André Daven — A Young Man of Promise (1924) 🇺🇸
He went to interview a movie star — and came away with a contract to appear with Valentino in three pictures!
Andre Daven [André Daven] was a young French journalist. When the Valentinos [Rudolph Valentino] arrived in Paris last summer, he was sent to interview the famous sheik. On his arrival at Valentino’s apartment he found a room full of other reporters, all there for the same purpose. Wishing an exclusive interview, he decided to leave and return later. As he rose to go, Valentino entered the room, and Daven heard him exclaim, “Why, Ramon Novarro, I didn’t know you were in Paris!”
Daven looked about in surprise, to see where Novarro was. To his greater surprise, Valentino hurried over and grasped his hand.
When the mistake was explained, Valentino insisted on seeing the young journalist again, and after several subsequent talks, Daven received the shock of his life when Rudolph told hint one day that he wanted Andre to come back to America with him and act in Monsieur Beaucaire.
“But I’m not an actor!” Daven exclaimed. “We all have to learn,” protested Valentino. “You’ll begin with a small part, and if you study and watch all that goes on, you need have no fears as to your future — I am confident of that. I would scarcely encourage you to abandon another profession if I were not.”
So you will see Andre Daven in the rôle of the Duc de Nemours, in Beaucaire. In it Andre does not have much acting to do, but Valentino is said to be very well pleased with the young Frenchman’s efforts.
At the Famous Players Long Island studio, where Beaucaire was made, Andre became very popular. When the picture was nearly completed, he was approached by a studio executive and offered a rather difficult rôle in Valentino’s next picture. Instead of jumping at the chance, as every one thought he would, he said calmly, “I’m sorry, but I do not think I know enough to handle such a rôle as yet. For the present I would prefer a less important part.”
And if you look at the picture at the top of this page you may catch a glimpse of something that Valentino saw in the young Frenchman that gave him such faith in Andre’s possibilities.
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Collection: Picture Play Magazine, August 1924