Rudolph Valentino's 15 Days of Tawdry, Tabloid Death

'Daily Mail', Drudge and the Murdochs owe a debt to Bernarr Macfadden, whose 'PornoGraphic' paper rose on the fall of the world's most famous matinee idol

MATINEE HEARTTHROB Rudolph Valentino became the first great screen lover. Right: With Agnes Ayres in 1921’s The Sheik. (Bettman)

Joe Pompeo writes about Hollywood history every other Saturday. His first column revisited Marilyn Monroe’s fatal overdose, dark echoes of which resonate in the Matthew Perry media frenzy. He can be reached at joepompeo@substac…