Page "Rudolph Valentino" Paragraph 10

With his dancing success, Valentino found a room of his own on Sunset Boulevard and began actively seeking screen roles.

His first part was as an extra in the film Alimony, moving on to small parts in several films.

Despite his best efforts he was typically cast as a " heavy " ( villain ) or gangster.

At the time, the major male star was Wallace Reid, with a fair complexion, light eyes, and an All American look, with Valentino the opposite, eventually supplanting Sessue Hayakawa as Hollywood's most popular " exotic " male lead.