Menu
Frank Borzage

Frank Borzage

Known For Directing
Birthday Apr 23, 1894
Died Jun 19, 1962 (68)
Birthplace Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Popularity 2 (history)
Updated Aug 09, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Frank Borzage (April 23, 1894 – June 19, 1962) was an Academy Award-winning American film director and actor, known for directing 7th Heaven (1927), Street Angel (1928), Bad Girl (1931), A Farewell to Arms (1932), Man's Castle (1933), History Is Made at Night ( ... 1937), The Mortal Storm (1940) and Moonrise (1948). In 1912 Borzage found employment as an actor in Hollywood; he continued to work as an actor until 1917. His directorial debut came in 1915 with the film The Pitch o' Chance. He was a successful director throughout the 1920s, but reached his peak in the late silent and early sound era. Absorbing visual influences from the German director F.W. Murnau, who was also resident at Fox at this time, Borzage developed his own style of lushly visual romanticism in a hugely successful series of films starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, including 7th Heaven (1927), for which he won the first Academy Award for Best Director, Street Angel (1928) and Lucky Star (1929). He won a second Oscar for 1931's Bad Girl. He directed 14 films between 1917 and 1919 alone. His greatest success in the silent era was with Humoresque, a box office winner starring Vera Gordon. Borzage's trademark was intense identification with the feelings of young lovers in the face of adversity, with love in his films triumphing over such trials as World War I (7th Heaven and A Farewell to Arms), disability (Lucky Star), the Depression (Man's Castle), a thinly disguised version of the Titanic disaster in History Is Made at Night, and the rise of Nazism, a theme which Borzage had virtually to himself among Hollywood filmmakers from Little Man, What Now? (1933) to Three Comrades (1938) and The Mortal Storm (1940). His work took a spiritual turn in such films as Green Light (1937), Strange Cargo (1940) and The Big Fisherman (1959). Of his later work only the film noir Moonrise (1948) has enjoyed much critical acclaim. After 1948, Borzage's output was sporadic. In 1955 and 1957, he was awarded The George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film. Frank Borzage died of cancer in 1962, aged 68.

Known For

Headshots

Profile
Profile
Filmography

A Mormon Maid

A Mormon Maid

1917

as Tom Rigdon

Wee Lady Betty

Wee Lady Betty

1917

as Roger O'Reilly

Fear Not

Fear Not

1917

as Franklin Shirley

The Pilgrim

The Pilgrim

1916

as The Pilgrim

Nugget Jim's Pardner

Nugget Jim's Pardner

1916

as Hal

Land O' Lizards

Land O' Lizards

1916

as The Stranger

The Pitch o' Chance

The Pitch o' Chance

1915

as Rocky Scott

The Secret of Lost River

The Secret of Lost River

1915

as Tom Hornby - Prospector

The Tavern Keeper's Son

The Tavern Keeper's Son

1915

as Juan Capella

In the Land of the Otter

In the Land of the Otter

1915

as Joe Eagle

In the Switch Tower

In the Switch Tower

1915

as Joel Wharton

Knight of the Trail

Knight of the Trail

1915

as Bill Carey

The Cup of Life

The Cup of Life

1915

as Dick Ralston

The Wrath of the Gods

The Wrath of the Gods

1914

as Tom Wilson

The Typhoon

The Typhoon

1914

as Renard Bernisky

Samson

Samson

1914

as Bearded Philistine Extra (uncredited)

Granddad

Granddad

1913

as Mildred's Father

The Drummer of the 8th

The Drummer of the 8th

1913

as Jack Durand

Mannequin

Mannequin

1938

Screenplay

Nugget Jim's Pardner

Nugget Jim's Pardner

1916

Writer

The Big Fisherman

The Big Fisherman

1959

Director

China Doll

China Doll

1958

Director

The Day I Met Caruso

The Day I Met Caruso

1956

Director

Day is Done

Day is Done

1955

Director

Moonrise

Moonrise

1948

Director

That's My Man

That's My Man

1947

Director

Magnificent Doll

Magnificent Doll

1946

Director

I've Always Loved You

I've Always Loved You

1946

Director

The Spanish Main

The Spanish Main

1945

Director

Till We Meet Again

Till We Meet Again

1944

Director

Stage Door Canteen

Stage Door Canteen

1943

Director

His Butler's Sister

His Butler's Sister

1943

Director

Seven Sweethearts

Seven Sweethearts

1942

Director

The Vanishing Virginian

The Vanishing Virginian

1942

Director

Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid

1941

Co-Director

Smilin' Through

Smilin' Through

1941

Director

Strange Cargo

Strange Cargo

1940

Director

Flight Command

Flight Command

1940

Director

I Take This Woman

I Take This Woman

1940

Co-Director

The Mortal Storm

The Mortal Storm

1940

Director

Disputed Passage

Disputed Passage

1939

Director

Three Comrades

Three Comrades

1938

Director

The Shining Hour

The Shining Hour

1938

Director

Mannequin

Mannequin

1938

Director

Big City

Big City

1937

Director

Green Light

Green Light

1937

Director

History Is Made at Night

History Is Made at Night

1937

Director

Desire

Desire

1936

Director

Hearts Divided

Hearts Divided

1936

Director

Stranded

Stranded

1935

Director

Shipmates Forever

Shipmates Forever

1935

Director

Living on Velvet

Living on Velvet

1935

Director

Flirtation Walk

Flirtation Walk

1934

Director

Little Man, What Now?

Little Man, What Now?

1934

Director

No Greater Glory

No Greater Glory

1934

Director

Secrets

Secrets

1933

Director

Man's Castle

Man's Castle

1933

Director

A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms

1932

Director

Young America

Young America

1932

Director

After Tomorrow

After Tomorrow

1932

Director

Doctors' Wives

Doctors' Wives

1931

Director

Young as You Feel

Young as You Feel

1931

Director

Bad Girl

Bad Girl

1931

Director

Liliom

Liliom

1930

Director

Song o' My Heart

Song o' My Heart

1930

Director

Lucky Star

Lucky Star

1929

Director

The River

The River

1929

Director

They Had to See Paris

They Had to See Paris

1929

Director

Street Angel

Street Angel

1928

Director

7th Heaven

7th Heaven

1927

Director

Marriage License?

Marriage License?

1926

Director

The First Year

The First Year

1926

Director

The Circle

The Circle

1925

Director

The Lady

The Lady

1925

Director

Lazybones

Lazybones

1925

Director

Daddy's Gone A-Hunting

Daddy's Gone A-Hunting

1925

Director

Secrets

Secrets

1924

Director

The Nth Commandment

The Nth Commandment

1923

Director

The Age of Desire

The Age of Desire

1923

Director

Billy Jim

Billy Jim

1922

Director

The Valley of Silent Men

The Valley of Silent Men

1922

Director

Back Pay

Back Pay

1922

Director

The Pride of Palomar

The Pride of Palomar

1922

Director

The Good Provider

The Good Provider

1922

Director

Humoresque

Humoresque

1920

Director

Toton

Toton

1919

Director

Prudence on Broadway

Prudence on Broadway

1919

Director

The Gun Woman

The Gun Woman

1918

Director

Society for Sale

Society for Sale

1918

Director

The Ghost Flower

The Ghost Flower

1918

Director

Until They Get Me

Until They Get Me

1917

Director

The Pilgrim

The Pilgrim

1916

Director

Life's Harmony

Life's Harmony

1916

Director

Land O' Lizards

Land O' Lizards

1916

Director

Nugget Jim's Pardner

Nugget Jim's Pardner

1916

Director

The Pitch o' Chance

The Pitch o' Chance

1915

Director

China Doll

China Doll

1958

Producer

That's My Man

That's My Man

1947

Producer

I've Always Loved You

I've Always Loved You

1946

Producer

The Spanish Main

The Spanish Main

1945

Producer

Stage Door Canteen

Stage Door Canteen

1943

Producer

Seven Sweethearts

Seven Sweethearts

1942

Producer

Smilin' Through

Smilin' Through

1941

Producer

The Mortal Storm

The Mortal Storm

1940

Producer

Strange Cargo

Strange Cargo

1940

Producer

The Shining Hour

The Shining Hour

1938

Producer

Mannequin

Mannequin

1938

Producer

Green Light

Green Light

1937

Producer

Desire

Desire

1936

Producer

Hearts Divided

Hearts Divided

1936

Producer

Stranded

Stranded

1935

Producer

Living on Velvet

Living on Velvet

1935

Producer

Flirtation Walk

Flirtation Walk

1934

Producer

No Greater Glory

No Greater Glory

1934

Producer

Man's Castle

Man's Castle

1933

Producer

A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms

1932

Producer

Song o' My Heart

Song o' My Heart

1930

Producer

Lazybones

Lazybones

1925

Producer

The Nth Commandment

The Nth Commandment

1923

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Academy Awards Best Director A Farewell to Arms Nominated
Academy Awards Best Director The Mortal Storm Nominated
Television Credits

No data available

Hollywood Preview

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 14, 1955

This Is Your Life

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1952

The Oscars

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 19, 1953

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 8 10 5
2024 7 12 20 5
2024 8 11 25 5
2024 9 4 11 1
2024 10 4 7 2
2024 11 1 2 1
2024 12 2 4 1
2025 1 7 15 3
2025 2 3 5 1
2025 3 2 3 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 1 0
2025 8 1 2 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

Return to Top