a family closely tied by bonds of affection and in the cathedral of Castellaneta received the impressive names of Rodolpho Alfonso Raffalle Pierre Filiberte Guglielmi Di Valentina D’Antonguolla.
A long list of names being the Italian custom. The names stem from a combination of ancestral and family names from both the Italian and French sides of the family.
One of Rudolpho’s ancestors fought a dual with a member of a powerful Italian house. The Ancestor was killed and the rest of his family fled from rome to escape further persecution. **

Later generations became farmers and entered other professions. They had dropped the Di Valentina D’Antoneguolla part of their name but retained Guglielmi.
As a child Rodolpho had two sisters. The eldest Beatrice died when only five years old and is buried in a cemetery in Castellaneta most boys are blessed, or cursed (depending on the reader’s point of view) with a sense of mischief and Rodolpho was no exception. His brother, Alberto, three years his senior, having friends within his own age group Rodolpho sought the companionship of his younger sister Maria.

Sometimes, their friendly arguments would develop into pitched arguments with ripe olives as their ammunition but beneath the childish display of temper there lay a deep affection for each other. Rodolpho felt the need to impress his sister with stories of gallantry equal to his illustrious ancestor, as related by his mother. His enthusiasm for acting the parts brought him into sharp conflict with his father, who a kindly man was never the less a stern disciplinarian, and the young boy received many beatings for his misdeeds.

Once of his most unfortunate exploits was entering the forbidden study of his fathers, where he boldy showed his daring by smoking his fathers pipe to the wonderment of his sister Maria. Caught in the act by his father he was severely cained and sent to bed. ***
As mediator, his mother must have experienced great anxiety, torn as she was between loyalty towards her husband and sympathy for her son.

*: See “Remember Valentino” by Beauleh Livingstone. Pages 16-17

**: Hear tape: Séance No 14 The Creet Collection Nov 26 1956. Communicator: Frederic Chopin.

***:See “The Story of My Life” By Rudolph Valentino Published in The Girls Cinema December 1923.


Perhaps, ‘The Italian Mama’ is not called ‘La Madonna’ for no reason. The house where Rodolpho was born still stand on the main street of Castellaneta. When Giovanni Guglielmi carried on his profession as veterinary surgeon, the upper floors were occupied by the family, whilst the ground floor was entered by double doors to admit the animals into the surgery for treatment.

Castellaneta - Valentino's Childhood home.

In 1904 the family left their home, and went to live in Taranto. There happiness only lasted two years. There, in 1906 Giovanni died through ill health, over work, and it was thought, the result of his research bovine diseases.

Rodolpho was eleven years old. This experience had a deep emotional effect on the young boy who was confronted, for the first time, with the realisation of the serious business of living. At the height of his fame in 1923 Valentino wrote: ‘In my fathers last moment’s i came near to the greatest mystery in the world…..Love. My mother was stricken though she never wept. But in the glances she and my father exchanged, in the awe inspiring but eloquent silence between them, I saw without then fully understanding the miracle of a sublime love. Later on after the funeral had become a solemn part of a distant past, I can remember he kneeling before the alter candles of the Cathedral, not so much praying as holding commune with him who had preceded her. Still loving him still feeling that sense of togetherness love can never be a light thing with me with such memories. I often think such endurance as came to me in my later trials my days of starvation and privation in New York may have come to me direct from that brave and gallant little figure of my mother’ **

The education of Rodolpho became of major importance he was sent to ‘The Dante Aligilieri College’ The equivalent of a grammer school, where he took no interest in his lessons and was considered a dunce. He stayed there for a year until his thirteenth birthday. A military school was his next objective there again he daydreamed and took little interest in his studies. Disaster came when King Vittorio Emenuelo visited the town most Italians at that time had a profound admiration for their king and Rodolpho was no exception. Unfortunately as a a punishment he had been stripped of his clothes and confined to his dormitory whilst the other students went to cheer their sovereign. Rodolpho broke out of his prison found a uniform several sizes too large, and a poor forlorn donkey which he rode to glory and his own destruction. Next day he was sent home in disgrace to his mother.***

The next part of his schooling did produce better results, but not many. The Collegio Della Sapienze in Perugia halfway up the Apennines was a school for doctors sons. For those willing to take advantage of the excellent education it provided there was a bright future. Through its doors had passed many brilliant men but not in the case of Rodolpho who could not see any reason as to why he should waste time learning things that were no interest to him. Geogrpahy, History and languages were subjects in which he excelled, only because he hoped they would further his ambition to emulate his father by becoming a cavalry officer in the Italian army. He did become proficient on the football field becoming part of the school team another worthwhile past time which the authorities encouraged was dancing although the boys had to partner each other it was a popular event.

** See: ‘The story of my life’ published in the Girls Cinema. Dec 1923.

*** See: As above  Also, My Private Diary by Valentino pages 231-234.

A relic of his stay at ‘Collegio Della Sapienze’ was a deformity of one of his ears, this is not very notable in any of his films possibly because the defect was remedied… but Valentino mentioned the fact when interviewed, that one of the masters at the school had a satanic habit of twisting the ears of his pupils when they displeased him this, with the frequent use of the cane did not endear him to the students. The masters were strict and the military discipline were severe. Because of his general lack of knowledge Rodolpho had to stay at the college for an extra year. His inaptitude for learning was not his lack of intelligence but that simply he was not interested in other subjects. Later, when in America he became an interesting conversationalist and an authority on many subjects these include History, and the tribes not only of the modern world but ancient civilisations.

Leaving the ‘Collegio Della Sapienze’ at fiftenn Rodolpho returned home with great expectations, he was dismayed to discover to discover that his mother could not provide the necessary funds for his ambition. Training to be an officer cost money and although his mother was comfortably off sufficient money was not available.
After a lengthy discussion it was decided that he should enter the Royal Naval College at Venice. He behaved responsibly and applied himself to his studies partly not to disappoint his mother and partly he was beginning to realise he needed certain qualifications to succeed in life unfortunately he did not qualify. When examined for the medical test, his chest was found to be one inch short of that required.

Returning home full of foreboding Rodolpho was surprised and relieved to find that his mother had not really liked the idea of her son having a military or naval career and thought that the role of a scientific farmer would benefit his country just as much as a career  in the services. Finally he was sent to ‘The Royal Academy of Agriculture’ near Genoa. Keeping to the resolution he made when entering the academy and determined to succeed he, emerged a fully qualified scientific farmer armed with a diploma and the necessary experience for his future career perhaps Rodolpho’s inborn love of animals had helped.

Valentino at Genoa Academy.

At the age of six Rodolpho had had a temporary passion for a little girl named Teodolinda, unfortunately she had a very protective sister who administered a severe beating which cooled his ardour. At the Academy the only available girl was the daughter of the cook. She attracted much attention on behalf of the boys but seemed to be an expert of warding off her many admirers.

Like most youths Rodolpho was in and out of love. Italian convention was very strict at that time better classed families made sure that their daughters were always attended by a chaperone. Thus the young Italian learnt the language of love through the eyes. An asset, which no doubt, helped Valentino with his film career.

In appreciation of his success at the academy Rodolpho’s mother provided him with sufficient money or so she thought to take a holiday in Paris. Paris was a heaven on earth, but very costly. A city of architectural splendour beautiful girls and temptation.
Far too much temptation for the young emotional and temperamental Italian. Naturally, his money ran out, when more arrived he decided that he could make his fortune at Monte Carlo. More experienced gamblers than he had failed to make a fortune and so he returned to Taranto to admit defeat.

The family now decided to interfere a meeting was called to discuss his future. His mother having little control over her son the uncle became involved in the discussions. Who suggested Rodolpho should go to America is not quite clear but the idea found favour with Rodolpho also, with his uncle that observed if Rodolpho misbehaved himself, America was a long way off, and the repercussions, might not reach back to italy. 

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