FRANK CAPRA
Name: Frank Capra.
Birth name: Francesco Rosario Capra
Born: 18 May 1897 Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
Died: 3 September 1991 La Quinta, California, U.S.
Frank Capra (18 May 1897 – 3 September 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.
Born Francesco Rosario Capra in Italy, Sicily, Capra moved to the United States
in 1903 with his father Salvatore, his mother Rosaria Nicolosi and his siblings
Giuseppa, Giuseppe, and Antonia. In California they met up with Benedetto Capra,
(the oldest sibling) and settled in Los Angeles, California, where, in 1918,
Frank Capra graduated from Throop Institute (later renamed the California
Institute of Technology) with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering. On October
18, 1918, he joined the United States Army. While at the Presidio, he got
Spanish influenza and was discharged on December 13. In 1920, he became a
naturalized citizen of the United States, registering his name as Frank Russell
Capra.
Like other prominent directors of the 1930s and '40s, Capra began his career in
silent films, initially as a "prop man" and worked his way up to the director's
chair. notably by directing and writing silent film comedies starring Harry
Langdon and the Our Gang kids. In 1930 Capra went to work for Mack Sennett and
then moved to Columbia Pictures where he formed a close association with
screenwriter Robert Riskin (husband of Fay Wray) and cameraman Joseph Walker. In
1940, however, Sidney Buchman replaced Riskin as writer.
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. After
Loy, Miriam Hopkins and Margaret Sullavan also each rejected the part.
Constance Bennett wanted to, but only if she could produce it herself. Then
Bette Davis wanted the role, but she was under contract with Warner Brothers
and Jack Warner refused to loan her to Columbia Studios. 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. Harry Cohn
suggested Claudette Colbert to play the lead role. Both Capra and Clark Gable
enjoyed making the movie, Colbert did not. After the 1934 film It Happened One
Night, Capra directed a steady stream of films for Columbia intended to be
inspirational and humanitarian.
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. His
ten-year break from screwball comedy ended with the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace.
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. Capra
credited Jean Arthur as "my favorite actress".
Capra's films in the 1930s enjoyed success at the Academy Awards. 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. In 1936, Capra won his
second Best Director Oscar for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and in 1938 he won his
third Best Director Oscar in just five years for You Can't Take It with You
which also won Best Picture. In addition to his three directing wins, Capra
received directing nominations for three other films (Lady for a Day, Mr. Smith
Goes to Washington, and It's a Wonderful Life). He was also host of the 8th
Academy Awards ceremony on March 5, 1936.
Name: Frank Capra.
Birth name: Francesco Rosario Capra
Born: 18 May 1897 Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
Died: 3 September 1991 La Quinta, California, U.S.
Frank Capra (18 May 1897 – 3 September 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.
Born Francesco Rosario Capra in Italy, Sicily, Capra moved to the United States
in 1903 with his father Salvatore, his mother Rosaria Nicolosi and his siblings
Giuseppa, Giuseppe, and Antonia. In California they met up with Benedetto Capra,
(the oldest sibling) and settled in Los Angeles, California, where, in 1918,
Frank Capra graduated from Throop Institute (later renamed the California
Institute of Technology) with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering. On October
18, 1918, he joined the United States Army. While at the Presidio, he got
Spanish influenza and was discharged on December 13. In 1920, he became a
naturalized citizen of the United States, registering his name as Frank Russell
Capra.
Like other prominent directors of the 1930s and '40s, Capra began his career in
silent films, initially as a "prop man" and worked his way up to the director's
chair. notably by directing and writing silent film comedies starring Harry
Langdon and the Our Gang kids. In 1930 Capra went to work for Mack Sennett and
then moved to Columbia Pictures where he formed a close association with
screenwriter Robert Riskin (husband of Fay Wray) and cameraman Joseph Walker. In
1940, however, Sidney Buchman replaced Riskin as writer.
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. After
Loy, Miriam Hopkins and Margaret Sullavan also each rejected the part.
Constance Bennett wanted to, but only if she could produce it herself. Then
Bette Davis wanted the role, but she was under contract with Warner Brothers
and Jack Warner refused to loan her to Columbia Studios. 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. Harry Cohn
suggested Claudette Colbert to play the lead role. Both Capra and Clark Gable
enjoyed making the movie, Colbert did not. After the 1934 film It Happened One
Night, Capra directed a steady stream of films for Columbia intended to be
inspirational and humanitarian.
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. His
ten-year break from screwball comedy ended with the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace.
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. Capra
credited Jean Arthur as "my favorite actress".
Capra's films in the 1930s enjoyed success at the Academy Awards. 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. In 1936, Capra won his
second Best Director Oscar for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and in 1938 he won his
third Best Director Oscar in just five years for You Can't Take It with You
which also won Best Picture. In addition to his three directing wins, Capra
received directing nominations for three other films (Lady for a Day, Mr. Smith
Goes to Washington, and It's a Wonderful Life). He was also host of the 8th
Academy Awards ceremony on March 5, 1936.