23 Sahara Knights

Natacha Rambova

 

 

Sites: None (do you have a Natacha Rambova site?  Contact us!)

 

Books about: Madame Valentino by Michael Morris is a well researched biography on Natacha.  She is mentioned extensively in Dark Lover by Emily Leider

 

 

Books by Natacha Rambova:

In 1926 she wrote a book about Valentino titled "Rudy: An Intimate Portrait by His Wife"

It was  republished in 1927 as
"Rudolph Valentino Recollections by Natacha Rambova".  The Rudolph Valentino Society has republished it under the name, "Rudolph Valentino: A Wife's Memories of an Icon by Natacha Rambova"

She published several works on Egyptology towards the end of her life.  These were titled "Volumes 1-4, Egyptian Religious Texts and Representations Bollingen Series XL (1954-1964)" and are hard to find.

A book about her Egyptology research is in the works

 

Films About: No films on Rambova's life.  She is portrayed in most Valentino films, usually very inaccurately.  The 1950s Valentino film makes no reference of her (she threatened to sue if they did).  She only acted in one film "When Love Grows Cold" which is now lost except for the trailer.

 

Voice: Natacha lived until 1966 and it is very possible someone somewhere recorded her speaking.  If you have a clip or know where one is located please contact us.

 

Merchandise: Click here to see our Natacha Rambova merchandise!

 

More Natacha Rambova on the web:

Natacha Rambova on IMDB

Natacha Rambova at TCM

Article on Natacha Rambova's Egyptology Work

Natacha Rambova Patent for Coverlet

Natacha Rambova Papers at the Library of Congress

Natacha Rambova: The Fair Shake

 

 

Biography:

 

by Hala Pickford @2009, please do not use without permission

 

Natacha Rambova never gets the fair shake.  Most people don't want to take the time to see why they should or shouldn't like her, and most just assume many things about her.  At the very least she was a fascinating woman who was the love of Rudolph Valentino's life.  An amazingly talented designer she designed some of the most revered sets and costumes in silent film history.  Later in life she took up the study of Egyptology, something she had loved since her teenage years.  She never spoke about Valentino after the 1920s and passed quietly in 1966.  Sadly today she had been relegated to a footnote in a factually lacking history.

Rambova was born Winifred Shaughnessy in Salt Lake City, Utah. Once on a stop during the Minervala tour the local paper billed her as 'the pigtailed Shaughnessy girl'.  She locked herself in her hotel room crying and refused to come out all night.

 

Her father Michael Shaughnessy, was an Irish Catholic who fought for the Union during the Civil War. Her mother Winifred Kimball, nicknamed 'Muzzie' was a descendant of Mormon Patriarch Heber C. Kimball. Her father was a businessman who partook in mining interests, but eventually his alcohol and gambling problems became too much for her mother. Muzzie became an interior designer and moved her daughter to San Francisco. Muzzie married 4 times (Michael was her second husband), eventually settling on millionaire perfume mogul Richard Hudnut.  In the 1920s Hudnut was as well known as Max Factor or Chanel.  The company still exists today. Rambova was adopted by her stepfather, making her legal name 'Winifred Hudnut'.

Rambova (and later Valentino) was extremely close to her Aunt, Teresa Warner. Before her marriage to Hudnut, Rambova’s mother married Edgar De Wolfe, brother of Elsie De Wolfe, a prominent Interior Designer. With this marriage her mother became socially successful and wealthy, but tensions grew between her and her daughter. Rambova was rebellious, and mocked her stepfather for being passive. She was sent home from boarding school for 'conduct unbecoming of a lady'.  To straighten her daughter out, Winifred sent Rambova to a strict British boarding school recommended by her Step Aunt. At the boarding school Rambova learned ballet, French, drawing, and studied mythology.

Rambova continued to be rebellious, labeling her step family 'social climbers', calling her board school 'pretentious', and continually clashed with her mother and Step Aunt. Rambova withdrew from her schoolmates and kept to herself pursuing her passions. Her Step Aunt loathed art deco, possibly drawing Rambova towards it.

 

Rambova was gifted at ballet, and trained with Rosita Meuri at the Paris Opera during the summers. She traveled to London frequently to watch other performers including Pavlova, Nijinsky, and Theodore Kosloff. Right before World War One broke out, Rambova returned to San Francisco where she clashed with her mother once again and insisted she would pursue ballet as a career. Her family had trained her in ballet as a 'social grace' and were appalled at the thought of it becoming a career.

Aunt Teresa intervened, offering to move with Rambova to New York where she could study under Kosloff. Rambova, now 17, officially changed her name to 'Natacha Rambova' at this time. At 5'8 she was too tall to be a classical ballerina, but Kosloff continually gave her leading parts. She performed with him in his "Imperial Russian Ballet Company".  Around this time Rambova fell for the 32 year old Kosloff (who had a wife and an invalid daughter in Europe) and the pair began a tumultuous love affair. Muzzie was outraged when she found out, and brought charges of statutory rape and kidnapping against Kosloff hoping to have him deported.  Rebelling, Rambova fled New York and hid in Canada and later England to hide from her mother. While in England she posed as a Governess to Kosloff's wife and child. Muzzie, wanting to bring her daughter home, relented by dropping the charges. She allowed Rambova to keep performing with the company and promised to underwrite the costumes.

 

Rambova returned and began touring with the Kosloff company. In addition to dancing she began costume designing as well. After the tour ended Kosloff had been hired by Cecil B. DeMille to perform as well as contribute designs. Rambova joined him and was dismayed to find herself as part of Kosloff's 'arty harem'. Kosloff had taken several lovers amongst the dancers, who would perform with his company, teach at his studio, and assist him uncredited in his film work.  Rambova took to researching historical accuracy for her designs, which Kosloff would then use without giving her credit, stealing her sketches and claiming them as his own.

Kosloff met fellow Russian Alla Nazimova and convinced her to use his services for her an upcoming planned project based on "Aphrodite".  Nazimova was an eccentric powerhouse actress, one of the most renowned during the 1910s.  Usually considered a lesbian (she did occasionally have relationships with men) she would play an interesting role with both of Valentino's wives.  However it is likely her role with Rambova was platonic, unlike her role with his first wife Jean Acker.  Acker had been dating both Nazimova and actress Grace Darmond when she met and agreed to marry the unknown Valentino.  Valentino apparently didn't know the back story.  Natacha was not a lesbian, and was noted as saying she despised lesbians.

 

Kosloff sent Rambova to show sketches to Nazimova, claiming they were his own when they were actually Rambova's. Nazimova was impressed and when she asked for revisions to some costumes, Rambova took out a pencil and began to make the revisions thus showing she had done the work, not Kosloff. Nazimova was surprised, and offered Rambova a position on her production staff as an art director and costume designer. The work would pay up to $5,000 a picture.

Rambova's work had been used in four DeMille films, including, "Why Change your Wife?" which featured Gloria Swanson and Thomas Meighan, before her signing with Nazimova. Metro feared censors reactions, and thus the "Aphrodite" picture was never made. Her first film for Nazimova was "Billions" in 1920. She met Rudolph Valentino, her future husband, on the set of "Uncharted Seas" in 1921. They began working together on "Camille" soon after. From the start she used Valentino as her canvas, insisting the greased back hair look would not do for a character new to the city as his Armand was. 

 

Her work on Camille is generally cited as some her best, stealing the picture. She used symbolism (Marguerite's dress is draped in Camellias) and many of the sets are based on German Expressionism. Hans Poelzig and Emil-Jaques Ruhlmann were her inspiration for various sets on the film. Rambova was determined to bring the art deco look to America, as it was transforming film making in Europe. Though Rambova receives praise today, the film flopped, with many contemporary critics finding it too odd. The failure of "Camille" eventually forced Metro to terminate their contract with Nazimova.

In addition to her design work Rambova took on teaching design and selling some of her jewels. She earned more then Valentino who had notoriously bad contract deals. She next designed for a film Nazimova wrote titled, "A Doll's House". By 1922 Rambova had left Metro to join Nazimova on her artistic productions.  By this point Valentino had negotiated a slightly better contract and was now earning more than Rambova. Rambova's designs for "Salome" were seen as extremely daring and risqué. She based them off drawings by Aubrey Beardsley for Oscar Wilde's version.  In addition to costume design Rambova contributed to the film's scenario under the alias "Peter M. Winters". The film cost $350,000 to make and flopped at the box office. It was one of Nazimova's last releases. It was also the last film Nazimova and Rambova would work on together.

Valentino signed with Famous Players-Lasky in 1921, a move Rambova was shocked and horrified to learn of (Valentino only informed her after the fact). Rambova felt that the contract was for possibly thousands less than Valentino was worth, and that it would hamper his ability to make artistic films.  Before their marriage, a public controversy erupted over pictures Rambova had taken of Valentino (wearing only black paint and a small piece of cloth)  as a Faun or Pan like God. They claimed the pictures had been taken by Rambova as part of a series of faun pictures for a magazine called 'Shadowland', that featured art and dancer photos.  Paul Ivano recalled the photos had been taken more as a loving gesture on a trip in San Francisco, however Rambova could not keep them to herself and they eventually found their way to the press.  The pictures were damaging to Valentino's image, and also were seen as evidence that he was carrying on with Rambova during his divorce from Acker.  He and Acker had separated long before he met Natacha but a divorce had not been sought until that point.  With Valentino now a star making good money Acker seemed more insistent about their relationship.

Soon after the controversy Valentino began work on "Blood and Sand". Rambova had begun to exert small amounts of control during the filming by mediating disputes between Valentino and the director, as well as encouraging Valentino to request filming on location in Spain.  That request was denied, with a promise to shoot Valentino's next Spanish themed movie, "The Spanish Cavalier" in Spain.

 

The pair had moved in together less then a year after meeting but had to separate (or at least pretend to) as the divorce proceedings began.  Once the divorce was final shortly after the filming of Blood and Sand, the pair married on May 13th, 1922 in Mexicali, Mexico. However the law at the time required a year to pass before remarriage and Valentino was jailed as a bigamist. Valentino's studio refused to post bail possibly trying to teach him a lesson.  June Mathis, George Melford, and Thomas Meighan eventually were able to raise enough to post bail. Rambova had been sent to New York by the studio before Valentino's jailing, and was informed at a stop in Chicago. She reportedly broke down in tears. Throughout the bigamy scandal she refused to speak to the press.  The pair had to wait a year to remarry (less risking Valentino being jailed again), forced to live in separate apartments with roommates. They legally remarried during a stop on the Minervala tour in Indiana on March 14th, 1923.

As the bigamy scandal raged on, Rambova began work on costumes for Valentino's next picture, "The Young Rajah".  The film contained Indian themes and Rambova's costumes were glittery and elaborate representations of such. They were based off Leon Bakst's designs of Nijinsky's role as a Golden Slave in Scheherazade.   Rambova likely made the sketches before she was forced to leave California and separate from Valentino. Valentino complained his separation from her distracted his acting, causing a subpar performance. He also complained to Rambova that everything from the sets to the cast was cheap. The film flopped and was one of the first major flops of Valentino's leading man career.

Outraged over the bigamy trial and the way his wife was treated, Valentino declared a one man strike against his studio with Rambova's support.  Valentino claimed in addition to that complaint he wasn’t making what he was worth, and that artistic control over his films lay at the heart of the matter.  Famous Players sued and won an injunction barring Valentino from seeking any form of employment. This was later reduced to employment in pictures. Rambova stated she was not worried, and could keep them afloat with her designs. She also mentioned offers of being an actress herself though she had yet to appear as anything more then an extra in film.

Eventually Valentino hired a new manager, George Ullman. At first Rambova worked well with him, but the two eventually clashed in a battle for superiority.  Ullman presented the idea of having Valentino promote Mineralava Beauty Products. He then suggested Valentino and Rambova partake in a dance tour to help the promotion and keep Valentino's name in the spotlight. The pair agreed and the tour was a major success.  Rambova was credited under her legal name 'Winifred Hudnut'.

Once the tour wrapped the pair were legally remarried and the press praised Rambova for her "business sense", the very thing not a year later she'd be criticized for.  By 1924 Rambova had negotiated a contracted with J.D. Williams for Valentino to sign with Ritz Carlton Pictures. The deal would require 2 films to fulfill his obligations to Famous Players, and then 4 films that he and Rambova could make as they pleased at Ritz Carlton. Rambova would be seen as his artistic collaborator for the first time.  By this point in Valentino's career the press began to blame Rambova for all his missteps, claiming she was controlling him and power hungry. Rambova was blamed for his strike, for his choice in pictures, and for his artistic goals.  Whether those claims were fair or not, Rambova had become Valentino's prime business advisor, mainly because she took charge, he trusted her, and he felt with her English she could understand legal terms better then he could.

Valentino's comeback film was "Monsieur Beaucaire" about a 17th century Duke. Rambova was the costume designer and art director on the film. Famous Players was sure the film would be a hit, being Valentino's first screen appearance in 2 years. They were given a huge budget, with Rambova spending $215,000 on costumes alone.  Rambova's troubles began during filming with many finding her cold and snooty. Valentino asked the crew to call him "Rudy" while she asked to be called "Madam".  Actress Lois Wilson would be the only one to defend her saying she was talented. However actress Jetta Goudal dropped out of the production after clashing with Rambova one too many times. She claimed Rambova was a 'know it all'.  Rambova also managed to upset an unnamed journalist and publicist Harry Reichenbach. When the journalist came to interview Valentino, he was told he could speak with "Mrs. Valentino" instead; furious he left without taking an interview and his article was cancelled. Reichenbach was furious and publicly aired his grievances.

Rambova claimed that Famous Players made them choose the film, when in reality the Valentinos were offered a choice between "Monsieur Beaucaire" or a sea adventure. When "Monsieur Beaucaire" flopped, most of the blame went to Rambova.  Jesse Lasky held her personally responsible saying, "...she insisted on Valentino doing perfumed parts like Monsieur Beaucaire in powdered wigs and silk stockings. We had to take him on her terms to have him at all."

The Valentinos began work on their next picture, "A Sainted Devil" which would follow in Valentino's early Latin Lover styled roles. Rambova took control of the production, especially the costumes and the casting.  Though Joseph Henabery was the official director, Rambova took over this role as well with his blessing.  The costumes were again lavish and Rambova brought on two designers who would go on to successful careers: Norman Norell, and Adrian (who would design for The Wizard of Oz).

There were again issues with Rambova behind the scenes. Jetta Goudal was brought on once again, only to leave after clashing with Rambova over her character and costumes. "The Sainted Devil" flopped, this time damaging Valentino's career to the point where reviewers dubbed he had lost his great lover title to John Gilbert. Rambova blamed the story, which she claimed had a war element when they originally agreed to make the picture; but the studio removed it fearing it would offend European audiences.  Rambova said of the film, "...lost sight of that if beauty is only used as shallow satisfaction for the eye and not combined with food for the soul as well...it is but an empty gilded shell."  The film is now lost.

The Valentinos began work on what they now seen as their chance at a real picture, "The Hooded Falcon". Rambova wrote the initial scenario and it was again to be her production. Valentino visited his friend June Mathis and asked her to write the full script, to which she agreed.  However the project would be plagued with problems from the beginning. Much to their horror they learned their Ritz Carlton pictures would be distributed via Famous Players-Lasky. Ritz Carlton also did not have much financing, crushing their dreams of filming on location in Spain.  To work around this they traveled to first France then Spain in search of costumes and scene ideas. They had a $40,000 budget for costumes and props, yet spent $100,000.  The picture had a total budget of $500,000, half of which would be used before the film was finally shelved all together.

During production for "The Hooded Falcon" Rambova clashed frequently with Valentino's friends. Rambova and George Ullman were once again in a battle for control of Valentino's career. Ullman seen Rambova as a dominating woman who used her charms to get her way.  Rambova alongside Valentino and Henabery, decided Mathis' script for "The Hooded Falcon" would not do and a script doctor should be used. When Ullman informed Mathis of the decision Mathis quit speaking to both Rambova and Valentino ending their long friendship.  Rambova felt she was unfairly singled out, and with Mathis' departure the press slammed her more claiming she had full control over Valentino.  Valentino and Rambova tried to fight back, by granting interviews claiming that 'Valentino is not a Henpecked Husband'.

With "The Hooded Falcon" on hold, Williams insisted Valentino began work on "Cobra" which took place in a modern setting. Most of the crew from "The Hooded Falcon" worked on "Cobra" as well. Rambova only took part in two scenes before leaving the film claiming modern stories bored her. In the short time she worked on the film she managed to clash with Mario Carillo and other actors as well.  "Cobra" flopped and both Valentino's popularity and career were in jeopardy. The Valentinos had been keeping to themselves but as Rambova took more blame in the press they began to make more appearances at parties and events to try and soften Rambova's image.  However after a final fight between Williams and Valentino over Rambova, Williams announced to the press that "The Hooded Falcon" would be postponed indefinitely, and Valentino's contract terminated. Rambova again took the blame in the press.

With the knowledge United Artists would likely be signing Valentino, Rambova went to speak with Ullman about the contract terms. Valentino was finally offered a decent contract, but one of the stipulations was that Rambova would not be allowed on set or any part in his films. Knowing he did not have a choice, Valentino took the offer. Rambova was furious, and the move eventually cost them their marriage.

 

Though they shared similar passions, Valentino and Rambova held very different views when it came to home and personal life. Valentino cherished old world ideals of a woman being a housewife and mother, while Rambova was a feminist who wanted to continue to work and had no plans of being a housewife. In fact Valentino was known as an excellent cook, while Patsy Ruth Miller suspected Rambova didn’t know 'how to make burnt fudge'.  Valentino deeply wanted children, Rambova did not. Nita Naldi, a close friend to the pair, claimed Rambova had 3 abortions. Though this is impossible to prove, Rambova said herself she would see to it she never had children.  Ironically the only person to defend Rambova on this matter was Ullman, who noted in his book Rambova also wanted children, but the couple had agreed to wait until their careers were over.

Rambova did not get along with Valentino's friends and family. Rambova complained during their trip to Italy, and she never got along with either of his siblings.  She eventually sparred with Douglas Gerrad, June Mathis, and George Ullman.  The marriage began to strain as the press scrutinized Rambova and blamed her for Valentino's failures.

 

After signing the contract with United Artists, Ullman offered Rambova $30,000 out of his own pocket to create a film of her own choosing. Rambova began work on "What Price Beauty?" which she wrote, produced, and appeared in. Nita Naldi starred, and a small part was given to Myrna Loy in her first screen appearance. Loy would defend Rambova later on, saying she was unfairly judged for Valentino's choices.  The film ran over budget costing $100,000 and received limited and delayed release. It is now lost.

 

Rambova turned completely cold to Valentino, forgetting his 30th birthday, mocking him for staying home all day while she went to work (he was waiting for his contract to finalize), sparring with him in public, embarrassing him in front of Hollywood elite on the night of his 'Rudolph Valentino Medal' ceremony, and eventually cheating on him with her cameraman on "What Price Beauty?"

Teresa, and a friend of Valentino's both tried to mediate but the marriage was broken beyond repair.  Rambova left 4 weeks after Valentino began shooting "The Eagle" and announced the separation to the press soon after, catching Valentino off guard.  The pair took to sparring back and forth in the press.  Valentino hoped for a reconciliation, but Rambova announced she would be heading to Paris to seek a divorce. Valentino became suicidal soon after.

 

After her divorce from Valentino began, Rambova produced and starred in another picture titled "Do Clothes Make the Woman?" She had brought 40 trunks back from Europe for the picture and would act opposite Clive Brook. Eventually it was retitled to "When Love Grows Cold" much to Rambova's horror. Rambova was so upset that the distributor promoted the film with her name as "Mrs. Rudolph Valentino" that she never acted or worked in film again.  Most of the film is lost except small fragments from a promotional trailer.

When Valentino suddenly took ill in August 1926, Rambova was in Europe. At Valentino's request, Ullman sent a telegram to Rambova. Rambova and Ullman both believed a reconciliation had taken place and the two sent telegrams right until the final moments of Valentino's life.  When he died Rambova locked herself in her room for 3 days not speaking or eating.  She did not attend the funeral, though she did send a request that Valentino be buried in her family crypt.  During his illness she had conducted séances.  After he died she wrote a book about their life together (likely to counter Ullman's own book) as well as her conversations with him from beyond the grave.  The book was released in 1926 and 1927.

 

After Valentino's death Rambova appeared on stage via vaudeville and Broadway. She wrote a play titled "All that Glitters" which supposedly detailed her time with Valentino though by the end of the play the couple reconcile unlike in real life.

 

Rambova opened an elite couture shop on 5th Avenue in 1927. She urged women to express themselves through fashion. She would later close the shop after meeting her second husband.  Rambova met Alvaro de Urzaiz on a trip to Europe in 1934. Urzaiz was a British educated, Spanish aristocrat who physically resembled Valentino. After closing her shop, Rambova moved with her husband to the island of Mallorca. They began a business of buying up old villas and modernizing them for tourists; a venture she financed with her inheritance from Hudnut who died in 1928.  Some of these villas still stand.

 

When the Spanish Civil War erupted, Urzaiz was on the pro-fascists nationalist side, becoming a naval commander. Rambova initially shared his views, but changed after she witnessed a pro Franco bishop who wouldn’t provide sanctuary to a woman when leftists were rounding up people and shooting. Rambova took pictures of the destruction she witnessed during this time.  She then fled to Nice, where she suffered a heart attack at the age of 40. Soon after she and Urzaiz divorced, another childless marriage.  Rambova would never marry again.

After divorcing her second husband, Rambova remained in France where she began to relax her style and allow herself to be photographed not all done up. She remained in France until the Nazis invaded, at which point she returned to New York. Through the 1940s Rambova's interest in the metaphysical grew, with her supporting the Bollingen Foundation, which she believed help her see a past life in Egypt.  Both Rambova and Valentino were Spiritualists. Rambova had been interested in ancient religions since her teen years. She believed in reincarnation and psychic powers.  She attempted to write a book on spirituality before Valentino's death, though it was never made.  Apparently she believed a soul must collect furniture from its past life in one place to find peace.  The psychic she asked to help write such a book found that notion ridiculous.

 

Rambova became an Egyptologist,, and a follower of Madame Blavatsky and George Gurdjieff.  She published various articles on healing and astrology during this time. Eventually she helped decipher ancient scarabs and tomb inscriptions which led her to edit a series of publications titled, "Egyptian Texts and Religious Representations". She conducted classes in her apartment about myths, symbolism, and comparative religion.

She did not speak of Valentino publicly, turning away reporters on the 25th anniversary of his death and threatening to sue if an upcoming picture about him had a caricature of her in it. In the mid 1960s she was struck with scleroderma, and became malnourished and delusional as a result. A cousin brought her to Pasadena, where she died of a heart attack on June 5th, 1966. She was 69. Her collection of Egyptian antiquities were donated to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. She willed a huge collection of Nepali and Lamaistic art to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Ironically her death certificate described her as a 'housewife'.  Rambova's ashes were scattered in Arizona.

 

Her papers are held at the Library of Congress.  Part of her collection and Egyptology research was recently donated to Yale University.

 

 

 

 

The Complete Natacha Rambova Filmography List
Purple means fully exists
Blue means partially exists or a clip exists
Pink means lost

* means released on DVD or VHS

1917:

The Woman God Forgot (Costume Designer)

 

1920:

*Why Change Your Wife? (Costume Designer)

Something to Think About (Costume Designer)

Billions (Artistic Director, Costume Designer)

 

1921:

Forbidden Fruit (Costume Designer)

*Camille (Artistic Director, Costume Designer)

Aprhodite (never made)

 

1922:

*Beyond the Rocks (Valentino's costumes)

*The Young Rajah (Costume Designer)

 

1923:

A Doll's House (Artistic Director, Costume Designer)

*Salome (Artistic Director, Costume Designer, Writer)

 

1924:

*Monsieur Beaucaire (Artistic Director, Costume Designer)

A Sainted Devil (Artistic Director, Costume Designer)

The Hooded Falcon (Writer, Artistic Director, Costume Designer)

 

1925:

What Price Beauty? (Director, Artistic Director, Costume Designer, Writer, Producer)

*When Love Grows Cold (Actress, Artistic Director, Costume Designer)