One of Americas most erratic, energetic and controversial filmmakers, Francis Ford Coppola enjoyed stunning triumphs and endured monumental setbacks before resurrecting himself, Phoenixlike, to begin the process all over again.Known primarily for his successful Godfather trilogyThe Godfather 1972, The Godfather, Part II 1974 and The Godfather, Part III 1990 – Coppola was the most celebrated of the Young Turks – a group of filmmakers who emerged in the early 1970s that included George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma and William Friedkin. Unbridled by his ambition and enthusiasm, and perhaps obsessive to the point of being manic, Coppola infused a fervent creative energy into his early work, culminating in “Apocalypse Now” 1979, a journey into his own heart of darkness that irrevocably altered his career and may have even caused permanent psychological damage. Renowned for his generosity with other filmmakers, Coppola served as a fierce promoter of others’ films, championing the work of Wim Wenders, Paul Schrader and Akira Kurosawa, while playing an important part in the restoration of Abel Gances classic silent film, Napoleon 1927. The quality of his directing fell off throughout the 1980s and 1990s, however, and the big studios – remembering his colossal boxoffice failures – became leery of backing his more personal projects, preferring instead to employ him as a hired gun on the likes of “Bram Stokers Dracula” 1992 and “The Rainmaker” 1997, which helped the director pay off his enormous debts. Nonetheless, Coppola having been responsible for directing three of the greatest films in cinema history remained forever a legend.Born on Apr. 7, 1939 in Detroit, MI, Coppola was raised in a creative, supportive ItalianAmerican family. His father, Carmine, was a flutist and composer who played in several orchestras, including Toscaninis NBC Symphony Orchestra, which he often conducted when on tour, while his mother, Italia, was an actress. Because of Carmine’s tenure with Toscanini, Coppola moved with his family to New York City when he was two and spent the remainder of his childhood growing up in Queens. When he was nine years old, Coppola suffered from polio, which kept him confined to his bed for a year, with his left leg and arm paralyzed. Separated from his friends, Coppola occupied himself with puppets and mechanical devices, which intensified an already developing fascination with film. At age 10, he began making movies with his father’s 8mm camera and tape recorder. After graduating Great Neck High School, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in drama at Hofstra University, alongside actors Lainie Kazan and James Caan. Once he wrapped his student career at Hofstra, Coppola attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he brushed elbows with future Doors singer Jim Morrison and earned his Master of Fine Arts in film direction from UCLA Film School.

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