What started as a part-time gig eventually morphed into a career spanning 44 years and eventually earned him the nickname Frankie No due to his propensity for turning down guests no matter their rank or standing in the city.

At this point, the veteran actress had appeared in many of her son's films, including 'Mean Streets' and 'Taxi Driver.' She also had bit parts in classics such as Norman Jewison's 'Moonstruck' - starring Cher and Nicolas Cage - and Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather Part III,' which was released the same year as 'Goodfellas.' Catherine's final performance came in her son's crime drama 'Casino,' where she played the mother of Artie Piscano (Vinny Vella).Īs it turns out, Frank, an aspiring singer, was enlisted to help his aunt out at the joint. Still, this was not Catherine Scorsese's first foray into the world of film. Catherine appears sporadically throughout the film - turning up at Henry's wedding to chastise her son for not being more like Henry - and later in a quick sequence where she gives Tommy a kiss just before his execution.

In fact, Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, and Joe Pesci followed her lead, which is why the moment feels so natural and genuine. He directed her to welcome her son home and let his mother do the rest. Intriguingly, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Martin said that Catherine improvised almost all of her lines in this scene.

Casino cast member deaths