NOVARRO, Roman (1899 - 1968). Snapshot. Circa 1928. Gelatin print snapshot of Navarro with starlet Anita Page and various men.

3 1/2 x 4 1/2". Ink notations in image and on verso. 

Novarro was a gay man, which he took great pains to hide due to social pressures and a deeply religious upbringing. MGM Studios even suggested a "lavender marriage" to a woman, which he refused. 

His life ended tragically on October 30, 1968, when he was murdered in his North Hollywood home by two young male hustlers, Paul and Tom Ferguson, who were looking for a rumored (but non-existent) hidden cash stash. The sensationalized news reports of his murder posthumously exposed his sexuality to the public, a detail which has often overshadowed his professional legacy.