The 1960s and 1970s were a wild era for rock music. Bands such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Doors, and more were releasing albums, and their music went on to receive legendary status. Interestingly, one such band was The Rolling Stones, whose members currently are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood. The story of The Rolling Stones and its members has been well documented. However, not much is known about Anita Pallenberg, an Italian-German actress who was associated with them.
That changes now because of the new documentary, Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg, which came out on Friday, May 3, 2024. Anita Pallenberg was born in April 1942 in Europe. According to People Magazine, when she turned 19, she moved to America to pursue a career in modeling. After meeting The Rolling Stones in Munich in 1965, her life changed. Young Anita fell in love with Brian Jones, the band’s original leader. Unfortunately, their relationship ended 2 years later due to Brian’s issues and the couple’s disagreements.
Eventually, Anita Pallenberg’s affection for Keith Richards grew, and the duo entered into a relationship. They were together from 1967 to 1980 and had three children. Richards is currently 80 years old, but Pallenberg sadly passed away on June 13, 2017. According to The New York Times, she died due to complications from hepatitis C at a hospital in Chichester, West Sussex, England.
Per IMDb, the synopsis of Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg reads, “This intimate documentary reveals the story of a fierce rock ‘n’ roller, actress, muse, and mother who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s.”
Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg’s directors are Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill.
How old was Anita Pallenberg at the time of her death?
Anita Pallenberg was 75 years old at the time of her death. According to People Magazine, two years after she died, her eldest son, Marlon, and his children stumbled upon a manuscript that Anita had written in secret.
Marlon stated that Anita Pallenberg had a habit of hoarding things. She did that so much that her tiny Chelsea apartment hardly had any empty spaces. Marlon also added that his mother was an expert at hiding things, and discovering her belongings was like a treasure hunt. Marlon said, “My mother was a massive hoarder. She had this small flat in Chelsea and it was packed to the gills with stuff. She was quite good at hiding things, almost like a treasure hunt.”
Marlon’s children played a major role in unearthing their grandmother’s story. Ella, Marlon’s daughter, discovered Anita’s book manuscript, while his son Orson found a shoebox that contained 13 tapes. Interestingly, these tapes were recordings of interviews Anita recorded in secret during the 1990s. In these interviews, she opened up about her fascinating life and struggles. Marlon stated that it took a long time to go through his mother’s possessions and learn a lot of new information about her. He said, “I had to sit down and have a bottle of wine. It was revelatory. She said things I had no idea about.”
Marlon Leon Sundeep Richards was born on August 10, 1969, and is currently 54 years old.
