Born May 18, 1897, in Palermo, Italy, Frank Capra immigrated to the United States in 1903, settling with his family in Los Angeles. After a stint in the Army during World War I, he worked as an extra for various film studios -- and was bitten by the movie bug.

A gag writer for producer-director Mack Sennett in the 1920s, Capra later joined Columbia Pictures, where he made his name helming uplifting films and screwball comedies that struck a chord with Depression-era audiences. During his run at Columbia, he directed the classics It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and You Can't Take It with You (1938), copping Best Director Oscars for all three.

Among Capra's postwar works are the enduring 1946 masterpiece It's a Wonderful Life and his final cinematic effort, A Pocketful of Miracles (1961). Capra died of a heart attack Sept. 3, 1991, leaving behind a great legacy.