It's a Wonderful Life tells the story of George Bailey, a selfless man who has always put others before himself in the small town of Bedford Falls. Facing financial ruin due to the machinations of the greedy Mr. Potter, George contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve. Clarence Odbody, an angel trying to earn his wings, is sent to show George what life would have been like if he had never been born. George witnesses the devastating impact his absence would have on his family and the town, realizing the profound positive influence he has had. Ultimately, he returns to his life with renewed appreciation and is saved by the love and support of his community.
In 1927, H.B. Warner, who played Mr. Gower, portrayed Jesus Christ in Cecil B. DeMille's film "The King of Kings".
In 1928, George Bailey plans a world tour, is reintroduced to Mary Hatch, and postpones his travel plans after his father's death to settle the family business.
In 1931, sets from the film Cimarron were adapted for It's a Wonderful Life
Lady for a Day was released in 1933.
In 1938, James Stewart and Frank Capra collaborated on the film You Can't Take It with You.
In 1938, Lionel Barrymore worked with Capra and Stewart on Capra's Best Picture Oscar winner, You Can't Take It with You.
In November 1939, Philip Van Doren Stern wrote the original story, "The Greatest Gift", which would later inspire "It's a Wonderful Life".
In 1939, James Stewart and Frank Capra collaborated on the film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
Meet John Doe was released in 1941.
In 1943, Philip Van Doren Stern had his story printed as a 24-page pamphlet and mailed to family and friends.
In 1943, Philip Van Doren Stern self-published the short story and booklet "The Greatest Gift", which became the basis for It's a Wonderful Life.
In April 1944, RKO Pictures purchased the rights to Philip Van Doren Stern's story "The Greatest Gift" for $10,000, with plans to create a film for Cary Grant.
In 1945, some believe Frank Capra visited Seneca Falls, New York, inspiring him to model Bedford Falls after the town.
On Christmas Eve in 1945, in Bedford Falls, New York, George Bailey contemplates suicide, prompting divine intervention.
On April 15, 1946, filming of It's a Wonderful Life commenced at RKO Radio Pictures Studios.
On July 27, 1946, principal photography for It's a Wonderful Life concluded, meeting the 90-day deadline.
In December 1946, the film was moved up to make it eligible for the 19th Academy Awards held in March 1947.
On December 20, 1946, "It's a Wonderful Life" premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York City to mixed reviews.
In 1946, Henry Fonda, who was considered for a role in It's a Wonderful Life, was cast in John Ford's My Darling Clementine, filmed concurrently.
In 1946, It's a Wonderful Life, an American Christmas fantasy drama film, was produced and directed by Frank Capra.
In 1946, the original screenplay was written.
In a 1946 interview, Capra described the film's theme as "the individual's belief in himself" and stated that he made the film "to combat a modern trend toward atheism".
In a 1946 interview, Philip Van Doren Stern said that Califon, N.J., was the town he had in mind for Bedford Falls.
On January 7, 1947, It's a Wonderful Life was released generally, placing 26th in box-office revenues for the year.
In January 1947, the film was intended to be released.
In March 1947, the 19th Academy Awards were held.
On May 26, 1947, the FBI issued a memo stating that It's a Wonderful Life represented attempts to discredit bankers and maligned the upper class, a common trick used by Communists according to sources.
In 1947, It's a Wonderful Life was adapted for radio twice, first on Lux Radio Theater (March 10) and then on the Screen Guild Theater (December 29), with James Stewart and Donna Reed reprising their roles.
In 1947, Manny Farber wrote a review for The New Republic stating Capra always takes an easy, simple-minded path that doesn't give much credit to the intelligence of the audience.
The original script for Lux Radio Theatre was written in 1947.
On May 8, 1949, James Stewart starred in a radio adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life presented on the Screen Directors Playhouse.
On March 15, 1951, It's a Wonderful Life was adapted for radio again on the Screen Guild Theater with James Stewart and Donna Reed reprising their roles.
In 1951, Liberty Films remained a subsidiary after being purchased by Paramount Pictures.
In 1954, RKO's movie ranch in Encino, where Bedford Falls was created, was razed.
In 1955, M. & A. Alexander purchased the movie, acquiring key rights, including television syndication, nitrate film elements, music score, and film rights to "The Greatest Gift."
In 1955, Paramount loses distribution rights for the first time. M. & A. Alexander purchased the movie.
In 1971, Philip Van Doren Stern renewed the copyright of "The Greatest Gift", the story on which the film is based.
In 1974, a clerical error at NTA caused the copyright for It's a Wonderful Life to lapse.
In 1974, the copyright for It's a Wonderful Life expired in the U.S., and the film entered the public domain. This allowed it to be broadcast without licensing fees, leading to its rise as a Christmas classic.
In 1976, three decades after its initial release, It's a Wonderful Life became a television staple during the Christmas season, which was a welcome surprise to Frank Capra.
In 1977, It Happened One Christmas, a television movie remake with gender-reversal starring Marlo Thomas, Wayne Rogers, and Cloris Leachman, was released.
In 1978, "It Happened One Christmas" was rebroadcast.
In 1979, "It Happened One Christmas" was rebroadcast.
In 1984, Frank Capra told The Wall Street Journal about the unexpected and independent life the film had taken on, comparing himself to a parent of a successful child.
In 1986, a Saturday Night Live skit featured a "lost ending" of It's a Wonderful Life where the citizens of Bedford Falls attack Mr. Potter.
In 1986, the first colorized version of It's a Wonderful Life was released by Hal Roach Studios.
In 1986, the musical stage adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life, titled A Wonderful Life, by Sheldon Harnick and Joe Raposo, was first performed at the University of Michigan.
In 1989, Republic Pictures authorized and produced a second colorized version of It's a Wonderful Life, while both Capra and Stewart publicly criticized the colorized editions. The Hal Roach color version was re-released to VHS via Video Treasures.
In 1990, It's a Wonderful Life was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
In 1990, It's a Wonderful Life was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
In 1990, a made-for-television movie titled Clarence, starring Robert Carradine, presented a new story featuring the helpful angel Clarence Odbody.
In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Stewart v. Abend was made which was later used to enforce Republic Pictures' copyright claim on It's a Wonderful Life in 1993.
In 1991, the musical stage adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life, titled A Wonderful Life, was performed in Washington, D.C., by Arena Stage.
In 1992, the final episode of Tiny Toon Adventures parodied It's A Wonderful Life entitled "It's A Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas".
In 1993, Kinesoft Development, with Republic Pictures' support, released It's a Wonderful Life as one of the first feature-length films on CD-ROM for Windows PC.
In 1993, Republic Pictures used the Stewart v. Abend ruling to enforce its copyright claim on It's a Wonderful Life and made a deal with Turner Broadcasting System for limited airings. Republic made a deal with Turner Broadcasting System, authorizing only three airings of the movie, all on cable's TNT and TBS.
In April 1994, Computer Gaming World reviewed the CD-ROM version of It's a Wonderful Life, noting the picture quality was not up to television standards but praising it as a "noble effort".
In 1994, Jimmy Hawkins received a "Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Young Artist Awards, recognizing his role as Tommy Bailey and the subsequent career it ignited.
In 1994, NBC acquired exclusive television rights to It's a Wonderful Life and planned to broadcast the original director's cut in black and white.
In 1995, the Vatican included It's a Wonderful Life in a list of important films under the category of "Values".
In the 1996 holiday special Elmo Saves Christmas references the rumour, during a scene where Bert and Ernie walk by a TV set, which is playing the movie.
In 1997, Merry Christmas, George Bailey, a PBS television movie adaptation starring Bill Pullman, Penelope Ann Miller, Nathan Lane, and Martin Landau, was released.
In 1998, It's a Wonderful Life was mentioned during deliberations on the Copyright Term Extension Act.
In 1998, It's a Wonderful Life was ranked no. 11 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest American movies.
In 1998, Viacom acquired Republic's parent company, Spelling Entertainment, thus Paramount once again has distribution rights for the first time since 1955.
In 1999, The San Francisco Chronicle issued a correction to its "Annual Xmas Quiz", confirming that the names Bert and Ernie were merely a coincidence.
It's a Wonderful Life saw DVD releases since 2001.
In 2002, Channel 4 in the United Kingdom ranked It's a Wonderful Life as the seventh-greatest film ever made.
It's a Wonderful Life saw a DVD release in Australia in 2002 by Magna Pacific and MRA Entertainment.
In 2004, Republic issued the film twice, once in August, and again with different packaging in September of that same year.
In 2005, there was a staged concert version of the musical stage adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life performed in New York City.
In late 2005, US home video rights for It's a Wonderful Life reverted to Paramount after Lions Gate Entertainment was sold, who had previously held the rights under license from Republic.
On October 31, 2006, Paramount released a newly remastered "60th Anniversary Edition" of It's a Wonderful Life.
In 2006, a book noted that movies like "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) and "Stairway to Heaven" (1946) tapped into people's experiences of loss after the Second World War.
On November 13, 2007, Paramount released a two-disc "special edition" DVD containing the original black-and-white version and a new colorized version.
In 2007, It's a Wonderful Life was ranked no. 20 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest American movies.
In 2007, Legend Films produced a third, computer-colorized version of It's a Wonderful Life, releasing it on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming services.
In June 2008, the American Film Institute acknowledged It's a Wonderful Life as the third-best film in the fantasy genre.
In 2008, Wendell Jamieson wrote an article for The New York Times observing that It's a Wonderful Life is a terrifying story.
On November 3, 2009, Paramount re-released the previous DVD set as a "Collector's Edition" and debuted a Blu-ray edition of It's a Wonderful Life, containing both the black-and-white and colorized versions.
On December 10, 2010, the "It's a Wonderful Life" Museum opened in Seneca Falls, New York, with Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu) cutting the ribbon.
In 2010, Richard Cohen described It's a Wonderful Life as "the most terrifying Hollywood film ever made" in an essay for Salon.
In 2011, John Pierson's novel, The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody, was released, imagining the future lives of characters if George had not survived his jump into the river.
In 2011, the Warehouse 13 season 3 Christmas episode, "The Greatest Gift", told a similar story to It's a Wonderful Life after agent Pete Lattimer touches Stern's brush.
In 2012, It's a Wonderful Life ranked 283rd among critics and 107th among directors in the Sight & Sound polls of the greatest films ever made.
On December 1, 2013, The Christmas Spirit, starring Nicollette Sheridan, aired on the Hallmark Channel, serving as a modern retelling of It's a Wonderful Life.
Early in 2014, producers were considering directors and hoping to shoot the film with a $25–$35 million budget in Louisiana.
A sequel titled It's a Wonderful Life: The Rest of the Story was in development for a 2015 release, written by Bob Farnsworth and Martha Bolton.
In 2017, It's a Wonderful Life was restored in 4K resolution, available via streaming services and DCP.
In July 2019, it was revealed that another stage musical adaptation was in development with music and lyrics by Paul McCartney.
On October 29, 2019, It's a Wonderful Life was released for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, featuring a new Dolby Vision transfer.
In December 2019, David Ossman and Judith Walcutt of Otherworld Media produced and directed a new "cinematic audio" adaptation at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.
In 2020, the McCartney It's a Wonderful Life musical was set to debut late 2020, but is still yet to premiere.
In 2021, the $10 reward given to a technician for a "sound improvement" was equal to $141.84.
As of December 2023, the swimming pool from the high-school dance scene is still in use at Beverly Hills High School.
As of January 2024, a modern remake of It's a Wonderful Life, written and directed by Kenya Barris, is in development at Paramount Pictures.
On January 19, 2024, it was announced that Kenya Barris will write and direct a modern remake of the film for Paramount, with the intention to cast a person of color in the role of George Bailey.
In 2024, the $8,000 that Billy loses is equivalent to $139,726.