Francis Ford Coppola Brief Biography

Francis Ford Coppola ( ), born April 7, 1939 is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors and he epitomized the group of filmmakers known as the New Hollywood, that includes Martin Scorsese, Terrence Malick, Robert Altman, Woody Allen, William Friedkin, Philip Kaufman and George Lucas, who emerged in the early 1970s with unconventional ideas that challenged contemporary film-making.

He co-wrote the script for Patton (1970), which won him an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay). His directorial fame escalated with the release of The Godfather (1972), a film which revolutionized movie-making in the gangster genre, earning praise from critics and public alike. It won three Academy Awards, including his second for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (with Mario Puzo), Best Picture and Best Actor (for Marlon Brando) and a nomination for Best Director. It was instrumental in cementing his position as a prominent American film director.

Francis Ford Coppola News

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