Rudy The Lover ❤️

          

         

         Rudy had many relationships in his short life ; this is a topic of 

         controversy with quite a few fans though I’m more open 

         minded in my opinion of his love life. For one I don’t believe he

         was some aggressive “lothario” who just wanted to hook up 

         with all these women for fun ; that’s an outdated prejudiced 

         Italian male stereotype.   But I do believe he had girlfriends 

         and boyfriends. Rudy had two failed marriages ; one to Jean 

         Acker  in 1919 to 1923 and then to Winifred Hudnut in 

        1923  to 1925.

         Both ladies used Rudy to their own advantages and were 

         modern women which at the time ,most young women in 

         the US and Europe began to shed Edwardian values for 

         freedom they never had  before.   Rudy would eventually 

        reconcile with Jean who was lesbian ; they ended up being 

         good friends .His union with Winifred aka Natasha Rambova

        was toxic. Like a jazz age “Liz and Dick”.  Rudy was more laid 

        back and she was a bit of a narcissist to say the least.  Of  

        course Rudy did  have expectations in a partner that were old

        school ;he wanted a homemaker and a mother to his children. 

       Valentino  and Winnie  obviously clashed on that topic so 

      the union  crumbled ,no surprise at all .   As for his male lovers , 

       there was cinematographer  Paul Ivano whom Rudy lived with 

        before he married Natasha.There was also Norman Kerry too

        back in LA after the First World War ended . Before 

        fame called.  He and Rudy lived at the Alexandria Hotel 

        together while Valentino taught middle aged socialites how to

         dance the tango.  

       In writing this I know I’ll annoy people ; actually piss them off . 

       Which is fine and I don’t really care .  At least I’m not calling 

       Rudy a “lothario” .   There are some theories that Rudy while 

       still in New York as a very young man offered “extras” with his 

       tango lessons   I don’t think it’s true and it’s just another gross 

       stereotype because he was a darker skinned Italian man. His 

       “Camille” co-star Alla Nazimova called poor Rudy a “gigolo” for 

        having darker skin .  Anyway , Rudy was a complicated person 

        but not a bad one . He was a down to earth and kindhearted

        man.  Yes old fashioned but not malicious or cruel .  I’d like to 

         think if he hadn’t died young , that Rudy would have found the 

         person person to settle down with and have the family he 

        wanted !