Biography

Wrote the screenplay for two Oscar Best Picture winners It Happened One Night (1934) and You Can't Take It with You (1938), and three other nominees: Lady for a Day (1933), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and Lost Horizon (1937). All five films were directed by Frank Capra.

Best known for his visions of an idealised America as represented in his collaborations with director Frank Capra.

During WW2 he worked for the Office of War Information, heading the motion picture division of their overseas branch. He produced propaganda films promoting the American way of life to be shown in theaters liberated from the Nazi's.

Wrote plays while still at college and had his first play produced two years later, in 1914.

Joined Columbia under contract as screenwriter in 1931, remaining until 1941. He eventually parted company with director Frank Capra, whom he resented for taking the bulk of the credit for his many successful contributions. However, Riskin's solo career never quite reached the same heights and his only directing effort, a 1937 musical starring Grace Moore, flopped at the box office.