Frank Capra, Jr., president of EUE/ Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, Delaware, and son of the director Frank Capra, died mid last week at age 73 of prostate cancer. His father, Frank Capra, Sr. (d. 1991), is probably best known for what is arguably the best Christmas movie ever, 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life (starring the legendary Jimmy Stewart, d. 1997).

Capra, Jr., has been in the movie business since 1959 but went into it reluctantly. He moved to Wilmington in 1983 while producing Stephen King’s Firestarter and ended up settling there. His son Frank Capra III went into the business much more eagerly. He’s first assistant director on The Bucket List (Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman), which opens Dec 25th.

Firestarter starred David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Heather Locklear, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott, Art Carney. The video clip below is from the movie but is set to Prodigy’s song Firestarter.