Catherine Spaak: The Year in Review - 1974

Italian Magazine - September 1974

In the Spring of 1974, Catherine was busy filming La via dei babbuini in Ethiopia, which appears to have been released in Italy at some point later in the year.

• The February 13, 1974 Variety reported:  "film director Luigi Magni shooting 'Highway of the Apes' for Titanus."
• The February 20 1974 Variety listed the film as in production with a mid-January start, Luigi Magni directing, and Pippo Franco, Manuela Kustermann, and Fabio Garriba starring.
• The March 13, 1974 Variety reported:  "Film director Luigi Magni and his 'Highway of the Apes' unit had to suspend production for a few days when the army revolted in Ethiopia.  Otherwise, there were no casualties and work has resumed near Addis Ababa."
• The May 8, 1974 Variety reported:   "Coming out of production is 'Trail of the Baboons' by Luigi Magni that was shot in Ethiopia twice.  Actress in first version was replaced by Catherine Spaak."

At some point during 1974 Catherine and Johnny Dorelli released an album called Toi et moi on the CGD label.

Perhaps Catherine spent time working on the album during the summer, or perhaps she and Johnny worked on it during the winter, in early 1974.  As we will see further in future posts, Catherine may have also spent time at home during the summer with her hobbies and three-year-old Gabriele.  At some point during 1974, Dorelli began a very successful run in Rome with a stage production, Aggiungi un posto a tavola.  During the summer and late fall of the year, that may have given the couple a more normal home life, since neither was traveling for film productions.  

By the fall, Catherine was in Madrid filming Los pajaros de Baden-Baden.   There were also some reports that she was to appear in a film called Natale in casa di d'appuntamento (Christmas in a Bordello), to be directed by Armando Nanuzzi and also starring Lea Massari and Sylvia Kristel.  While that film sounds like it may have been of interest to some of Catherine's male fans, it did not work out for one reason or another.  The film was eventually released in 1976, starring Ernest Borgnine (of all people), Corinne Clery, and Silvia Dionisio and was known in the U.S. as Holiday Hookers. 

• The September 18, 1974 Variety reported from Madrid:  "Also currently rolling is Impala production of 'The Birds of Baden-Baden.'  Mario Camus directs. Catherine Spaak and Frederick de Pasquale topline."

• The October 16, 1974 Variety, reporting on films in production in Italy:  "Christmas in a Bordello (Natale in casa di d'appuntamento) as of September 30.  Produced and directed by Armando Nanuzzi.  Starring Lea Massari, Catherine Spaak, Zeudi Arrays, and Sylvia Kristel."

Catherine did not have a long Christmas and New Year's holiday, because she traveled to the Canary Islands in the last week of December to commence work on Take a Hard Ride.

• The December 25, 1974 Variety reported:   "Catherine Spaak planed to the Canary Islands for her role in 'Hard Ride' with Lee Van Cleef, Jim Brown, and Fred Williamson under the direction of Anthony Dawson (ne Antonio Margheriti)."

• Filming for Take a Hard Ride started December 26, 1974 in the Canary Islands per various issues of Variety.

• The December 27, 1974 Variety reported:  "Shooting has begun in the Canary Islands on the Berson-Ludwig-Bercovici production of 'Take A Hard Ride,' being produced by Harry Bernsen for 20th-Fox release.  Film stars Lee Van Cleef, Jim Brown, Catherine Spaak, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly and is being made in association with Euro General Production Co. under direction of Antonio Margheriti (Antony Dawson) from an original screenplay by Eric Bercovici and Jerry Ludwig.  Leon Chooluck is coproducing with Marisa Alcaraz serving as associate producer.

Here are some magazines from 1974 featuring Catherine: