Frank Capra, born on May 18, 1897, was an Italian American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Born in Bisacquino, Italy and raised in Los Angeles from the age of five, his rags-to-riches story has led film historians such as Ian Freer to consider him the “American Dream personified.”

Capra became one of America’s most influential directors during the 1930s, winning several Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. Among his leading films were It Happened One Night (1934), You Can’t Take It with You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).