Background
Her father was a composer of Italian songs, an importer of Italian films and a movie theater owner.
Her father was a composer of Italian songs, an importer of Italian films and a movie theater owner.
Born in New York City, she was one of six children of Anna (née Giaquinto) (since 1879) and composer Francesco Pennino (1880-1952), both of Naples, Italy. She was born in an apartment over the family"s Empire Theater in Brooklyn. Italia appeared in two non-speaking roles in her son"s movies, One from the Heart and The Godfather Participant World War II She was known for her Italian cooking and published a cookbook called Mama Coppola"s Pasta Book.