Frank Capra
Frank Capra (Francesco Rosario Capra) was born on May 18th, 1897. Frank passed away September 3rd, 1991 at 94 years old. Frank Capra was born in Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy. Capra attended California Institute of Technology.
Frank Capra was a director and producer. He is best known for directing movies such as
It Happened One Night,
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and
It’s a Wonderful Life. He won 3 Best Director Oscars off 6 nominations, along with 3 additional Oscar wins off 9 nominations in other categories.
He read a newspaper article about this new film studio opening up in San Francisco. He phoned saying he’d just moved to Hollywood and implied that he he had experience in the budding film industry. His one prior experience in films was back in 1915 when he was attending Manual Arts High School. Walter Montague, the founder of the studio, was still impressed and offered him $75 to direct a one-reel silent film. Capra, with help from a cameraman, made the film in just 2 days and cast amateurs.
After this first serious job, he started efforts to finding similar openings in the movie business. He took a job with another minor San Francisco studio and then got an offer to work with Harry Cohn at a new studio in LA. During this time, he worked as a film cutter, property man, assistant director, and title writer.
After making a lost film called
For the Love of Mine, he went back to Harry Cohn’s studio, now called Columbia Pictures. He wound up directing 20 movies for Harry’s studio, including many of his classics.
As a result of his engineering education, he adapted much more easily to the new sound technology than most directors. He welcomed this transition to sound, never feeling at home in silent movies.
The Name Above the Title tells you everything you need to know about Frank Capra. He was also an award winning documentary filmmaker and a behind the scene force in the Motion Picture Academy, the Director’s Guild, and the Producer’s Guild. He worked with or knew socially everybody in the film business from Chaplin, Keaton, and Mack Sennett in the silent era through the illustrious names of the golden age.
He directed Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, James Stewart, Gary Cooper, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, and others.
So reading his autobiography is a lot like having Frank sitting right in your living room, regaling you with his stories. In this book, he reveals the deeply personal tale about how, despite winning 6 Oscars, he struggled throughout his life against the vagaries, the glamors, and frustration of Hollywood for creative freedom to make some of the most memorable movies of all time.
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Frank Capra: F.A.Q
When was Frank Capra Born?
Frank Capra was born on May 18th, 1897.
When did Frank Capra die?
Frank Capra died on September 3rd, 1991 at 94 years old.
Where was Frank Capra Born?
Frank Capra was born in Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy.
What was the first book Frank Capra wrote?
The first book written by Frank Capra was The Name Above the Title, published in 1971.
What was the most recent book Frank Capra wrote?
His most recently released work was Cry Wilderness on October 16th, 2018.
How many books has Frank Capra written?
Frank Capra has written 3 books. 1 Standalone Novel, 1 book in the Play, 1 book in the Non-Fiction Books.