MOVIE TAO PRODUCTIONS

FROM CASTING IN THE CAROLINAS
Frank Capra, Jr. - Father of the North Carolina Film Industry

WILMINGTON, N.C.
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 yesterday, 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.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY

Having known Mr. Capra in a small way for the past 10 years, I have to say that I have rarely met a man of such great character as Frank Capra Jr. He despite his power in the industry, always made time to talk to those of us on the way up. Add to that the fact that he inspired and helped facilitate filmmaking here in the South East and you will realize that he was unlike most others in the industry.

Mr. Capra, you will be missed.

Chuck