Frank Capra Biography

Fast Facts

• Received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945 for directing and co-directing a lauded series of morale-boosting films for the U․S․ Army called "Why We Fight․"
• Graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a degree in chemical engineering in 1918
• Wrote comedy for vaudeville star Harry Langdon before breaking into silent film
• Got his start when he answered a help-wanted ad for a movie director in 1924 and convinced the San Francisco producer that he was experienced, even though he had never seen a movie before
• Directed his first silent film for Columbia Pictures in 1927 and made his first talkie in 1929
• Quote: "If I couldn't make films the way I wanted them, I didn't want to make them at all․ I collaborate with thousands, really, but not by committee․ One man has to make the decisions fast, not by logic but gut feeling ․․․ and it should be the director․"
• Quote: "The love of people ․․․ the freedom of each individual and the equal importance of each individual (are) the principle on which I based each of my films․"
• Quote: "[on his archive at Wesleyan] "I have nothing to hide from anyone․ Let people make of these things what they will, because what they will make of them will tell us not only who I am, but who and what they are․""
• Co-founded the Screen Directors Guild, which would eventually become the Directors Guild of America
• Known for his widespread influence on the film industry in the '30s and '40s, as well as his work on the iconic films "It's a Wonderful Life," "It Happened One Night," "You Can't Take It With You" and "Mr․ Smith Goes to Washington․"
• Served as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences from 1935 to 1938