1939: Francis Ford Coppola born in Detroit.

1966: Debuts first widely released movie, You’re a Big Boy Now, a film he directed for his master’s thesis at UCLA.

1969: Founds Zoetrope Productions in San Francisco. Names the film company after the zoetrope, a 19th-century optical device that gave the illusion of moving pictures.

1971: Wins an Academy Award for his screenplay of Patton.

1972: Releases The Godfather and receives Academy Award for Best Picture.

1974: Wins second Best Picture Oscar for The Godfather Part II.

1975: Francis and Eleanor Coppola buy 1,560 acres of the Inglenook estate, including the Niebaum residence, and name their vineyard Niebaum-Coppola.

1978: Completes first harvest and creates the Bordeaux-style Rubicon.

1979: Releases Apocalypse Now after budget exceeds $30 million because of problems ranging from typhoons to star Martin Sheen’s heart attack.

1981: Buys Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.

1982: American Zoetrope releases One From the Heart, putting Coppola into debt.

1985: Bottles the first Rubicon after seven years in the cask.

1990: Zoetrope Productions files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

1995: Purchases the remaining Niebaum acreage, reuniting the original Inglenook vineyard.

1997: Founds literary magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story. Opens newly restored chateau to public.

1999: Introduces Sofia sparkling wines. Named honorary ambassador of Belize.

2000: Expands lodging business with Turtle Inn in Belize.

2001: Zoetrope: All-Story wins National Magazine Award for Best Fiction.

2005: Opens La Lancha Resort in Guatemala.

2007: First film in a decade, Youth Without Youth, opens.

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