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Update Thanks to the kindness of Ziegfeld Fans, the grave of Marian Benda will now be marked after 60 years. Woodlawn Cemetary has allowed a non family member to purchase a grave marker for this beautiful girl who's final resting place will now have a marker with her name.
Burial Woodlawn Cemetery Santa MonicaLos Angeles County California Plot Grave 180, Block 4, Aisle B
Dancer. Marion Benda appeared in several Ziegfeld productions during the 1920's including the Ziegfeld Revue No Foolin' (1926), Rio Rita (1927), and Rosalie (1928). She was the last paramour of the silent film actor, Rudolph Valentino, and was in his company at a party given by Barclay Warburon, Jr. when the actor became ill on August 14, 1926.
Cause of death Overdose of barbituates
{Time Magazine U.S Date for the "Milestones" deaths} Printed on Monday, Dec. 10, 1951
Died. Marion Benda, Ziegfeld Follies girl of the '20s, long rumored to be the mysterious Woman in Black who made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Screen Lover Rudolph Valentino each year on the anniversary of his death; by her own hand (sleeping pills, on her seventh attempt); in Hollywood. She claimed to have gone dancing with Valentino the night he was fatally stricken with an attack of peritonitis and gastric ulcers, afterwards made the headlines by announcing that they had been married and were the parents of a baby girl. (Years later claimed this same girl was 19 years old and living in London) Later she did marry 1) a Hollywood golf writer (it lasted a day), 2) a wealthy baron, 3) a doctor. Of her tendency to swallow overdoses of sleeping pills, she declared "He [Valentino] always said I was too beautiful to live." www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,815746,00.html
Burial Woodlawn Cemetery Santa MonicaLos Angeles County California Plot Grave 180, Block 4, Aisle B
Dancer. Marion Benda appeared in several Ziegfeld productions during the 1920's including the Ziegfeld Revue No Foolin' (1926), Rio Rita (1927), and Rosalie (1928). She was the last paramour of the silent film actor, Rudolph Valentino, and was in his company at a party given by Barclay Warburon, Jr. when the actor became ill on August 14, 1926.
Cause of death Overdose of barbituates
{Time Magazine U.S Date for the "Milestones" deaths} Printed on Monday, Dec. 10, 1951
Died. Marion Benda, Ziegfeld Follies girl of the '20s, long rumored to be the mysterious Woman in Black who made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Screen Lover Rudolph Valentino each year on the anniversary of his death; by her own hand (sleeping pills, on her seventh attempt); in Hollywood. She claimed to have gone dancing with Valentino the night he was fatally stricken with an attack of peritonitis and gastric ulcers, afterwards made the headlines by announcing that they had been married and were the parents of a baby girl. (Years later claimed this same girl was 19 years old and living in London) Later she did marry 1) a Hollywood golf writer (it lasted a day), 2) a wealthy baron, 3) a doctor. Of her tendency to swallow overdoses of sleeping pills, she declared "He [Valentino] always said I was too beautiful to live." www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,815746,00.html