Dolores Catania

December 28, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Dolores Catania, born on December 28, 1970, is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and reality T.V. star. She is a mother of two, and a modern-day housewife with a splash of old-school morals. She is best known as a main cast member on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” appearing in its seventh season and has been ranked one of the most relatable housewives. Let’s get the celebrations started!

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Dolores Catania

Birth date:

December 28, 1970

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Capricorn

Height:

5' 7"

Relationship Status:

In a relationship

Net Worth:

$4 million

Background

Dolores Catania was born in Paterson, New Jersey on December 28, 1970, to Lawrence and Valerie Spagnola. She has two sisters, Valerie and Laura, and a brother, Louis. She studied gambling law at Seton Hall University. Catania worked several jobs as a waitress, a shampoo lady, a realtor, and many others before she joined the “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” Together with her ex-husband, she owns a fitness franchise and renovates homes. She is philanthropic and supports numerous charities like animal welfare and local relief efforts. She has also made appearances in several independent films such as Brad Forenza’s “Around the Sun” and “Breaking Points.”

When asked to join “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” for its first season in 2009, she chose to make guest appearances as a “friend” to the first wives. Caroline Manzo eventually took Catania’s place. Catania eventually joined the cast in 2016 in its seventh season. She has been voted one of the most relatable housewives since joining the show, with storylines primarily focusing on her love life, relationship with her ex, motherhood, self-discovery, loyalty, and independence. In 2018, Bravo fans selected her as “Miss Congeniality” for the “Real Housewives” syndicate as a whole.

Gabrielle (1995) and Frank (1998), two of Catania’s children, were born during her marriage to Frank Catania. This marriage ended when she revealed during her first season as a Housewife that Frank had been unfaithful when she was pregnant with her second child. She began dating maternal-fetal physician David Principe in 2017 but the pair made their breakup public in 2021. She is a fitness influencer who runs several fitness centers and helps women achieve their fitness goals. She is now in a relationship with electrician Paul “Paulie” Connell.

Career timeline

2000s

She Opens Her Gyms

She opens her gyms, which become fitness influencers.

2000s

Her Charitable Activities

She earns the key to her hometown of Paterson for her deep commitment to improving the city.

2016

She Rises to Fame

Catania becomes a main cast member of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” in its seventh season.

2018

She Gets Special Recognition

She is rated one of the most relatable housewives and is named “Miss Congeniality” across the entire “Real Housewives” syndicate.

Why We Love Dolores Catania

She is loyal
Catania is a truly loyal person. She has proved this in her various relationships on the reality show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.”
She does a lot for charity
She volunteers her time and money to shelters and charities. Some of them are St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and Maimonides Breast Center.
She is hardworking
This can be seen in the fact that she had worked several odd jobs before starring in the reality T.V. show. Her versatile skills have helped her become successful as a businesswoman. Her fans love her for this.

5 Surprising Facts

Catania was in the medical field
She once worked in the medical field as a surgical assistant.
She was a corrections officer
Catania used to work as a corrections officer before getting married and having kids.
She acted in a short film
She played the role of a mother dealing with loss in a 34-minute short film titled “Breaking Points.”
Her exes were in a game show
Catania, her children (with ex-husband Frank), Frank himself, and ex-boyfriend David were on the same episode of the game show “Cash at Your Door.”
She is an animal saver
An animal lover, she was given the moniker “batman” because she once rescued a severely dehydrated bat.