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The Author’s typewriter donated to the MediaMuseum of
Pescara
Dan Fante
says, “Here is my father’s Olympia”.
PESCARA.
“I am
very happy to donate my father’s typewriter to the
Museum. I do so with great pleasure.” Signed by Dan
Fante. This is what is written on the piece of paper
beside the Olympia from the 1960’s, the typewriter that
belonged to John Fante, that was given to the
MediaMuseum by his son, Dan. It was the last typewriter
that the author, who originated from Torricella Peligna,
used before he became blind. There was a delegation of
people from Torricella, led by the Mayor, Tiziano Teti.
They attended a meeting organised jointly by Valeria De
Cecco, editorial director of the journal Abruzzo
Italia, by Paolo Di Vincenzo, journalist with Il
Centro, personal friend of Dan Fante, profound expert of
the works of the Fantes, and by Edoardo Tiboni, patron
of the Flaiano Prizes[1],
[2] and
president of the MediaMuseum. Dan had made a promise
last year to Tiboni to make this gift, which is now on
display in a room of the MediaMuseum, where amongst
other works is John Fante’s script for the film “Il re
di Poggioreale” (The King of Poggioreale[3])
directed by Duilio Coletti.
Born on 8th
April 1909 in Denver, Colorado, died 8th May
1983 in Los Angeles, “The Brotherhood of the Grape” was
the last novel that John Fante personally wrote on his
Olympia, after which he lost his sight, due to Diabetes,
so he dictated subsequent works to his wife. Entitled
“La Confraternità del Chianti” this book was translated
into Italian in 1990 by Leonardo and again in 1995 by
Marcos y Marcos; whilst in 2004 it was published by
Einaudi, entitled “La Confraternità dell’uva”. This
better rendition of the title was confirmed by the Italo-Americans
in the room, amongst whom was Dan’s cousin, Nick, who
had come specifically for this meeting from Savona.
Dan then
discussed the importance of this typewriter, using
amusing anecdotes to illustrate John’s artistic life.
Dan told how as a young writer, “My father continued to
send handwritten copies of his book to the literary
critic, H. L. Menken, until a reply came back that, if
he wanted to see it published, he must send a
typewritten script. John set about typing one and in
only one night, Dan commented ironically, he became “the
fastest typist to use just two fingers that I have ever
known.”
Dan
recounted another curious episode linked to this
typewriter: “He hated to be disturbed whilst he was
writing, and his expression in one of his most famous
photos which shows him at work, clearly shows how
annoyed he was at being interrupted.” Following his
father into the world of writing, Dan has so far seen
only two of his own books published in Italian, “Angels
ion Pieces” and “Mooch”, although his play, “Don
Giovanni” is currently being translated by Francesco
Durante, who is already the Editor of the “Meridian”
volume about John Fante published by Mondadori. In this
play, Dan describes a weekend in the Fante household,
which, according to his custom, is familiar and
personal.
In a
certain sense, Dan’s relationship on an artistic level
with his father is also linked by this typewriter: he
said, “The yellow paper which I found at home and which
I used when I began to write, it forms a passage, a
handing over, between my father and me and it is the
same paper that is now in the machine at the
MediaMuseum.” Dan has always considered his father to be
“a craftsman at work.” Much like a “bricklayer”, to
refer back to one of the characters in “The Brotherhood
of the Grape”. A character very close to John, linked to
his father, Nicola-Nick, by profession a bricklayer.
This relationship also has tight links with the land of
Abruzzo, so much so, as to make Dan use the expression
“visceral”. This link is apparent even in a
video-interview, made last year for Abruzzo Italia,
a section of which was shown yesterday.
“The first
time I came to Italy was nine years ago,” recalled Dan,
“and my relationship with the people of Torricella
Peligna made me feel at home straight away. It is
difficult to explain, but in Abruzzo, I really feel at
home.” A home in which since yesterday the Olympia
typewriter has been given hospitality. It is not simply
a memento, but a piece of history, of life: a machine,
to tell it like one of Fante’s fans does, the rocker,
Luciano Ligabue, “on which much sweat and great magic
has passed.” The magic of the Fantes.
Fulvio
di Giuseppe.
Translator’s Notes:
[1]
The International Flaiano Prizes,
also known as the Premi Flaiano,
consist of a series of competitions, shows
and reviews of cinema, theatre, literature
and television, that take place every year
in Pescara. It began in 1974, as a way of
honouring Ennio Flaiano, an illustrious
Pescaran, in order to promote study of his
works.
Some of the world’s greatest personages in
the fields of show business and culture meet
in Pescara for this internationally famous
cultural event. As well as being of great
cultural importance, the Prize gives the
city a degree of worldliness: the prizes are
given out at a ceremony in the D’Annunzio
Theatre.
[2]
Ennio Flaiano (Pescara, born 5th
March 1910 – Roma, 20th November 1972) was
an Italian author, scriptwriter and
journalist. He specialised in writing much
esteemed cultural features and arts
features; he was also a humorist and a
critic of theatrical and cinema.
He wrote for Oggi,
Il Mondo, Il Corriere della Sera
and other newspapers.
Monument to Ennio Flaiano at the entrance of
the historic centre of Pescara.
[3]
“The King of Poggioreale”
– is a film from 1961, about Giuseppe Navara,
a kind, ingenious man, a member of the
Camorra (Neapolitan Mafia) who tries to help
the people of Naples during the 1940-45 war,
meeting their needs which are due to
deficiencies of the authorities. He becomes
a legend, but then fades into
insignificance. The reconstruction of Naples
at war is fanciful, bloody and picturesque;
screenplay is by the Italo-American author,
John Fante. It is one of D. Coletti’s best
films.
Poggioreale
is one of the districts of Naples, where
there is a famous prison.
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