Hollywood Mystery: Rudolph Valentino & Marion Benda

Who was Marion Benda (1904-1951) the supposed most glamorous Ziegfeld Follies girl and secret wife of Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926)? Taking her stage name from Benda masks, Benda was a Broadway star before trying to make it in the movies after Valentino's funeral. Insisting hers and Valentino's children were in Europe up until her death from barbiturate overdose, Benda was married to a journalist, professional ice hockey player and German baron.

Sources:

Classic Actresses, "Marion Benda", https://www.classicactresses.org/2023/03/marionbenda.html

NYPL Digital Collections, "Marion Benda", https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/a63df76a-0064-fdb4-e040-e00a18065512

Joe Pelletier, "Dr Blake Watson", International Hockey Legends, https://internationalhockeylegends.blogspot.com/2009/06/dr-blake-watson.html

The Elms Collection, RIAMCO, https://www.riamco.org/render?eadid=US-RiNpPs-PSNCA.H.004&view=inventory

David K. Frasier, "Marion Benda: The Lady in Black", https://davidkfrasier.blogspot.com/2013/09/marion-benda-lady-in-black.html

Jessica Ferri, "A Long Black Veil", The LineUp, https://the-line-up.com/rudolph-valentino-lady-in-black (2016)

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