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In Hollywood Valentino initially had small roles as an [[extra]], and then was able to land a few leading man roles in poorly budgeted movies. Valentino's breakthrough to star status came when he landed the lead in [[The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]], a [[World War I]] film based on the popular novel by Vicente Blasco-Ibanez.
In Hollywood Valentino initially had small roles as an [[extra]], and then was able to land a few leading man roles in poorly budgeted movies. Valentino's breakthrough to star status came when he landed the lead in [[The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]], a [[World War I]] film based on the popular novel by Vicente Blasco-Ibanez.
[[The Sheik]], released in 1921, would become Valentino's signature role, the role for which he is still remembered today. Along with the discovery of King Tut's tomb, and the promotion of the Arab campaigns of World War I by [[T. E. Lawrence]] (also known as "Lawrence of Arabia"), ''The Sheik'' helped foster the arabic [[craze]] of the 1920s, and for years to come "hip" young men of the time would be known as "sheiks", and their girlfriends as "shebas" (referring to the Queen of Sheba).
[[The Sheik]], released in 1921, would become Valentino's signature role, the role for which he is still remembered today. Along with the discovery of King Tut's tomb, and the promotion of the Arab campaigns of World War I by [[T. E. Lawrence]] (also known as "Lawrence of Arabia"), ''The Sheik'' helped foster the arabic [[craze]] of the 1920s, and for years to come "hip" young men of the time would be known as "sheiks", and their girlfriends as "shebas" (referring to the Queen of Sheba).<ref> http://home.earthlink.net/~dlarkins/slang-pg.htm </ref> ''The Sheik'' was tremendously popular despite a fairly absurd story line, and Valentino would eventually reprise the role in ''Son of the Sheik''.
Valentino went on to star in many more films, notably including the [[bullfight]]ing epic ''Blood and Sand'' and ''The Eagle''.
Valentino married actress Jean Acker in 1919, but the marriage was a failure, and they were divorced two years later. Lurid speculation at the time and since has suggested that the reason for the marriage's failure was a relationship between Acker and the notorious [[lesbian]] dancer [[Alla Nazimova]]. Valentino went on to have a strong professional relationship with Nazimova (appearing opposite Nazimova in the film ''Camille''), and his second wife [[Natacha Rambova]], was also a protege of Nazimova's. Nazimova herself was a fixture in the Hollywood community, and among other things would be the godmother of Nancy Davis, film actress and future first lady as [[Nancy Davis Reagan]].
Valentino's death, probably from peritonitis, at the youthful age of thirty-one, led to one of the most elaborate and riotous funerals in New York City history, with hourly radio bulletins and huge crowds. In a typical Hollywood touch, Valentino's burial crypt (in los Angeles) was visited each year on the anniversary of his death by a mysterious "Lady in Black", whose identity has never been revealed.
==references==
'''Further Reading'''
Walker, Alexander