Life

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It's a Wonderful Life Was a Winter Wonderland – in July

Originally posted 12/23/2012 01:30PM

It's the sentimental family favorite that easily induces tears for its heartfelt final scenes, but when it came to creating a winter wonderland for his 1946 It's a Wonderful Life, producer-director Frank Capra was one tough taskmaster.

He wanted real snow – not the painted corn flakes Hollywood was accustomed to passing off as the white stuff – to blanket his setting, the town of Bedford Falls, reports Life.com in its special feature with never-before-seen on-set photos from the holiday classic.

To achieve his goal, Capra – who trained as an engineer as a student at Cal Tech before becoming the talkies' first true stylist, as an Oscar-winning director for Columbia Pictures – collaborated with RKO studio's special effects expert Russell Sherman.

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Filed Under: Life, It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas, Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart

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Audrey Hepburn Cheek-to-Cheek with Oscar: PHOTO FLASHBACK

Originally posted 02/25/2012 09:30AM

She went on to be nominated four more times – but Audrey Hepburn's first Oscars was the night she brought home the gold.

The actress, nominated for her royal role in the 1953 romantic comedy Roman Holiday, was named Best Actress at the 1954 Academy Awards. Now, Life.com has a look back at that night and many other glamorous moments from Oscars' past in a new gallery.

"I want to say thank you to everybody who in these past months and years have helped, guided and given me so much," Hepburn said on stage that night while accepting her award. "I'm truly, truly grateful – and terribly happy."