Robert Katz
Encyclopedia
Robert Katz was an American novelist, screenwriter, and non-fiction author.
Katz was born in Brooklyn
, New York
, the son of Sidney and Helen Katz, née Holland, and married Beverly Gerstel on September 22, 1957. The couple had two sons: Stephen Lee Katz, Jonathan Howard Katz.
He studied at Brooklyn College
1951-53 and went on to be a photojournalist, filmmaker, United Hias Service, NYC 1953-57. As a writer, he began at the American Cancer Society
in New York (1958–63) and then at the United Nations
in New York and Rome (1963–64). He was a freelance writer from 1964 until his death.
He has fulfilled academic roles at numerous institutions, including being Visiting Professor of Investigative Journalism at the University of California, Santa Cruz
(1986–92). Awarded an ongoing Guggenheim
Fellowship
in 1970, he has also been a fellow of Adlai E. Stevenson College; University of California
during 1986 to 1992. He became a grantee of the American Council Learned Societies in 1971; and a recipient of the Laceno d'Oro (best screenplay) award at the Neorealist Film Festival in Avellino
, Italy
(1983).
A criminal-libel case involving Katz and others in Italy over the contents of his book Death in Rome, in which he was charged with "defaming the memory of the Pope" Pius XII regarding the Ardeatine Massacre
of 335 Romans and 70 Jews at the Ardeatine Caves in 1944. The case ended with the charges being dismissed in 1980 by Italy's highest court. The suit had been issued by the Pope's family.
Katz lived for many years in Tuscany
, Italy. He died October 20, 2010, in Montevarchi
, Italy, as a result of complications from cancer surgery.
Katz was born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the son of Sidney and Helen Katz, née Holland, and married Beverly Gerstel on September 22, 1957. The couple had two sons: Stephen Lee Katz, Jonathan Howard Katz.
He studied at Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
1951-53 and went on to be a photojournalist, filmmaker, United Hias Service, NYC 1953-57. As a writer, he began at the American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
in New York (1958–63) and then at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York and Rome (1963–64). He was a freelance writer from 1964 until his death.
He has fulfilled academic roles at numerous institutions, including being Visiting Professor of Investigative Journalism at the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
(1986–92). Awarded an ongoing Guggenheim
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died April 26, 1922...
Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in 1970, he has also been a fellow of Adlai E. Stevenson College; University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
during 1986 to 1992. He became a grantee of the American Council Learned Societies in 1971; and a recipient of the Laceno d'Oro (best screenplay) award at the Neorealist Film Festival in Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1983).
A criminal-libel case involving Katz and others in Italy over the contents of his book Death in Rome, in which he was charged with "defaming the memory of the Pope" Pius XII regarding the Ardeatine Massacre
Ardeatine massacre
The Fosse Ardeatine massacre was a mass execution carried out in Rome on 24 March 1944 by German occupation troops during the Second World War as a reprisal for a partisan attack conducted on the previous day in central Rome....
of 335 Romans and 70 Jews at the Ardeatine Caves in 1944. The case ended with the charges being dismissed in 1980 by Italy's highest court. The suit had been issued by the Pope's family.
Katz lived for many years in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy. He died October 20, 2010, in Montevarchi
Montevarchi
Montevarchi is a town and comune in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy.- History :The town of Montevarchi sprang up around 1100, near to a fortified Benedictine monastery founded by bishop Elempert of Arezzo. At first the castle belonged to the Marquess Bourbon del Monte di Santa Maria, then...
, Italy, as a result of complications from cancer surgery.
Non-fiction writings
- Death in Rome, Macmillan, 1967.
- Black Sabbath: A Journey through a Crime against Humanity, Macmillan, 1969.
- The Fall of the House of Savoy, Macmillan, 1971.
- A Giant in the Earth, Stein & Day, 1973.
- Days of Wrath: The Ordeal of Aldo Moro, the Kidnapping, the Execution, the Aftermath, Doubleday, 1980. (Pulitzer Prize nomination 1981)
- Il caso Moro (with G. Ferrara and A. Balducci), Pironti, 1987.
- Love is Colder than Death: The Life and Times of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Random House, 1987.
- Naked by the Window: The Fatal Marriage of Carl Andre and Ana Mendieta, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1990.
- Dossier Priebke, Rizzoli, 1997.
- The Battle for Rome: the Germans, the Allies, the Partisans and the Pope, September 1943-June 1944, Simon & Schuster, 2003.
Novels
- The Cassandra Crossing, Ballantine, 1976.
- Ziggurat, Houghton, 1977.
- The Spoils of Ararat, Houghton, 1978.
Filmography
- Massacre in RomeMassacre in RomeMassacre in Rome is a 1973 film directed by George Pan Cosmatos about the Ardeatine massacre which occurred at the Ardeatine caves in Rome, 24 March 1944, committed by the Germans as a reprisal for a partisan attack.-Summary:...
(1973) (book "Death in Rome") (screenplay) - The Cassandra CrossingThe Cassandra CrossingThe Cassandra Crossing is a 1976 British disaster film directed by George Pan Cosmatos and starring Richard Harris, Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren, Martin Sheen, Burt Lancaster, Lee Strasberg and O. J. Simpson.-Plot:...
(1976) (screenplay) (story) - The Salamander (1981) (writer)
- La pelle (1981) (screenplay)
- Kamikaze 1989 (1982) (writer)
- Dolce e selvaggio (1983) (English dialogue)
- Il Caso MoroThe Moro AffairThe Moro Affair is a 1987 Italian crime film directed by Giuseppe Ferrara about the kidnapping of Aldo Moro. It was entered into the 37th Berlin International Film Festival, where Gian Maria Volonté won the Silver Bear for Best Actor.-Cast:...
(1986) (book Days of Wrath) (screenplay) - Il Cugino americano (1986) (story)
- Hotel Colonial (1987) (writer)
- La Peste (1992) (narration)
- The ContractorThe ContractorThe Contractor is a direct-to-DVD action film starring Wesley Snipes and Lena Headey, and directed by Josef Rusnak in 2007 in Bulgaria and the UK.-Plot:...
(2007) (V) (story)