Catherine Scorsese (née Cappa;[1] April 16, 1912 – January 6, 1997) was an American actress. She began acting when her son Martin Scorsese cast her in his short film It's Not Just You, Murray!. Scorsese was of Italian descent and frequently played the role of an Italian mother. She is perhaps most well known for her appearance in her son's film Goodfellas as Mrs. DeVito, the mother of Joe Pesci's character Tommy. She also published a recipe book, Italianamerican: The Scorsese Family Cookbook.[2]
Catherine Scorsese | |
|---|---|
 Scorsese in Italianamerican (1974) | |
| Born | Catherine Cappa April 16, 1912 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 1997 (aged 84) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1964–1995 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2, including Martin Scorsese |
Biography
editCatherine Cappa was born on April 16, 1912, in New York to Sicilian parents Domenica and Martin Cappa. Her father, Martin, was a stage co-ordinator and her mother, Domenica, was a shop owner.[1][3] She had a twin brother, named Charles, as well as two other brothers, Salvatore and Andrew, and five sisters, including Mary and Sarah.
Catherine grew up in a three-room apartment on Elizabeth Street, on the outer reaches of Manhattan's Little Italy, which was shared with 14 people, including boarders and relatives. In 1933, when she was working as a machinist in the nearby Garment District, she married Luciano Charles Scorsese, a fellow Sicilian American who also lived on Elizabeth Street and was also employed in the garment industry. The experience of growing up in Little Italy among first- and second-generation Italian Americans had a profound influence on her son Martin, who revisited their attitudes, values and way of life in his 1974 documentary, Italianamerican.[1]
She often cooked meals for cast and crew members of her son's films.[4] Her cookbook, Italianamerican: The Scorsese Family Cookbook, was published two months before her death.[4]
Scorsese, who had Alzheimer's disease, died on January 6, 1997.[5]
Filmography
edit- 1964 It's Not Just You, Murray! as Mother
- 1967 Who's That Knocking at My Door as Mother
- 1973 Mean Streets as Woman On Landing (uncredited)
- 1974 Italianamerican as herself
- 1976 Taxi Driver as Ivy Steensma, Iris’ Mother (uncredited)
- 1982 The King of Comedy as Rupert's Mom
- 1983 Easy Money as Nicky Cerone's Mother
- 1984 The Muppets Take Manhattan as Unknown (uncredited)
- 1985 After Hours as Elderly Lady At The Café Sitting Back to The Cashier (uncredited)
- 1986 Wise Guys as Birthday Guest
- 1987 Moonstruck as Customer At Bakery
- 1990 Goodfellas as Mrs. DeVito, Tommy's Mother
- 1990 The Godfather Part III as Woman In Cafe #1
- 1991 Cape Fear as Fruitstand Customer
- 1993 The Age of Innocence as Elderly Woman At Jersey City Station (uncredited)
- 1994 Men Lie as Granddaughter Witness
- 1995 Casino as Piscano's Mother (final film role)
References
edit- ^ a b c Casillo, Robert (2006). "The Immigrant Generations: Italianamerican". Gangster Priest: The Italian American Cinema of Martin Scorsese. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802091130.
- ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: Italianamerican: The Scorsese Family Cookbook by Catherine Scorsese". Publishers Weekly. November 4, 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ LoBrutto, Vincent. (2008). Martin Scorsese : a biography. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. ISBN 978-0-313-05061-9. OCLC 191849523.
- ^ a b Hamlin, Suzanne (February 19, 1997). "Remember an Italian Mother Just as She Would Like". The New York Times. p. C3 – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
- ^ "Catherine Scorsese, 84, a Movie Mother". The New York Times. January 7, 1997. p. B5 – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.