Exhibitors Herald (1926)

September 4, 1926 EXHIBITORS HERALD 25 Solemn Tribute Paid Valentino By MARTIN J. QUIGLEY NEW YORK, Aug. 31. — It was a solemn and impressive tribute that the industry paid to Rudolph Valentino at the requiem mass at St. Malachy’s Roman Catholic Church on Monday morning. This church, known as the actors’ chapel, stands in the shadows of the ! bright lights of Broadway and is a favorite retreat of many screen and stage celebrities. Before a distinguished congregation, composed of executive leaders of the industry and famous people of the screen and theatrical world, the final rites of Valentino’s church were pronounced. It was a stilled and hushed body of people numbering about five hundred who were obviously moved by the solemnities of the occasion. When the funeral cortege approached the center aisle of the church an oppressive silence prevailed. Carried high on the shoulders of the pallbearers the casket containing the body of the dead screen star, draped with a blanket of roses, the farewell gift of Pola Negri, moved slowly toward the sanctuary. A small and famous group of mourners followed, the chief being Miss Negri, who obviously was crushed under the load of her bereavement, hardly recognizable as the famous star of the screen. She seemed indeed a distraught and pitiful figure as she leaned heavily on the arm of S. George Ullman, Valentino’s manager. Then came Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Joseph M. Schenck, Norma Talmadge and Constance Talmadge. A body of the chief executives of the industry, as honorary pallbearers, then followed. Throughout the services a deeply reverential and respectful spirit pervaded the congregation. At the conclusion of the requiem, just as the casket passed through the church doorway, there was a single voiced outbreak of grief. A native countryman of the dead actor cried, “I’ll never see him again,” and collapsed into the arms of a companion. As the echo of this voice died away in the church the Valentino funeral was over and the representatives of the industry quietly and solemnly filed away and were lost in crowds that thronged the adjacent streets. Film Leaders and Big Throng Honor Memory of Valentino Army of Police at Funeral Shuts Off Church Block to All Except Those Showing Credentials — Perfect Arrangements Evidenced at Services ( Special to the Herald) NEW YORK, Aug. 31. — Funeral services over the remains of Rudolph Valentino were held at 11 a. m., yesterday at St. Malachy’s church. High requiem mass was celebrated by Rev. Edward F. Leonard, assisted by Father Congedo, the latter a boyhood friend of Valentino in the little town in Italy where both were born. Saxe and F. & R. Officials Confer on Merger Plans (Special to the Herald) MILWAUKEE, Aug. 31. — Negotiations for merger of the theatrical interests of the Saxe Amusement Enterprises, of Milwaukee, and those of the Northwest Theatre Company (F & R) of Minneapolis, have been underway in Milwaukee for the past week. The conferences were attended by John and Thomas Saxe and Oscar Brachman, representing the Saxe interests, and by M. L. Finkelstein, of Finkelstein & Ruben, who control the Northwest Theatre Co., Fred Hamm, Minneapolis brewer, who is said to have more than $8,000,000 invested in theatrical enterprises, and R. Lieber, of New York, representing First National. One Killed , Second Shot in Chase from Theatre (Special to the Herald) SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31.— One man was shot to death and another wounded by a policeman in a chase following a disturbance in the Wigwam theatre. Manager Nat Holt and Kenneth Means, house manager, ran the pair out of the theatre after several girl patrons had been annoyed. Holt called a policeman to capture the young men, both of whom had records. When they refused to halt after he had fired a warning shot into the air, the policeman killed one and shot the other in the arm. Other Firms N amed in New West Coast Brief (Special to the Herald) WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.— An additional brief has been filed with the Federal Trade Commission by its special attorney asking issuance of an appropriate order in the West Coast Theatres case, charging restraint of trade. The brief names different companies that were listed in the similar brief filed ten days ago, the commission having issued two complaints, naming different respondents alleged to have combined and conspired with West Coast Theatres. The takng of testimony in both cases was done by stipulation. Vivian Duncan Hurt ( Special to the Herald) LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31. — Vivian Duncan, “Little Eva” of the Duncan sisters, who recently went into pictures, may never dance again, the result of injuries received in an auto crash. Valentino Memorial Plan Aired at Chicago Service Plans for erection of a monument in Grant Park , Chicago, in memory of Rudolph Valentino were outlined at a memorial service Monday in the Trianon ballroom. Speakers included Judge Francis Borrelli, treasurer of the Rudolph Valentino Memorial Association; Sophie Tucker, stage star; Rev. R. Keene Ryan and Rabbi George Fox. Miss Katheryn Browne sang. The funeral was notable in several respects. Never before in the history of the industry has there been such a gathering of film notables to pay tribute to the memory of its members, and never before in the history of the city have there been such crowds attracted to a funeral as gathered for blocks along Broadway and along Eighth avenue to catch a glimpse of the funeral cortege and the celebrities in attendance. Army of Police Blocks Street From early in the morning 49th street was blocked off at Broadway and at Eighth avenue by almost an army of police. No one was allowed in the block in which the church is situated unless he could show he had business therein or had a card of admission to the church. Patrolmen were stationed at each entrance to the street, and everyone entering the block was compelled to show creden tials to get by. Stationed at intervals of twenty feet along both sides of 49th street for tbe full length of the block were patrolmen. Excellent arrangements had been made for the handling of those invited to attend the services. The church comfortably seats 600 and that number of tickets had been issued to film people, friends of the dead star and members of the press. It was stated at United Artists offices that requests had been received for more than 10,000 tickets. As fast as the ticket holders arrived in the street they were sent into the church building and seated. Richard Dix and Ben Lyon, both friends of Valentino,' served as ushers. Blanket of Roses on Casket The funeral cortege arrived at the church at 11 o’clock and the services ( Continued on page 34)