HOLLYWOOD MOM: CATHERINE SCORSESE

Catherine Cappa was a native of Little Italy, Manhattan, New York City. Her father worked as a stage coordinator in theatre. By the 1930s, Catherine was working as a machinist in the Garment District. In 1933, she married the actor Luciano Charles "Charlie" Scorsese who was also working in the garment industry at the time. The bride was 21-years-old, while the groom was 20-years-old. The couple had three children, including film director Martin Scorsese.

Scorsese made her film debut in her son's short film "It's Not Just You, Murray!" (1964). She also played maternal roles in "Who's That Knocking at My Door" (1967), "The King of Comedy" (1983), "Easy Money" (1983), "Goodfellas" (1990), and "Casino" (1995). She had bit parts in several other films. She appeared as herself in the documentary "Italianamerican" (1974), about the experiences of Italian American immigrants.

While directing his mother in "Goodfellas" (below), Martin didn't tell her that her character's son had just killed someone, and the body was in the trunk of his car. He only told her that her son was home for dinner, and to cook for them. The dinner scene as Tommy's mother was almost completely improvised, including Joe Pesci as Tommy asking his mother if he could borrow her butcher's knife and Jimmy's "hoof" comment.

The painting that Catherine's character brings out was actually painted by "Wiseguy" author Nicholas Pileggi's mother and is based on a picture from the November 1978 National Geographic.
Catherine often she cooked meals for cast and crew members of her son's films. She was working at the time on her cookbook "Italianamerican: The Scorsese Family Cookbook." It was completed and published in 1996, months before her death. It was her only published work...