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.
 Back to Main Article: Reel Risks
|
