August Coppola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
August Coppola
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| Born | August Floyd Coppola February 16, 1934 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | October 27, 2009 (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Educator, author, film executive |
| Alma mater | |
| Spouse |
Joy Vogelsang
(m. 1960; div. 1976)Marie Thenevin
(m. 1981; div. 1986)Martine Chevallier
(m. 1996) |
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August Floyd Coppola (born February 16, 1934 – died October 27, 2009) was an American teacher, writer, and a leader in the film world. He was also a big supporter of the arts. You might know his famous family members: he was the brother of director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire. He was also the father of actor Nicolas Cage, radio DJ Marc Coppola, and director Christopher Coppola.
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Who Was August Coppola?
August Coppola was born on February 16, 1934. His parents were Carmine Coppola, a famous composer, and Italia Pennino Coppola. He grew up with his brother, Francis Ford Coppola, who became a well-known film director. His sister, Talia Shire, became an actress. Their uncle, Anton Coppola, was also a composer.
August's Education and Career
August Coppola loved learning. He earned his first degree from the UCLA. Then, he got a higher degree from Hofstra University. His special paper there was about the writer Ernest Hemingway. In 1960, he earned his doctorate degree from Occidental College.
Teaching and University Leadership
In the 1960s and 1970s, Coppola taught a subject called comparative literature at Cal State Long Beach. This means he studied and compared books and stories from different cultures. Later, he became a leader in the California State University system.
In 1984, he moved to San Francisco. There, he became the Dean of Creative Arts at San Francisco State University. A "dean" is a leader in a university. In this job, August Coppola was known for supporting art on campus and in the community. He also worked to make sure many different students could study art.
Working in Film
Like many in his family, August Coppola also worked in movies. He was an executive at his brother's film studio, American Zoetrope. He helped bring back an old silent film from 1927 called Napoléon.
He also started and led the San Francisco Film and Video Arts Commission. This group helps promote film and video art. In 1986, he was a judge at the 36th Berlin International Film Festival. Coppola also led an organization called Education First! This group worked to get Hollywood studios to support educational programs.
Supporting Art for Everyone
August Coppola cared about making art available to everyone. He helped create the Tactile Dome at the San Francisco Exploratorium museum. This is a dark maze where visitors use only their sense of touch to find their way.
In 1972, he started the AudioVision Workshop. This workshop created special audio descriptions for movies and plays. These descriptions helped people who couldn't see well enjoy films and theater.
Coppola also wrote a romantic novel called The Intimacy in 1978.
August's Family Life
In 1960, August Coppola married Joy Vogelsang. They had three sons: Marc, Christopher, and Nicolas. You might know Nicolas Cage as a famous actor! August also had nieces and nephews who are well-known, like director Sofia Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman.
August and Joy divorced in 1976. He later married Marie Thenevin in 1981, but they divorced in 1986. His last marriage was to Martine Chevallier, an actress from Paris.
August Coppola passed away in Los Angeles on October 27, 2009, at the age of 75. He died from a heart attack.
August's Lasting Impact
The August Coppola Theater at San Francisco State University is named after him. This theater has 150 seats. His brother, Francis Ford Coppola, dedicated his 1983 film Rumble Fish to August.
Actor Nicolas Cage, August's son, said that his father inspired his character Balthazar in the 2010 movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The movie's credits even say, "With Memories of Dr. August Coppola."
See also
- Coppola family tree
