Frank Capra

Frank Russell Capra was a major American film director, producer, and screenwriter.

He was a primary creative force behind many award-winning films during the 1930s and 1940s. Historians often describe his life as the "American Dream personified." This refers to his journey from a humble immigrant background to great professional success. Capra became one of the most influential directors in the United States. He won three Academy Awards for Best Director from six total nominations. His work helped shape the way movies were made and understood.

Capra's early life began in Bisacquino, a village near Palermo, Sicily, Italy. He was born Francesco Rosario Capra on May 18, 1897. He was the youngest of seven children in a Roman Catholic family. His father, Salvatore, was a fruit grower. In 1903, when Capra was five, his family moved to the United States. They traveled on a steamship named the Germania. This was a 13-day journey in a steerage compartment, which was the least expensive way to travel. Upon arriving in New York Harbor, Capra saw the Statue of Liberty.

His family eventually settled in an Italian neighborhood in Los Angeles.

To support his family, Capra worked many difficult jobs. He sold newspapers for ten years after school. Later, he attended the California Institute of Technology to study chemical engineering. He graduated in the spring of 1918. While in college, he worked at nightclubs playing the banjo. He also worked in a campus laundry, waited tables, and cleaned engines at a power plant. After college, he served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He taught mathematics to artillerymen at Fort Point. He eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1920.

Capra entered the film industry through a series of small opportunities. He once told a studio founder he had film experience, even though he did not. The founder, Walter Montague, hired him to direct a silent film for $75. Capra made the film, *Fultah Fisher's Boarding House*, in just two days. He used amateur actors and finished the project for $1,700. He then sold the film to Pathé Exchange for $3,500. Early in his career, he worked as a property man and a film cutter. He also wrote scripts for slapstick comedy directors like Mack Sennett. He even helped develop the character of the "innocent fool" for comedian Harry Langdon.

His career reached new heights at Columbia Pictures. This studio was located on "Poverty Row" in Los Angeles. At the time, Columbia was a small start-up that could not compete with major studios. The studio head, Harry Cohn, rehired Capra in 1928 to make full-length feature films. Capra's engineering background gave him a unique advantage during this era. He understood the new sound technology used in "talkies" better than many other directors. While others feared sound was a passing fad, Capra embraced it. He directed his first major sound picture, *The Younger Generation*, in 1929.

Capra became a highly successful and "bankable" director. This meant that studios trusted him to make films that would earn money. Harry Cohn increased Capra's salary from $1,000 per film to $25,000 per year. Cohn also allowed Capra to put his name above the movie title. This was a new practice in the film industry. Capra directed many famous movies, such as *It Happened One Night* (1934) and *Mr. Smith Goes to Washington* (1939).

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He produced the *Why We Fight* series to help people understand the war effort.

Later in life, Capra's career faced some challenges. His 1946 film, *It's a Wonderful Life*, did not perform well when it was first released.

However, in later decades, critics reevaluated his work very favorably. Many of his films are now considered classics. Beyond directing, Capra was a leader in the film community. He served as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He also led the Directors Guild of America and worked with the Writers Guild of America. His legacy remains a vital part of cinematic history.