Catherine Scorsese

Catherine Scorsese (née Cappa; April 16, 1912 – January 6, 1997) was an Italian-American actress. She began acting when her son Martin Scorsese cast her in his 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, Tommy's mother. She also published a recipe book, Italianamerican: The Scorsese Family Cookbook.[2]

Catherine Scorsese
Born
Catherine Cappa[1]

(1912-04-16)April 16, 1912
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
DiedJanuary 6, 1997(1997-01-06) (aged 84)
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1964–1995
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1933; died 1993)​
Children2, including Martin Scorsese

Early life

She was born on April 16, 1912. She was married to Charles Scorsese. Her father, Martin Cappa, was a stage co-ordinator and her mother, Domenica,[1] was a shop owner. She was the twin of her brother Charles. She also had brothers Salvatore and Andrew and five sisters including Mary and Sarah.

Both of her parents, Domenica and Martin Cappa, were Sicilian.[3] 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 known as Charles Scorsese, 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]

Career

Often she cooked meals for cast and crew members of her son's films.[4]

Later life

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

References
  1. Casillo, Robert (2006). "The Immigrant Generations: Italianamerican". Gangster Priest: The Italian American Cinema of Martin Scorsese. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9780802091130.
  2. "Nonfiction Book Review: Italianamerican: The Scorsese Family Cookbook by Catherine Scorsese". Publishers Weekly. November 4, 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  3. LoBrutto, Vincent. (2008). Martin Scorsese : a biography. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. ISBN 978-0-313-05061-9. OCLC 191849523.
  4. Hamlin, Suzanne (February 19, 1997). "Remember an Italian Mother Just as She Would Like". The New York Times. p. C3 – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
  5. "Catherine Scorsese, 84, a Movie Mother". The New York Times. January 7, 1997. p. B5 – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
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