Cecil B. DeMille
- Directing
- August 12, 1881 · Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA
- January 21, 1959
Biography
Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker, known as a founder of the Hollywood motion-picture industry, one of the most commercially successful producer-directors of his time, and one of the most influential filmmakers in history. Between 1914 and 1956, he made seventy feature films; all but seven were profitable. Cecil B. DeMille is synonymous with religious epics: The King of Kings, Samson and Delilah, and The Ten Commandments (1956). He blended spectacle, sex, and spellbinding narrative to convey a message of faith. It was DeMille who created the image of the omnipotent director, megaphone in hand, wearing boots and a visored cap. DeMille gave Hollywood numerous stars: Wallace Reid, Gloria Swanson, William (“Hopalong Cassidy”) Boyd, Claudette Colbert, Robert Preston, Jean Arthur, and Charlton Heston. DeMille created the posts of studio story editor, art director, and concept artist. He was one of the first to use theatrical lighting on a movie set. In the late 1920s, when Hollywood converted to sound films, DeMille defied the sound experts, liberating the camera from a confining booth, and implementing the microphone boom. DeMille’s authority extended beyond the confines of his studio. He was a power in aviation, banking, politics, and real estate. In the 1930s, his fame as a filmmaker was surpassed by his fame as a radio star. He was a founder of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an institution from which he eventually won two awards. In 1953 his film The Greatest Show on Earth won the Award for Best Picture of 1952; and he was presented with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. DeMille’s influence on world culture is incalculable, but there are estimates and milestones. His biography of Jesus Christ, The King of Kings, was a silent film, but because of a unique distribution arrangement, it was eventually seen by 800 million viewers. Samson and Delilah (1949) and The Ten Commandments (1956) are still listed with the top ten all-time box-office champions. They continue to generate revenue and provoke thought.
Known for
Filmography
- The U.S. and the Holocaust · Self
- Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age · Self
- Yul Brynner, the Magnificent · Self
- Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle II · Self
- Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle · Self
- Hail Satan? · Self
- Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic · Self
- The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille · Self
- Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe · Self
- Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema · Self
- The Making of The Ten Commandments · Self
- The Casting Couch
- All-Time Movie Greats · Self
- Going Hollywood: The '30s · Self
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage · Self
- Showbiz Ballyhoo · Self
- Hollywood · Self
- Hooray for Hollywood · Self
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · Self
- Spécial cinéma · Self
- The Buccaneer · Presenter of Prologue, Executive producer
- The Buster Keaton Story · Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
- The Ten Commandments · Narrator (uncredited), Producer
- Cinépanorama · Self
- The War of the Worlds · Executive producer
- This Is Your Life · Self
- Son of Paleface · Photographer (uncredited)
- The Greatest Show on Earth · Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Director
- The Fallbrook Story · Self, Introduction
- Sunset Boulevard · Cecil B. DeMille
- What's My Line? · Self
- Samson and Delilah · Narrator (uncredited), Director
- The Ed Sullivan Show · Self
- Unconquered · Self, Director
- Variety Girl · Cecil B. DeMille
- Jens Mons in America · Self
- Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary · Self
- The Story of Dr. Wassell · Voice of Narrator (uncredited), Director
- Reap the Wild Wind · Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited), Director
- Star Spangled Rhythm · Cecil B. DeMille
- Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10) · Self
- North West Mounted Police · Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Director
- The Movies March On · Self
- Land of Liberty · Editing
- Union Pacific · Director, Producer
- The Buccaneer · Director, Producer
- The Plainsman · Director, Producer
- Hollywood Extra Girl · Cecil B. DeMille
- The Crusades · Director
- Cleopatra · Director, Producer
- Four Frightened People · Director, Producer
- The Hollywood You Never See · Self
- Hollywood on Parade No. B-5 · Self
- This Day and Age · Director, Producer
- The Sign of the Cross · Director, Producer
- The Squaw Man · Director
- Madam Satan · Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited), Director
- Estrellados · Self
- Free and Easy · Director Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
- Dynamite · Director
- The Godless Girl · Director, Producer
- Let 'Er Go Gallegher · Executive producer
- The Circus: Premiere · Self
- The Angel of Broadway · Producer
- The Fighting Eagle · Producer
- Life in Hollywood No. 1 · Self
- Vanity · Producer
- The King of Kings · Director, Producer
- White Gold · Producer
- Life in Hollywood · Self
- The Cruise of the Jasper B · Producer
- The Volga Boatman · Director, Producer
- Silence · Producer
- Whispering Smith · Producer
- Red Dice · Presenter
- The Wedding Song · Producer
- The Road to Yesterday · Director
- The Dressmaker from Paris · Supervising Producer
- The Golden Bed · Director
- Feet of Clay · Director, Producer