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Frank Capra

Frank Capra cuts Army film as a Signal Corps Reserve major during World War II.
Born Francesco Rosario Capra
18 May 1897 (1897-05-18)
Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
Died 3 September 1991 (aged 94)
La Quinta, California, U.S.
Spouse(s) Helen Howell (1923-1927) (divorced)
Lou Capra (1932-1984) (deceased); 3 children
Frank Capra
In office
1935 – 1939
Preceded by Frank Lloyd
Succeeded by Walter Wanger
For other persons named Frank Capra, see Frank Capra (disambiguation). Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Bisacquino is a town in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS) is a professional honorary organization ostensibly dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of Motion For the Australian actor see Frank Lloyd (actor. For the French horn player see Frank Lloyd (horn player. Walter Wanger ( July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer Frank Capra (1897–1991 was an Academy Award-winning Italian-American film director

Frank Russell Capra (May 18, 1897–September 3, 1991) was an Academy Award winning Italian-American film director and a major creative force behind a number of highly popular films of the 1930s and 1940s, including It's a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, among others. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest Mr Smith Goes to Washington is a Drama film directed by Frank Capra about one man's effect on American politics.

Contents

Early life

Born Francesco Rosario Capra in Bisacquino, Sicily, Capra and his family—his father Salvatore, his mother Rosaria Nicolosi, and his siblings Giuseppa, Giuseppe, and Antonia—immigrated to the United States in 1903. Bisacquino is a town in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. American immigration ( emigration to the United States of America) refers to the movement of non-residents to the United States.

In California the family met with Benedetto Capra (the oldest sibling) and settled in Los Angeles. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West In 1918, Frank Capra graduated from Throop Institute (now the California Institute of Technology) with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech) is a private, Coeducational research university located in Pasadena The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech) is a private, Coeducational research university located in Pasadena A Bachelor of Science ( BS, BSc or BSc in the UK; less commonly S A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing Chemical engineering is the branch of Engineering that deals with the application of Physical science (e During World War I, Capra enlisted in the United States Army on October 18, 1918. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common However, while at the Presidio, he became ill with Spanish flu and was medically discharged on December 13. The 1918 flu pandemic (commonly referred to as the Spanish flu) was an Influenza Pandemic that spread to nearly every part of the world Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life

He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1920, adopting the name Frank Russell Capra. Naturalization is the acquisition of Citizenship or Nationality by somebody who was not a citizen or national of that country when he or she was born Article I section 8 clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization

Film career

Capra began as a prop man in silent films. A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is any object held or used on stage by an Actor for use in furthering the plot or story line of a Theatrical [1] However, he wrote and directed silent film comedies starring Harry Langdon and the Our Gang kids. Harry L Langdon ( June 15, 1884 – December 22, 1944) was an American Comedian who appeared in Vaudeville, "The Little Rascals" redirects here For other uses see The Little Rascals (disambiguation. Capra went to work for Mack Sennett in 1924 and then moved to Columbia Pictures, where he formed a close association with screenwriter Robert Riskin (husband of Fay Wray) and cameraman Joseph Walker. Mack Sennett ( January 17, 1880 &ndash November 5, 1960) was an Academy Award -winning director and was known as the innovator }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Robert Riskin ( March 30, 1897 &ndash September 20, 1955) was an American screenwriter and playwright best known for his collaborations Vina Fay Wray ( September 15, 1907 &ndash August 8, 2004) was a Canadian &ndash American actress and the first Joseph Walker or Joe Walker can refer to more than one person of note including Joseph Albert Walker, a United States military aviator However, Sidney Buchman replaced Riskin as writer in 1940. Sidney Robert Buchman ( March 27, 1902 &ndash August 23, 1975) was a Film Writer and producer who worked on

For the 1934 film It Happened One Night, Robert Montgomery and Myrna Loy were originally offered the roles, but each felt that the script was poor, and Loy described it is one of the worst she had ever read, later noting that the final version bore little resemblance to the script she and Montgomery were offered. It Happened One Night is a 1934 screwball comedy directed by Frank Capra, in which a pampered Socialite ( Claudette Colbert Robert Montgomery ( May 21, 1904 &ndash September 27, 1981) was an American actor and director Myrna Loy ( August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993) was an American Motion picture Actress. [2]After Loy, Miriam Hopkins and Margaret Sullavan also each rejected the part. Ellen Miriam Hopkins ( October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972) was an Oscar -nominated American actress Margaret Brooke Sullavan ( May 16, 1909 – January 1, 1960) was an Academy [3] Constance Bennett wanted to, but only if she could produce it herself. Constance Campbell Bennett ( October 22, 1904 &ndash July 24, 1965) was an American actress. Then Bette Davis wanted the role,[4] but she was under contract with Warner Brothers and Jack Warner refused to loan her to Columbia Studios. Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5 1908 – October 6 1989 was an American actress of Film, Television and Theatre. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and This article is about Jack Warner the head of Warner Brothers [5] Capra was unable to get any of the actresses he wanted for the part of Ellie Andrews, partly because no self-respecting star would make a film with only two costumes. [6] Harry Cohn suggested Claudette Colbert to play the lead role. Harry Cohn ( July 23, 1891 &ndash February 27, 1958) was president and production director of Columbia Pictures. Claudette Colbert ( IPA: /koʊlˈbɛɹ/ ( September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was a French -born American stage Both Capra and Clark Gable enjoyed making the movie; Colbert did not. Clark Gable (February 1 &ndashNovember 16) was an iconic American Actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday After the 1934 film It Happened One Night, Capra directed a steady stream of films for Columbia intended to be inspirational and humanitarian. It Happened One Night is a 1934 screwball comedy directed by Frank Capra, in which a pampered Socialite ( Claudette Colbert

The best known are Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, the original Lost Horizon, You Can't Take It with You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and It's a Wonderful Life. Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a 1936 Comedy film directed by Frank Capra, based on the story Opera Hat by Clarence Budington Lost Horizon is a 1937 film directed by Frank Capra starring Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt and Sam Jaffe. You Can't Take It with You is a Pulitzer Prize -winning comedic play in three acts by George S Mr Smith Goes to Washington is a Drama film directed by Frank Capra about one man's effect on American politics. It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest His ten-year break from screwball comedy ended with the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace. Arsenic and Old Lace is a Film directed by Frank Capra based on a play of the same name by Joseph Kesselring. Among the actors who owed much of their early success to Capra were Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Barbara Stanwyck, Cary Grant and Donna Reed. Frank James “Gary” Cooper (May 7 &ndashMay 13) was an American film actor and iconic star Jean Arthur ( 17 October &ndash 19 June) was an Oscar -nominated American actress and a major film star of the 1930s and 1940s James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor Barbara Stanwyck ( July 16, &ndash January 20,) was an American actress, a star of film and television known during her 60-year career as a Donna Reed ( January 27, 1921 - January 14, 1986) was an Academy Award -winning American actress. Capra credited Jean Arthur as "my favorite actress".

Capra's films in the 1930s enjoyed success at the Academy Awards. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. It Happened One Night was the first film to win all five top Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay). The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working The Academy Award for Achievement in Directing (Best Director is one of the Awards of Merit presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to recognize Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent Film awards in the United States In 1936, Capra won his second Best Director Oscar for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town; in 1938 he won his third Director Oscar in five years for You Can't Take It with You, which also won Best Picture. Mr Deeds Goes to Town is a 1936 Comedy film directed by Frank Capra, based on the story Opera Hat by Clarence Budington You Can't Take It with You is a Pulitzer Prize -winning comedic play in three acts by George S In addition to his three directing wins, Capra received directing nominations for three other films (Lady for a Day, Mr. Lady for a Day is a 1933 film which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Smith Goes to Washington, and It's a Wonderful Life). On March 5, 1936, Capra was also host of the 8th Academy Awards ceremony. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 8th Academy Awards were held on March 5, 1936 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles California.

World War II

Capra was faced with convincing an isolationist nation to enter the war, desegregate the troops, and ally with the Russians, among other things. Capra wanted to counter the films of German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, especially Triumph of the Will. Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl ( August 22 1902 – September 8 2003) was a German Film director Triumph of the Will (Triumph des Willens is a propagandistic Documentary film by the German filmmaker

Capra produced State of the Union and directed or co-directed eight documentary propaganda films between 1942 and 1948, including the seven-episode U. State of the Union is a 1948 film adaptation written by Myles Connolly and Anthony Veiller of the Russel Crouse, Howard A propaganda film is a Film, either a documentary -style production or a fictional screenplay that is produced to convince the viewer of a certain political point S. government-commissioned Why We Fight series—consisting of Prelude to War (1942), The Nazis Strike (1942), The Battle of Britain (1943), Divide and Conquer (1943), Know Your Enemy: Japan (1945), Tunisian Victory (1945), and Two Down and One to Go (1945)—as well as produced the African-American targeted The Negro Soldier (1944). Why We Fight is a series of seven Propaganda films commissioned by the United States government during World War II to demonstrate to For the similarly titled novel by Leslie Charteris, see Prelude for War. The Nazis Strike was the second film of Frank Capra 's Why We Fight Propaganda film series For the 1969 film see Battle of Britain (film. For the World War II battle see Battle of Britain. Divide and Conquer (1943 was the third film of Frank Capra 's Why We Fight Propaganda film series dealing with the Nazi conquest Know Your Enemy Japan is an American Propaganda film produced on behalf of the U Tunisian Victory is an Anglo - American propaganda film about the victories in the North Africa Campaign. Two Down and One to Go was a short propaganda film produced in 1945 as its title might suggest its overall message was that the first two Axis powers Italy and Germany had The Negro Soldier was a 1944 Propaganda film produced by the United States War Department encouraging African-Americans to join Why We Fight, is widely considered a masterpiece of propaganda and won an Academy Award. Why We Fight is a series of seven Propaganda films commissioned by the United States government during World War II to demonstrate to Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people Prelude to War won the 1942 Academy Award for Documentary Feature. The Academy Award for Documentary Feature is among the most prestigious awards for Documentary films Controversies Capra regarded these films as his most important works.

Postwar

Donna Reed, James Stewart, and Karolyn Grimes in It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
Donna Reed, James Stewart, and Karolyn Grimes in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Donna Reed ( January 27, 1921 - January 14, 1986) was an Academy Award -winning American actress. James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor Karolyn Grimes (born July 4, 1940) is an American actress known for her role as young Zuzu Bailey in the Frank Capra classic It's a Wonderful It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) was considered a box office disappointment but it was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Sound Recording and Best Editing. It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Academy Award for Achievement in Directing (Best Director is one of the Awards of Merit presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to artists working Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS to recognize The Academy Award for Sound Mixing is an Academy Award that recognizes the finest or most euphonic Sound mixing or recording The Academy Award for Film Editing was first given for films issued in 1934 The American Film Institute named it one of the best films ever made, putting it at the top of the list of AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers, a list of what AFI considers to be the most inspirational American movies of all time. The American Film Institute ( AFI) is an independent Non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 100 Years 100 Cheers America's Most Inspiring Movies is a list of the most inspiring movies as determined by the American Film Institute. The film also appeared in another AFI Top 100 list: it placed at 11th on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies list of the top American films. The first of the AFI 100 Years series of cinematic milestones AFI's 100 Years

Capra's final theatrical film was with Glenn Ford and Bette Davis, named Pocketful of Miracles (1961). Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford ( May 1, 1916 &ndash August 30, 2006) was a Canadian -born American Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5 1908 – October 6 1989 was an American actress of Film, Television and Theatre. Pocketful of Miracles is a 1961 film that was the last to be directed by Frank Capra. He planned to do a science fiction film later in the decade but never got around to pre-production. Capra produced several science-related television specials for the Bell Telephone System, such as "The Strange Case of the Cosmic Rays. The Bell System which was named for Alexander Graham Bell, the technologist popularly credited with the invention of the Telephone, was a Trademark and "

Capra films usually carry a definite message about the basic goodness of human nature and show the value of unselfishness and hard work. His wholesome, feel-good themes have led his works to be called, by some, "Capra-corn. " However, many others who see the positive aspects of Capra's works prefer the term, "Capraesque. " It may be argued that much of the 'feel-good' type of cinema that has somewhat become a genre of its own, for better or for worse, is largely Frank Capra's legacy.

Capra in the media

In 1971, Capra published his autobiography, The Name Above the Title. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Uncompromising in its details, it offers a compelling self-portrait. It is, however, not considered to be entirely reliable as regards dates and facts; one commentator asserts that it "appears to have been a lie practically from beginning to end". [7]

Capra was also the subject of a 1991 biography by Joseph McBride entitled Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success. McBride challenges many of the impressions left by Capra's autobiography.

Death and legacy

Frank Capra died in La Quinta, California of a heart attack in his sleep in 1991 at the age of 94. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply He was interred in the Coachella Valley Cemetery in Coachella, California. For the music and arts festival see Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Coachella is a city in Riverside County, California

He left part of his 1,100-acre (4 km²) ranch in Fallbrook, California to Caltech. Fallbrook is a Census-designated place (CDP in northern San Diego County California. The California Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Caltech) is a private, Coeducational research university located in Pasadena [8]

His son Frank Capra, Jr. — one of the three children born to Capra's second wife, Lou Capra — was the president of EUE Screen Gems Studios, in Wilmington, North Carolina until his death on December 19, 2007. Frank Capra Jr ( March 20 1934 &ndash December 19, 2007) was an American movie studio executive and one of the three children Frank Russell Capra ( May 18, 1897 &ndash September 3, 1991) was an Academy Award winning Italian-American Film Screen Gems is an American subsidiary company of Sony Pictures Entertainment 's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group that has served several different Wilmington is a city in and the County seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Frank Capra's grandson is Frank Capra III. Frank Capra III (born July 16 1959 in San Diego California) is the son of Frank Capra Jr

AFI 100 Years. . . series

United States National Film Registry

Filmography

Quotes

See also

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Capra 1971, pp. James Maitland Stewart (20 May 1908 – 2 July 1997 popularly known as Jimmy Stewart, was an American Film and stage Actor 17, 20.
  2. ^ Kotsabilas-Davis and Loy 1987, p. 94.
  3. ^ Wiley and Bona 1987, p. 54.
  4. ^ Weems, Erik. "It Happened One Night - Frank Capra." Updated June 22, 2006. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  5. ^ Chandler 2006, p. 102.
  6. ^ moviediva ItHappenedOneNight
  7. ^ Gewen 1992
  8. ^ The Caltech Y History
  9. ^ Capra 1971

Bibliography

External links

Awards
Preceded by
Billy Wilder
for The Lost Weekend		 Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture
for It's a Wonderful Life
1947		 Succeeded by
Elia Kazan
for Gentleman's Agreement
Persondata
NAME Capra, Frank
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Capra, Francesco Rosario
SHORT DESCRIPTION Academy Award winning Italian-American film director
DATE OF BIRTH 18 May 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
DATE OF DEATH 3 September 1991
PLACE OF DEATH La Quinta, California, U.S.
Turner Classic Movies ( TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial -free classic movies mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Billy Wilder ( June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian born Jewish - American Journalist The Lost Weekend is a 1945 motion picture directed by Billy Wilder for Paramount Pictures, starring Ray Milland, This page lists the winners and nominees for the Golden Globe Award for Best Director, since its institution in 1943 It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest Elia Mother, ( Greek: Ηλίας Καζάν September 7 1909 &ndash September 28 2003) was a Greek - American Gentleman's Agreement is a 1947 Drama film about a journalist (played by Gregory Peck) who goes undercover as a Jew to research "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. Bisacquino is a town in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
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