Celebrated director, writer and producer Francis Ford Coppola has been named to the board of directors of MGM Inc., increasing the board to nine members.
"Having worked with Francis over many years, I know the value his contributions can bring to this company," said Frank G. Mancuso, chairman and CEO of MGM. "His creativity and comprehensive understanding of all aspects of our industry will significantly benefit the company as we continue to chart an aggressive growth path."
Coppola, best known as a five-time Oscar-winning director, writer and producer, won his first Academy Award for the screenplay of "Patton," co-written with Edmund H. North.
Coppola's body of work includes directorial credits for 20 films, including the "Godfather" trilogy, "Apocalypse Now" and more recently "Bram Stoker's Dracula," and "The Rainmaker."
Coppola's San Francisco-based production company, American Zoetrope, develops and produces film projects for film and television.
In addition to his film company, Coppola's diverse business interests include the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery in Napa Valley and Blancaneaux Lodge, a deluxe jungle resort in western Belize, Central America.
Coppola launched Zoetrope: All Stories, a quarterly literary magazine, in 1997. It now has the largest circulation of any short fiction magazine. Together with Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, he is a partner in the San Francisco restaurant Rubicon, named after his estate's flagship wine.
Contact the Variety newsroom at
news@variety.com