David Frankel
The director who turned workplace anxiety into a cultural touchstone, capturing the sharp humor and hidden heart of modern professional life.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American film director·Birthday: April 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Frankel built a career on finding the universal thread in specific, often high-stakes environments. A graduate of Harvard and Columbia Film School, he first made his mark in television, winning an Emmy for his work on 'Band of Brothers.' His shift to features revealed a gift for translating niche worlds—the cutthroat New York fashion magazine in 'The Devil Wears Prada,' the chaotic newsroom in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' the heartfelt turmoil of pet ownership in 'Marley & Me'—into stories that resonated globally. Frankel's style is clean, character-driven, and deceptively straightforward, allowing stellar performances and whip-smart scripts to take center stage. He navigates between comedy and drama with a light touch, creating films that feel both entertaining and emotionally authentic, whether he's directing Meryl Streep or telling the true story of a lottery loophole in 'Jerry & Marge Go Large.'
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Directed the blockbuster and cultural phenomenon 'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006).
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series for 'Band of Brothers.'
- Helmed the hit film 'Marley & Me,' one of the highest-grossing live-action comedies about a dog.
Did You Know?
He directed the first and fourth episodes of the Netflix limited series 'Inventing Anna.'
Before his film career, he was a writer for the satirical magazine 'National Lampoon.'
His film 'Hope Springs' starred Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones as a couple in marriage counseling.
“The best stories are about people, not the high-stakes worlds they're in.”
