The Lost Horizon director was Frank Capra, a five-letter word. Capra was an Italian-American film director, producer and writer who became one of the most influential filmmakers of the 1930s. He is best known for his classic films such as It Happened One Night, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and It's a Wonderful Life. His 1937 film Lost Horizon was based on the 1933 novel of the same name by James Hilton. The film was a critical and commercial success, and earned Capra his third Academy Award for Best Director.