Director
Frank Capra
Born 18 May 1897 · Bisacquino, Sicilia, Italia — died 3 September 1991
Frank Capra (1897–1991) was a Sicilian-born American director who dominated Hollywood comedy and drama in the 1930s and 1940s. His warm, populist films about ordinary people confronting corruption and cynicism made him a defining voice of the "American Dream" on screen. He also directed the WWII Why We Fight series.
Key films
It Happened One Night (1934)
Screwball comedy that swept the major Oscars and established Capra as Hollywood's leading director.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
Cemented his populist style, pitting a decent small-town man against big-city cynicism; won him a second Best Director Oscar.
You Can't Take It with You (1938)
Adaptation of the stage comedy that won Best Picture and gave him a third Best Director Oscar.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Classic drama of idealism versus political corruption, central to his reputation.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)On Cinespective
His most enduring film, now a holiday staple and widely regarded as a classic.
Key awards
- 1934 Academy Award for Best Director (It Happened One Night)
- 1936 Academy Award for Best Director (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town)
- 1938 Academy Award for Best Director (You Can't Take It with You)
- 1982 AFI Life Achievement Award
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 81
- 1919The Outcasts of Poker FlatActor
- 1921The Italian Warship LibiaDirector
- 1922Fulta Fisher's Boarding HouseDirector
- 1926The Strong ManDirector
- 1927Long PantsDirector
- 1927For the Love of MikeDirector
- 1928The Matinee IdolDirector
- 1928So This Is LoveDirector
- 1928The Power of the PressDirector
- 1928That Certain ThingDirector
- 1928SubmarineDirector
- 1928The Way of the StrongDirector
- 1928Say It with SablesDirector
- 1929The Younger GenerationDirector
- 1929FlightDirector
- 1929The Donovan AffairDirector
- 1930Ladies of LeisureDirector
- 1930Rain or ShineDirector
- 1931Platinum BlondeDirector
- 1931The Miracle WomanDirector
- 1931DirigibleDirector
- 1932American MadnessDirector
- 1932ForbiddenDirector
- 1932Screen Snapshots (Series 12, No. 2) · as HimselfActor
- 1933The Bitter Tea of General YenDirector
- 1933Lady for a DayDirector
- 1934It Happened One Night · as Bus Singer (uncredited)Actor
- 1934It Happened One NightDirector
- 1934Broadway BillDirector
- 1936Mr. Deeds Goes to TownDirector
- 1937Lost HorizonDirector
- 1938You Can't Take It with YouDirector
- 1938Another Romance of Celluloid · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1938Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 12 · as Frank CapraActor
- 1939Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonDirector
- 1940Cavalcade of the Academy Awards · as SelfActor
- 1941Meet John DoeDirector
- 1942Why We Fight: Prelude to WarDirector
- 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of RussiaDirector
- 1943Why We Fight: The Nazis StrikeDirector
- 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of BritainDirector
- 1943Why We Fight: Divide and ConquerDirector
- 1944Arsenic and Old LaceDirector
- 1944Tunisian VictoryDirector
- 1944Why We Fight: The Battle of ChinaDirector
- 1944Attack! The Battle for New BritainDirector
- 1944Attack in the PacificDirector
- 1944G.I. JournalDirector
- 1945War Comes to AmericaDirector
- 1945Know Your Enemy: JapanDirector
- 1945Your Job in GermanyDirector
- 1945Here Is GermanyDirector
- 1945Two Down and One to GoDirector
- 1945Our Job in JapanDirector
- 1946It's a Wonderful LifeDirector
- 1948State of the UnionDirector
- 1950Riding HighDirector
- 1951Here Comes the GroomDirector
- 1951The Screen Director · as Self (staged 'archive' footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1952The Fallbrook StoryDirector
- 1956Our Mr. SunDirector
- 1957Hemo the MagnificentDirector
- 1957The Strange Case of the Cosmic RaysDirector
- 1959A Hole in the HeadDirector
- 1961Pocketful of MiraclesDirector
- 1964Rendezvous in SpaceDirector
- 1968Dear Mr. Gable · as SelfActor
- 1973The Men who Made the Movies: Frank Capra · as SelfActor
- 1983Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1985George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1987James Stewart: A Wonderful Life · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1990The Making of 'It's a Wonderful Life' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1997Frank Capra's American Dream · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2000Why We Fight: World War II: The Battle of China / War Comes to AmericaDirector
- 2005Why We Fight · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 20091939: Hollywood's Greatest Year · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2009Hollywood sul TevereActor
- 2017Five Came Back · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2019Hollywood's Second World War · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2020Frank Capra, il était une fois l'Amérique · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2023Frank Capra: Mr. America · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.