Born in 1897 in the Sicilian village of Bisacquino, Frank Russell Capra arrived in the United States as a child before rising to become a central figure in American cinema. During a career spanning the transition from silent films to the sound era, he produced and directed some of the most recognized features of the mid-twentieth century.
Early Life and Education
The son of a fruit grower, Capra moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1903. He attended Castelar Elementary School and later Manual Arts High School. Despite the economic hardships of his youth, he enrolled at the California Institute of Technology. He supported his studies by playing the banjo in clubs and performing manual labor, ultimately graduating with a degree in chemical engineering in 1918.
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Upon graduation, Capra was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army, where he taught mathematics to artillerymen. Following a medical discharge during the Spanish flu pandemic, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1920. After a period of unemployment and wandering, he secured his first film role as a director by misrepresenting his industry experience to a studio founder in San Francisco, resulting in the production of his first one-reel silent film.
Hollywood Success and World War II
Capra achieved significant professional success during the 1930s. He secured the Academy Award for Best Director in 1935, 1937, and 1939. His filmography during this era included notable works such as It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can't Take It with You, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. During World War II, he served as a military officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, attaining the rank of Colonel and creating the Why We Fight documentary series.
Later Career and Legacy
After 1946, his films experienced declining commercial performance, including the initial release of It's a Wonderful Life. Capra gradually reduced his output and retired from filmmaking by the mid-1960s. Throughout his life, he held leadership roles in the industry, serving as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and heading the Directors Guild of America. He received the National Medal of Arts in 1986 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1982. He died in 1991 in La Quinta and is buried at the Coachella Valley Public Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1897, Bisacquino
- Died: 1991, La Quinta
- Education: California Institute of Technology
- Military Rank: Colonel
- Academy Awards for Best Director: 3
- Citizenship: United States, Italy
- Burial Site: Coachella Valley Public Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Frank Capra study in college?
He studied chemical engineering at the California Institute of Technology.
Did Frank Capra serve in the military?
Yes, he served in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant during World War I and as a Colonel in the Signal Corps during World War II.
Achievements
- Academy Award for Best Director — 1939
- Worked as film director, screenwriter and film producer
