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Frank Capra

Directing

Frank Capra

Born May 18, 1897 · Bisacquino, Sicilia, Italia · Died September 3, 1991

Biography

Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was a Sicilian-born American film director and a creative force behind a number of films of the 1930s and 1940s, including It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can't Take It With You (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Meet John Doe (1941), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). His films often deal with rags-to-riches stories wich has led film historians such as Ian Freer to consider him the "American Dream personified".

Known for

It's a Wonderful Life

98IMDb8.6

It's a Wonderful Life

Director, Producer, Screenplay

It Happened One Night

95IMDb8.1

It Happened One Night

Bus Singer (uncredited), Director, Producer

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

93IMDb8.1

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Director

Arsenic and Old Lace

87IMDb7.9

Arsenic and Old Lace

Director, Producer

You Can't Take It with You

89IMDb7.8

You Can't Take It with You

Director, Producer

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

85IMDb7.8

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Director, Producer

Meet John Doe

81IMDb7.6

Meet John Doe

Director, Producer

Lost Horizon

78IMDb7.6

Lost Horizon

Director, Producer

Pocketful of Miracles

63IMDb7.1

Pocketful of Miracles

Director, Producer

Why We Fight

86IMDb8.0

Why We Fight

Self (archive footage)

The Bitter Tea of General Yen

66IMDb6.9

The Bitter Tea of General Yen

Director, Producer

Lady for a Day

81IMDb7.4

Lady for a Day

Director, Producer

Westward the Women

83IMDb7.6

Westward the Women

Story

State of the Union

65IMDb7.2

State of the Union

Director, Producer

Why We Fight: Prelude to War

64IMDb7.0

Why We Fight: Prelude to War

Director

Five Came Back

79IMDb8.2

Five Came Back

Self (archive footage)

Platinum Blonde

57IMDb6.7

Platinum Blonde

Director, Producer

The Miracle Woman

71IMDb7.2

The Miracle Woman

Director, Producer

A Hole in the Head

44IMDb6.2

A Hole in the Head

Director, Producer

American Madness

76IMDb7.4

American Madness

Director, Producer

Filmography

  1. 2023Frank Capra: Mr. AmericaSelf (archive footage)Movie
  2. 2022The Century of IconsSelf (archive footage)Series
  3. 2020Frank Capra, il était une fois l'AmériqueSelf (archive footage)Movie
  4. 2019Hollywood's Second World WarSelf (archive footage)Movie
  5. 2017Five Came BackSelf (archive footage)Series
  6. 2017Five Came BackSelf (archive footage)Movie
  7. 2009Hollywood sul TevereMovie
  8. 20091939: Hollywood's Greatest YearSelf (archive footage)Movie
  9. 2005Why We FightSelf (archive footage)Movie
  10. 2000Why We Fight: World War II: The Battle of China / War Comes to AmericaDirectorMovie
  11. 1997Frank Capra's American DreamSelf (archive footage)Movie
  12. 1990The Making of 'It's a Wonderful Life'Self (archive footage)Movie
  13. 1987James Stewart: A Wonderful LifeSelf (archive footage)Movie
  14. 1985George Stevens: A Filmmaker's JourneySelf, (archive footage)Movie
  15. 1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare FootageSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)Movie
  16. 1980HollywoodSelfSeries
  17. 1973The Men Who Made the MoviesSeries
  18. 1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...SelfSeries
  19. 1973The Men who Made the Movies: Frank CapraSelfMovie
  20. 1968The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - GuestSeries
  21. 1968Dear Mr. GableSelfMovie
  22. 1964Rendezvous in SpaceDirectorMovie
  23. 1961Pocketful of MiraclesDirector, ProducerMovie
  24. 1959A Hole in the HeadDirector, ProducerMovie
  25. 1958The Unchained GoddessWriter, ProducerMovie
  26. 1957The Strange Case of the Cosmic RaysDirector, Writer, ProducerMovie
  27. 1957Hemo the MagnificentDirector, Writer, ProducerMovie
  28. 1956Our Mr. SunDirector, Writer, ProducerMovie
  29. 1956The Bell System Science SeriesDirectorSeries
  30. 1952The Fallbrook StoryProducer, DirectorMovie
  31. 1951Westward the WomenStoryMovie
  32. 1951Here Comes the GroomDirector, ProducerMovie
  33. 1951The Screen DirectorSelf (staged 'archive' footage) (uncredited)Movie
  34. 1950Riding HighDirector, ProducerMovie
  35. 1948State of the UnionDirector, ProducerMovie
  36. 1946It's a Wonderful LifeDirector, Producer, ScreenplayMovie
  37. 1945Here Is GermanyDirectorMovie
  38. 1945Know Your Enemy: JapanDirector, Producer, WriterMovie
  39. 1945War Comes to AmericaDirectorMovie
  40. 1945Two Down and One to GoDirectorMovie
  41. 1945Your Job in GermanyProducer, DirectorMovie
  42. 1945Our Job in JapanDirectorMovie
  43. 1944G.I. JournalProducer, DirectorMovie
  44. 1944Why We Fight: The Battle of ChinaDirectorMovie
  45. 1944Arsenic and Old LaceDirector, ProducerMovie
  46. 1944Attack! The Battle for New BritainDirector, ProducerMovie
  47. 1944The Negro SoldierProducerMovie
  48. 1944Tunisian VictoryDirectorMovie
  49. 1944Attack in the PacificDirectorMovie
  50. 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of RussiaDirector, ProducerMovie
  51. 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of BritainDirectorMovie
  52. 1943Why We Fight: Divide and ConquerDirector, ProducerMovie
  53. 1943Why We Fight: The Nazis StrikeDirectorMovie
  54. 1942Why We Fight: Prelude to WarDirectorMovie
  55. 1941Meet John DoeDirector, ProducerMovie
  56. 1940Cavalcade of the Academy AwardsSelf, Supervisor of Production ResourcesMovie
  57. 1939Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonDirectorMovie
  58. 1938You Can't Take It with YouDirector, ProducerMovie
  59. 1938Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12Frank CapraMovie
  60. 1938Another Romance of CelluloidSelf (uncredited)Movie
  61. 1937Lost HorizonDirector, ProducerMovie
  62. 1936Mr. Deeds Goes to TownDirector, ProducerMovie
  63. 1934Broadway BillDirector, ProducerMovie
  64. 1934It Happened One NightBus Singer (uncredited), Director, ProducerMovie
  65. 1933Lady for a DayDirector, ProducerMovie
  66. 1933The Bitter Tea of General YenDirector, ProducerMovie
  67. 1932American MadnessDirector, ProducerMovie
  68. 1932Screen Snapshots (Series 12, No. 2)HimselfMovie
  69. 1932ForbiddenDirector, Writer, ProducerMovie
  70. 1931Platinum BlondeDirector, ProducerMovie
  71. 1931The Miracle WomanDirector, ProducerMovie
  72. 1931DirigibleDirectorMovie
  73. 1930Rain or ShineDirector, ProducerMovie
  74. 1930Ladies of LeisureDirectorMovie
  75. 1929FlightDirector, DialogueMovie
  76. 1929The Donovan AffairDirectorMovie
  77. 1929The Younger GenerationDirectorMovie
  78. 1928SubmarineDirectorMovie
  79. 1928The Power of the PressDirectorMovie
  80. 1928The BurglarWriterMovie
  81. 1928Say It with SablesDirector, StoryMovie
  82. 1928The Way of the StrongDirectorMovie
  83. 1928The Matinee IdolDirector, ProducerMovie
  84. 1928The Swim PrincessWriterMovie
  85. 1928So This Is LoveDirectorMovie
  86. 1928That Certain ThingDirector, Screenplay, ProducerMovie
  87. 1927FiddlesticksStoryMovie
  88. 1927For the Love of MikeDirectorMovie
  89. 1927His First FlameStoryMovie
  90. 1927Long PantsDirectorMovie
  91. 1926The Strong ManDirectorMovie
  92. 1926Tramp, Tramp, TrampWriterMovie
  93. 1926Saturday AfternoonStoryMovie
  94. 1925Cold TurkeyScenario WriterMovie
  95. 1925Lucky StarsStoryMovie
  96. 1925The Iron NagWriterMovie
  97. 1925Sneezing BeezersWriterMovie
  98. 1925Super-Hooper-Dyne LizziesWriterMovie
  99. 1925Good Morning, NurseStoryMovie
  100. 1925The Marriage CircusWriterMovie
  101. 1925Boobs in the WoodWriterMovie
  102. 1925The Wild Goose ChaserWriterMovie
  103. 1924All Night LongWriterMovie
  104. 1924Riders of the Purple CowsWriterMovie
  105. 1924Little Robinson CorkscrewWriterMovie
  106. 1924Jubilo, Jr.Scenario WriterMovie
  107. 19243 Days to LiveWriter, EditorMovie
  108. 1922Fulta Fisher's Boarding HouseDirectorMovie
  109. 1921The Italian Warship LibiaDirector, WriterMovie
  110. 1919The Outcasts of Poker FlatMovie