Frank Capra Jr. dies at 73
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Frank Capra
richsmi — 18 years ago(December 20, 2007 02:05 PM)
Frank Capra Jr. dies at 73
WWAY-TV (Wilmington, NC)
December 20, 2007
Frank Capra Jr., who came to North Carolina in the early '80s looking
for a house to burn and eventually became synonymous with Wilmington's
filmmaking success, died Wednesday. He was 73.
Capra Jr., President of EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, first
came to the area in search of locations for the film "Firestarter,"
the Stephen King horror movie starring a young Drew Barrymore.
As the film's producer he selected Wilmington and Orton Plantation in
Winnabow as the place to shoot "Firestarter " for Executive Producer
Dino De Laurentiis. Capra found the perfect house and built a replica
that was burned for the film. The next year De Laurentiis decided to
build a film studio in Wilmington.
Capra, Jr., was involved with a wide range of projects over his five
decades in the film business. He was a part of the producing team for
"Play It Again Sam", a Woody Allen picture. He produced three "Planet
of the Ape" sequels and was the associate director for "Pocketful of
Miracles" working alongside his father, legendary director Frank
Capra. He was a producer of early television series including
"Gunsmoke", "The Rifleman", "Hazel" and "Dennis the Menace." In
addition, he served as President of Avco-Embassy Pictures in the
1970's.
Frank Capra Jr. became a fixture in Wilmington when the Cooney family
purchased the facility in 1997. They brought Frank back to the city he
loved and named him President of EUE Screen Gems Studios.
"With his Hollywood pedigree and extensive experience as a producer,
Frank was the perfect ambassador to Hollywood," said Chris Cooney,
Chief Operating Officer of EUE Screen Gems LTD, "He will be missed as
a friend and a colleague."
"He had a smile that lit up a room every time you saw him," said Bill
Vassar, long time Executive Vice President of EUE Screen Gems
Studios," He was well known for his generous spirit. His dedicated
service to the community benefited the greater Wilmington area as well
as the film industry."
With the ownership of the facility by the Cooney family, along with
the leadership of Capra, Jr., EUE Screen Gems Studios and Wilmington
have become the largest film production center east of California.
Frank Capra, Jr. was one of three children born to the director Frank
Capra and Lucille Rayburn Warner Capra of Los Angeles, CA. He studied
at The California Institute of Technology and graduated from Pomona
College in Claremont, CA, with a degree in geology. He enlisted in the
Army's Signal Corps and taught soldiers combat motion picture
photography.
Capra, Jr. was the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Film Studies at
the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In 1995 he was the
Grand Marshall of the North Carolina Azalea Festival held each year in
Wilmington. He was a member of the North Carolina Governor's Film
Council, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science and the
Director's Guild of America of which his father was a founding member.
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington honored him this past
January as the 2007 Citizen of the Year.
He leaves his wife Debra Capra and a daughter Christina both of Santa
Barbara, CA, two sons, Frank Capra III of Los Angeles, CA and Jonathan
Capra of Wilmington as well as one granddaughter.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the
Frank Capra, Jr. Films Studies Scholarship Fund, c/o Marla Rice Evans
at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 South College
Street, Wilmington, NC 28403