ROME- American writer and journalist, Donald Ogden Stewart Jr., who worked for New Yorker and Playboy and appeared in Federico Fellini's Roma, has died, aged 83. Stewart was the son of Oscar-winning screenwriter and popular humourist Donald Ogden Stewart, Sr., and his stepmother was Ella Winter, ex-wife of Lincoln Steffens.

 Stewart began his writing career as a journalist for the New Yorker, where he wrote the Talk of the Town pieces and poetry. He also published a novel and numerous articles, some of which were printed in the New York Times, mainly in the Sophisticated Traveller section.

 Stewart had lived in Rome for over 50 years, moving to the Eternal City in the early sixties with his Italian wife, Luisa Gilardenghi. She was a well-known model, featuring in Vogue and on the front cover of Look and Life. His professional career in Rome meanwhile included being editor for Playboy International.

 Stewart was a long time member of the Foreign Press Association and good friends with Gore Vidal, appearing in Federico Fellini’s “Roma” alongside the celebrated American writer. Stewart’s close ties with Vidal have also meant that he plays an important role in Fred Kaplan’s bio of Vidal, and the forthcoming one by Jay Barini as well as in Sympathy for the Devil, by Michael Mewshaw.

 Stewart died July 14 in Rome.

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