Screenwriter. He was the principal collaborator of director Frank Capra during the 1930s. His screenplay for "It Happened One Night" (1934) launched the "Screwball Comedy" genre and won him an Academy Award. Riskin was born in New York City, and had his first play produced when he was 17. He came to Hollywood in 1931 when Columbia Pictures bought the screen rights to several of his plays, and was promptly teamed with Capra, the studio's top director. Their other films together include "Platinum Blonde" (1931), "Lady for a Day" (1933), "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (1936), "Lost Horizon" (1937), "You Can't Take It With You" (1938), and "Meet John Doe" (1941). Riskin came to resent Capra claiming sole creative credit for his films and ended their partnership in 1940, but he failed to achieve comparable success in his only directorial effort, "When You're In Love" (1937), or with his scripts for other directors. During World War II he headed the overseas branch of the Office of War Information, producing propaganda films to be shown in countries liberated from the Nazis. In 1950 Riskin suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. He married actress Fay Wray in 1942 and left her a widow. Ironically, Capra would make two more films from Riskin material: "Here Comes the Groom" (1951) and "Pocketful of Miracles" (1961), the latter based on Riskin's "Lady for a Day" script.
Screenwriter. He was the principal collaborator of director Frank Capra during the 1930s. His screenplay for "It Happened One Night" (1934) launched the "Screwball Comedy" genre and won him an Academy Award. Riskin was born in New York City, and had his first play produced when he was 17. He came to Hollywood in 1931 when Columbia Pictures bought the screen rights to several of his plays, and was promptly teamed with Capra, the studio's top director. Their other films together include "Platinum Blonde" (1931), "Lady for a Day" (1933), "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (1936), "Lost Horizon" (1937), "You Can't Take It With You" (1938), and "Meet John Doe" (1941). Riskin came to resent Capra claiming sole creative credit for his films and ended their partnership in 1940, but he failed to achieve comparable success in his only directorial effort, "When You're In Love" (1937), or with his scripts for other directors. During World War II he headed the overseas branch of the Office of War Information, producing propaganda films to be shown in countries liberated from the Nazis. In 1950 Riskin suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. He married actress Fay Wray in 1942 and left her a widow. Ironically, Capra would make two more films from Riskin material: "Here Comes the Groom" (1951) and "Pocketful of Miracles" (1961), the latter based on Riskin's "Lady for a Day" script.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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