New York, Aug. 26 (AP)—Rudolph Valentino’s body was barred from public view today to avoid further disorder among the thousands who have flocked to the screen idol’s bier, and also to avert clashes between rival groups of Italian admirers.
“Normal decorum and dignity now prevail at the Frank E. Campbell funeral church,” says an advertisement in today’s papers. Attendants had said the occasion was being transformed into a “three-ringed circus.”
Plans for a public funeral Monday have been abandoned, and the ceremonies will be attended by invited guests only.
“From now on,” said S. George Ullman, friend and business manager of the star, “Valentino’s body will be viewed only by friends and associates under my personal supervision. The lack of reverence, disorder and rioting since the body was first shown have forced me to this decision.”
A queue resembling a football snake dance was formed for six blocks along Broadway and side streets yesterday under police supervision after near riots of the day before. Cross-town traffic was blocked by a line four or five abreast that crawled along Broadway and in and out of side streets until it was reduced to a single file near the undertakers’ establishment.
One woman who stood in line five hours made three rounds of the actor’s bier, fainted each time, and was ordered by police not to return again. A weeping girl was found to have an onion in her handkerchief. Girls plied powder puffs and lip sticks as they neared the casket. Women fainted and became hysterical. Twenty mounted police, 112 patrolmen, 12 sergeants and four lieutenants were required to handle the surging mass.
From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Thursday, Aug. 26, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-08-26/ed-1/seq-1/
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