AJ BUTTACAVOLI

Since there is so much interest in the many letters of mine that are published in newspapers and magazines across the land, it occurred to me that this Web site would be helpful in terms of providing some background information about who I am and what I have done in life.

I was born in the Bronx, in New York City on the Birthday of John the Baptist, June 24, 1942. I was named after my father, Augustine, and given the middle name of John, hence "AJ". At the time of my confirmation twelve years later, I took the "confirmation name" of Mario after my favorite uncle, Mario Materiale. Therefore, my full name is:

AUGUSTINE JOHN MARIO BUTTACAVOLI

But I am generally called "AJ" although in some cases I am also called "Mario".

Although I was born in the Bronx, the family home was in Hempstead, Long Island. But my family relocated from New York to Tucson, Arizona in 1946 where I lived until 1966 when I left after graduation from college.

At the University of Arizona, I produced a campus-wide exhibit in honor of President Kennedy which was so well received it served as a catalyst that catapulted me to New York City where I joined a top promotion firm.

From New York I went to Los Angeles where I became involved in the entertainment industry. During that time I was married and divorced, but there were no children involved. It was during this period that I began writing seriously and one of the reasons my marriage ended.

For the past thirty-five years I have been in a relationship with Don Anderson with whom I co-founded a confraternity called Apostles of Christ. A confraternity is a "society devoted to a religious cause". In the case of Apostles of Christ, our "cause" is to promote the idea of prayer as a way of life.

Once Don and I formed Apostles of Christ I left the private sector to devote myself full-time to the confraternity. However, I have continued writing, and have over the years written about thirty scripts.

Currently, I am working part-time for an agent in Hollywood reading scripts and he also represents me in my own writing.

Initially, before Don and I formed Apostles of Christ, we made small films together, primarily experimental, although eventually our film-making became more mainstream.

Our most mature work was produced beginning in 2000, and in 2005, two of our films premiered at the Contra Costa Jewish Community Center in Walnut Creek, California, where we reside. These two films were tributes to President John Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy.

If you have any questions or comments you wish to make about my letters or anything else, please feel free to contact me at:

wc1996@ifn.net

Don Anderson