National Valentino Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Although the era of black-and-white films is long gone, National Valentino Day will continue to be observed on August 23 as an occasion to honour one of the most recognisable personalities in the film industry. Rudolph Valentino was a cinema star of the 1920s who died on August 23, 1926. The films “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” “The Eagle,” “The Sheikh,” “Blood and Sand,” and “The Son of the Sheikh” are among his legacies.

The background of National Valentino Day

In the world of black-and-white silent films, it is difficult to distinguish oneself or create an impression. National Valentino Day demonstrates that difficult does not equate to impossible, regardless of how challenging it was to achieve.

Rodolfo Pietro Filibermi Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguella Valentino was born in Castellaneta, Apulia, the Kingdom of Italy, and was given the name Rodolfo Pietro Filibermi Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguella. Valentino became the first male Hollywood sex icon of his era as a result of his extraordinary features and playful personality. Before joining a production company and pursuing a career in silent film, he worked as a waiter, a gardener, a transport driver, and even as a dancer. His first role was as a background actor in the movie “Alimony.”

Prior to his starring performance in the film “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” he had appeared in supporting roles but had not yet achieved stardom by 1919. This was one of the first silent films to generate $1 million at the box office and the sixth highest-grossing silent film ever. In “The Sheikh” (1921), Valentino solidified his reputation as the Latin admirer. This film’s success moulded his career. Valentino worked on “Blood and Sand,” one of the four highest-grossing films of 1922, before signing a lucrative contract with United Artists, where he subsequently starred in “The Eagle” and “The Son of the Sheikh.”

Rudolph Valentino was an exceptionally talented and skilled individual. He succumbed on August 15, 1926, and was later diagnosed with appendicitis and gastric ulcers. Valentino’s syndrome was the name given to his condition, which consisted of perforated ulcers resembling appendicitis. Valentino developed peritonitis after surgery. His condition deteriorated, resulting in his death on August 23, that year, at the age of 31. National Valentino Day is observed annually to honour his legacy.

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VALENTINO DAY NATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Watch his films

Invest the day in viewing any of Valentino’s films. Choices include “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” “The Eagle,” “The Sheikh,” “Blood and Sand,” and “The Sheik’s Son.”

Visit his tomb

Pay homage to the silent film actor by visiting his gravesite. Bring flowers to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles to pay your respects.

Read up on him

Read a biography of Valentino or his poetry collection “Day Dreams.” You could research his past online or view a documentary.

RUDOLPH VALENTINO, THE SILENT MOVIE SENSATION: 5 FACTS

Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguella was his given name at birth.

Valentino maintained his Italian heritage despite becoming a ubiquitous name in the United States. He never became an American citizen and never officially immigrated to the country.

He owned an Irish Wolfhound named Centaur Pendragon and a Great Dane named Kabar, and was an avid dog enthusiast.

In his first few months in America, he was unable to hold down a job or earn a living, and the aspiring actor frequently lived on the streets and begged for food from the establishment that had just fired him.

According to the heartbroken Valentino, he was never satisfied in a relationship, and his two public divorces seem to support this claim.

NATIONAL VALENTINO DAY DATES