The 81st Annual Rudolph Valentino Memorial Service was held today in the foyer of the Cathedral Mausoleum at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The Valentino Memorial Committee put together an exceptional service this year and should be congratulated. The committee members include: Chanell O’Farrill, Jay Boileau, Tracy Ryan Terhune, Stella Grace and Marvin Paige.
This year’s special guest speaker was actor Tim Considine, the son of John W. Considine, Jr., producer of the Valentino films, The Eagle (1925) and Son of the Sheik (1926). Considine spoke of his father and was surprised by a brief pictorial video of Considine and his relationship with Valentino as producer and friend.
Other participants in today’s program included 95 year-old Valentino perennial, organist Bob Mitchell, Vince Morton and Ian and Regina Whitcomb who handled the musical portion. Garrett Bryant read selections from Valentino’s book of poems, Daybreak and Woolsey Ackerman spoke about and displayed a rare Valentino doll which depicted the actor from The Eagle.
TODAYS PROGRAM
Photos from todays service…
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It was a full house at this years memorial service
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Hollywood Forever Cemetery representative, Chanell O’Farrill opened the 81st Annual Valentino Memorial Service
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Valentino author and emcee, Tracy Ryan Terhune introduced the scheduled guests |
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Organist Bob Mitchell sang “You, My Love” and “He Love, He Danced, He Tangoed”
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Garrett Bryant read a selection of poems from Valentino’s book, Daybreak
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Special guest speaker, actor Tim Considine spoke about his father, John W. Considine, Jr., who produced two Valentino films, The Eagle (1925) and The Son of the Sheik (1926)
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Woolsey Ackerman spoke about his rare Valentino doll from The Eagle (1925) that can be seen in the background |
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Ian and Regina Whitcomb sang popular Valentino Songs, “New Star in Heaven Tonight” and “Sheik of Araby”
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Stella Grace (center) of the Valentino Memorial Committee, closed the service with a reading of Psalm XXIII with audience participation
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Special guest speaker, Tim Considine speaks with committee member, Marvin Paige
Close-up of a rare Valentino doll from The Eagle (courtesy Woolsey Ackerman)
Floral tributes at Rudolph Valentino’s crypt
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Tags: Bob Mitchell, chanell o'farrill, Garrett Bryant, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, ian whitcomb, Jay Boileau, john w. consideine jr., Marvin Paige, regina whitcomb, Rudolph Valentino, Stella Grace, tim considine, Tracy Ryan Terhune, Vince Morton, woolsey ackerman
Thank you for the pictures and information on the memorial service.
Take care
debbie
You captured the service spendidly, Allen. Why, it was almost like being there :p
This was a special treat…..thanks for putting it up while it is still officially August 23rd. This entire week’s input was wonderful!
~Huggers
It looks as if it was a lovely service – thanks for telling us about it. Ian Whitcomb is one of my favorite performers, and I envy you getting to be there to hear him in person.
Thank you so much for uploading these great pix. It was wonderful to see what Melissa and I were discussing last night via email.
Thanks Allan. Love reading your take on the event and making your blog dedicated all week to Rudolph Valentino.
Hello to those this may concern , There will never be another like him….he….Rudolph Valentino…..was one time around….he started it all….the word LEGEND should NOT ever be used to describe him……..a legend is something that is folk-lore and NOT yet been proven to be or have been…….where as he REALLY existed in life….!…..the look…. the looks…..the vanity….the perception of acting….sex….it all came from him… the rags to riches life story…..the sad ending to his life…..a foreign born man of Italian nationality origin jump started it all for us here in America…..as I see it an Italian named Christopher Colombus traveled here to get us going….another of his countrymen named Americus Vespucci was a map maker that helped through it all….and then Rudolph Valentino showed us all how to act once we were here…..Joe nania a.k.a. Hollywood Joe http://www.hollywoodjoe.com