The voyage from Italy to America took fourteen days. High seas swept the ship and Valentino was forced to spend a lot of his time below deck. He became friendly with another Italian who had some knowledge of New York. This man gave him detailed instructions regarding transport, a general outline of the city, and an address where he might find accommodation.

When the ‘Steam Ship Cleveland’ docked in New York harbour on December the 23rd 1913 few people would have laid a bet that the slim youth attending on the deck fascinated by the occasional glimpse of towering sky scrapers shrouded in swirling fog, would within ten years become the delight of reporters who fed the world press, and bare the name of ‘The Worlds Greatest Lover’ under the name of Rudolph Valentino.

A city of mystery lay waiting to be explored. Sounds floated towards him, sounds recognisable with one familiar with a harbour.
The eighteen year old boy who spoke Italian French, Spanish, and a little German, but had not the benefit of learning English in school landed on the quay.
It has been said that Valentino arrived in America penniless this is not true he had in his possession a letter of credit for the equivalent of £800. This money had been supplied by his mother, also he carried a letter of introduction to the commissioner of immigration, and a diploma awarded to him from the Italian Royal Academy of Agriculture. With these documents to prove his abilities he felt secure.
Making his way to wall street Valentino conducted his business and went to Giolitto’s where he booked a suite of rooms and then entered Rectors for a celebration lunch before returning to the ship to collect his luggage.

The ship did not exist as far as New Yorkers were concerned, waving his piece of paper and mumbling ‘Steam ship cleveland’, end of broadway only drew from the traffic policemen the equivalent of ‘push off’. The fog had turned to rain and the metro looked dry and friendly it was not so the guard of the train eyed the rain soaked youth with amusement. With the help of a passenger Valentino found his ship arranged for his luggage to be sent on and again face the hazards of the New Yor transportation system. Exhausted, and bewildered, he returned to Giolitto’s late in the evening very much in awe of the great city which held him in her firm grasp, and paid so little heed to his suffering.

In life one thing leads to another and it is interesting to note in the life of Valentino how this thread held together certain events within three months he had spent all of his money, yet, the very act of squandering his money placed him in the environment which paved the way to his recovery after he became penniless and laid the foundation of his early carreer as an exhibition dancer.

After more breathtaking experiences in New York which must have been hilarious to an observer but not to the miserable lonely boy who spent his first Christmas in America getting lost in the streets and was already regretting leaving Italy. Fate decided to add a little compassion to the scene in the person of Count Alex Salm, and his friends Count otto and George Ragni who’s father was agent of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in France. They invited the solitary figure dining alone in Bustenoby’s Restaurant to join them. Valentino accepted their kind gensture with gratitude, and began frequenting the most select and expensive places.

Attractive and ‘out for a good time’ the three young men spent their evenings dining and dancing. It soon became obvious to Valentino who accompanied them that his proficiency as a dancer, founded on the old fashioned dances, was totally inadequate when faced with a modern craze for the Tango. If he was to compete with his friends and become a success with the pretty girls who formed part of the evening entertainment he must master this new art.  Greatly to the surprise to Alex while walking the ground of Bronx zoo, Valentino demanded then and their to be taught the basic steps of Tango, no doubt onlookers must have found him more interesting than the antics of the monkeys in the cage behind him.

Valentino was conversing in two languages French with his friends, Italian at Giolitto’s. This could not go on, so he moved to an English boarding house where he was forced to speak English.

By march he had wined and dined, and danced his way through the greater part of his money, but he did have one valuable asset that of dancing.

Alarmed at the rapid disappearance of his money Valentino obtained through the help of The Commissioner of Immigration an introduction to Mr Cornelius Bliss Jr. who had built a country residence at Jericho, Long Island and wanted the grounds laid out in Italian Gardens.

Valentino lost the job partly through his own fault finding an unattended Motor Bike he went for a spin crashed the machine and was unable to soothe the furious workmen to whom the bike belonged. A few days later Valentino was called into the presence of Mr Bliss and told that he was no longer required since Mr Bliss had decided against Italian gardens.

Returning to New York he again went to see The Commissioner of Immigration, this time he was sent to the estate of a millionaire in New Jersey. There he was given the job of picking dead rose leaves from the bushes he said nothing thinking it was only a temporary measure at the end of two weeks without pay he went to see the proprieter of the estate who told him he would pay him fifteen dollars a month and board. Feeling that his training and qualifications entitled him to more consideration, Valentino walked out.

With only a few dollars in his pocket and nowhere to go, Valentino returned to Mr Bliss despite the circumstances to which he had left, Mr Bliss like the quiet spoken well mannered young man who sought his help and sent him to Mr Ward the Park Commissioner. Returning to thank Mr Bliss for his kindness Valentino was given an allowance which would continue to be paid throughout his training with Mr Ward.
Going to register for his examination Valentino was appalled to learn that he needed American Citizenship this could only be granted after five years residence in the country. Valentino felt that he could no longer continue to accept the generous help provided by Mr Bliss. Refusing further assistance he thanked him and walked out to fight a battle which he very nearly lost.

In the weeks that followed Valentino experienced great anguish of mind and body. Everything of value found its way to the pawn broker. Each lodging was worst than the last. He ate when he was fortunate enough to earn a few cents sweeping floors and washing dishes. Both occupations are an honourable and necessary way of life in a civilised society. Valentino himself often told interviewers at the time when he was so poor when he had been gratful and happy to accept any job that was offered to him yet much satire has been directed towards him under the banner headlines: ‘Ex-Dishwasher……….’.

Valentino was nineteen and now sleeping on a bench in Central Park. One day he met an old Italian who invited him to share his own humble room and when they had eaten he proceeded to give his young friend some valuable advice ‘Pride could not be allowed to stand in his way, he was young, he had education, he had a duty to his family in Italy who looked to him for success not failure. He must go back to his friends and beg for a job.’

The consequence in this lesson in common sense was that Valentino went back to Maxim’s. It was not easy for him to present himself to a man he had so lavishly tipped in the past. The head waiter gave a look of surprise at the shabby young man pleading for his help after a moments thought he recalled that Valentino had been a good dancer, and made the following suggestion: ’Someone was needed to partner the lady guests. Many arrived with escorts who did not dance. Valentino would not receive any payment but he would be provided with meals, and a room over the café where he could give lessons.

This offer was accepted with gratitude as he left Maxim’s he met a man he had know in the early days. Surprised at the appearance of Valentino he invited him to lunch at another restaurant and subsequently offered to be his first pupil paying him thirty dollars in advance. With this money Valentino redeemed his dress suit and paid a weeks rent on a small room.

Valentino improved his dancing by going to a qualified instructor this helped him considerably by Bonnie Glass, a well known artist. Her partner Clifton Webb was leaving the act and she engaged Valentino to replace him. A long series of dancing engagements followed which included Washington where their performance was watched by President Wilson.

Italy had entered the war and in the summer of 1915 Valentino took flying lessons at Minesola but was rejected as an aviator because of defective vision in his left eye.
Bonnie Glass and Valentino had a contract to appear at the palace theatre in New York when that ended Bonnie Glass opened Chez Fisher in New York. Valentino remained with her until she retired to marry Ben Ali Haggin.
Valentino next teamed up with another well know dancer Joan Sawyer. They did a Vaudeville tour.

Then as now, sophisticated society with its diversity of undertones, penders to expediency. It is usually tollerent unless it is forced to face an issue, at its worst it is decidedly bitchy.

A European like Valentino with an Italian background had a different attitude to life from time to time he had broken out of these confines and restrictions. Fundamentally, he was still bound by the Latin conception and idealism which amounts almost to reverence to the wife and mother figure.  Rapidly he had to change his values. As a paid dancing partner he had to weave his way through the maze of emotional and difficult situations which surrounded many of his clients. He quickly learnt to adjust himself and adopted a quiet manner and sympathetic understanding which entailed no involvement. This protected him upto a point. His youth and consequent lack of experience together with his natural sympathy for lonely kindred soul led him into an ugly situation. Bianca Errazoriz, a beautiful wealthy south American from Chilli had married Jack De Seullez a sportsman and politician. Because of her husbands cruelty and affairs with other women she had turned to her love of South American dancing and met Valentino at Maxim’s. The two latin temperaments had much in common both were lonely and were passing through great mental strain. Bianca De Seullez was the living reality of Valentino’s ideal woman. Dark, Intelligent, Travelled she was an interesting personality and had a live grace which found expression in her native dancing. Valentino idealised her, and when she started divorce proceedings against her husband for adultery Valentino offered to stand as a witness for her. The divorce having been granted on Sep 16th 1916 there began wrangle for the custody of the child which ended in the shooting of the husband and the subsequent acquittal of Bianca De Seullez on a murder charge.

Graft, corruption, jealousy, no one was safe. Valentino became involved with the Police. To the annoyance of a genuine biographer, this event is shrouded in mystery. Purported to have been tipped off the Police raided a flat and arrested those within it. Valentino was released and no more was made of it.

Depending on the attitude of various writers to Rudolph Valentino he had been White Washed, Libelled, and made the subject of a jealous rivals displeasure.
Despite the fact that Valentino was an accomplished dancer or repute he disliked dancing as a means of making a living. He had drifted a long way from his original intention of becoming a Scientific Farmer. When told that the president of the Italian-American bank had started a colony of vine growers in California. He decided to try his luck.

Determined to get away from the life which he had come to despise he started to frequent the theatrical agencies with a view to getting a part in the show going west. This meant losing money for with his lack of stage experience he could not command anything like the salary that he had received as a dancer. Willing to forgo this he took small parts and was to be seen occasionally in the film studio. Then came his big chance a musical comedy called ‘The Masked Model’ was going on a road tour to California his luck gave out or so it seemed at the time. The show failed to open, when asked where he wanted his ticket upon leaving he said San Francisco.
Whilst in San Francisco Valentino applied to the British Recruiting Mission for permission to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps. But was told if he went to Canada he would be rejected.

In San Francisco he met Mr and Mrs Spreckel who gave him a letter of introduction to the President of The Italian American Bank  who advised him to contuinue in his profession save his money and buy land of his own.

Valentino first met Norman Kerry at the flying school in Minnesola where he was a fellow pupil. They met again in San Francisco. By that time Norman Kerry had become an important film star appearing with artists like Mary Pickford. He now persuaded Valentino to try his luck in Hollywood, and offered to pay his expenses until he found a footing in the film capital.

But how to get to Los Angeles? He could not raise the fare. Most of his friends were in show business. Frank Carter who was playing in ‘The Passing Show’ with Al Jollson offered to give Valentino a free seat on a train that was taking their show to Los Angeles.

Although Valentino experienced many difficult years, and knew great misery, and hardship, it was always through the generosity and help of others that he took a step forward. A downed and out Italian the offer of a free seat on a train. All these things contributed to make the whole.

Threads which were woven into a pattern of life a’The Life of Valentino’ small actions perhaps but done by people out of the kindness of their hearts helped another to greater things.

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