FILM LEGEND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 October 1938, Page 5

FILM LEGEND

VALENTINO AND THE WOMAN IN BLACK. TWELVE-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY. Ten years ago a woman in black went to the grave of Rudolph Valentino, the screen’s great lover, and knelt with bowed head before his memorial. Her photograph was taken and sent round the world —and that day a legend was born. It was the legend of the woman in black who went once a year to Valentino’s grave and knelt in homage to his memory. She was a mystery woman. Thousands of stories were written about her, but no one could discover who she was. Some said she was the woman who loved Valentino and the woman Valentino loved. Some said she was a Hollywood star, others that she was a European countess of great beauty. Now the secret is out. A man named Russell Birdwell has told it. Ten years ago he was producing a film about Hollywood life. He wanted a shot of Valentino’s grave, and decided it would look better with some life around. So for £1 he hired a girl, dressed her in black and posed her at the tomb. That’s how the legend began. And then even Birdwell got a shock. A mystery woman really did appear. Someone had caslied in on the legend he had created. The mystery woman kept up the game until this year, the 12th anniversary of Valentino’s death. And this year she appeared in triplicate.

Appreciation. A concert was being held at the village schoolroom, and it came to Sandy’s turn to give his bagpipe solo. When the applause had died down a voice from the back shouted, “Give us ’Annie Laurie,’ Sandy!” "What?” asked Sandy, surprised and flattered "again?”