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Cecil B. DeMille

Directing 77 (deceased) years old Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA ★ 0.8
Born: August 12, 1881
Died: 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.

External Links

🌐 Official Website 🎬 IMDb

Known For

This Day and Age
This Day and Age Director 1933
Why Change Your Wife?
Why Change Your Wife? Director 1920
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments Director 1923
Something to Think About
Something to Think About Director 1920
Old Wives for New
Old Wives for New Director 1918

Filmography

Acting Credits (48)

Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age
Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) 2021
Yul Brynner, the Magnificent
Yul Brynner, the Magnificent Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) 2020
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle II
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle II Self 2020
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle Self (archive footage) 2020
Hail Satan?
Hail Satan? Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) 2019
Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic
Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) 2019
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille Self 2016
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe Self (archive footage) 2012
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema Self (archive footage) 2007
The Making of The Ten Commandments
The Making of The Ten Commandments Self 2003
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Going Hollywood: The '30s Self (archive footage) 1984
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1983
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Showbiz Ballyhoo Self (archive footage) 1982
Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood Self (archive footage) 1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Self (archive footage) 1975
Spécial cinéma
Spécial cinéma Self (archive footage) 1974
The Buster Keaton Story
The Buster Keaton Story Cecil B. DeMille 1957
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments Narrator (uncredited) 1956
Cinépanorama
Cinépanorama Self 1956
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life Self 1952
Son of Paleface
Son of Paleface Photographer (uncredited) 1952
The Greatest Show on Earth
The Greatest Show on Earth Narrator (voice) (uncredited) 1952
The Fallbrook Story
The Fallbrook Story Self, Introduction 1952
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard Cecil B. DeMille 1950
What's My Line?
What's My Line? Self 1950
Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah Narrator (uncredited) 1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show Self 1948
Unconquered
Unconquered Self - Narrator (voice) (uncredited) 1947
Variety Girl
Variety Girl Cecil B. DeMille 1947
Jens Mons in America
Jens Mons in America Self (uncredited) 1947
Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary
Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary Self 1945
The Story of Dr. Wassell
The Story of Dr. Wassell Voice of Narrator (uncredited) 1944
Reap the Wild Wind
Reap the Wild Wind Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited) 1942
Star Spangled Rhythm
Star Spangled Rhythm Cecil B. DeMille 1942
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10) Self 1942
North West Mounted Police
North West Mounted Police Narrator (voice) (uncredited) 1940
The Movies March On
The Movies March On Self (archive footage) 1939
Hollywood Extra Girl
Hollywood Extra Girl Cecil B. DeMille 1935
The Hollywood You Never See
The Hollywood You Never See Self 1934
Hollywood on Parade No. B-5
Hollywood on Parade No. B-5 Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1933
Madam Satan
Madam Satan Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited) 1930
Estrellados
Estrellados Self (Guest Appearance) 1930
Free and Easy
Free and Easy Director Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited) 1930
The Circus: Premiere
The Circus: Premiere Self 1928
Life in Hollywood No. 1
Life in Hollywood No. 1 Self 1927
Hollywood
Hollywood Cecil B. DeMille 1923
A Trip to Paramountown
A Trip to Paramountown Self 1922
The Squaw Man
The Squaw Man Faro Dealer 1914

Directing Credits (77)

The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments Director 1956
The Greatest Show on Earth
The Greatest Show on Earth Director 1952
Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah Director 1949
Unconquered
Unconquered Director 1947
The Story of Dr. Wassell
The Story of Dr. Wassell Director 1944
Reap the Wild Wind
Reap the Wild Wind Director 1942
North West Mounted Police
North West Mounted Police Director 1940
Union Pacific
Union Pacific Director 1939
The Buccaneer
The Buccaneer Director 1938
The Plainsman
The Plainsman Director 1936
The Crusades
The Crusades Director 1935
Cleopatra
Cleopatra Director 1934
Four Frightened People
Four Frightened People Director 1934
This Day and Age
This Day and Age Director 1933
The Sign of the Cross
The Sign of the Cross Director 1932
The Squaw Man
The Squaw Man Director 1931
Madam Satan
Madam Satan Director 1930
Dynamite
Dynamite Director 1929
The Godless Girl
The Godless Girl Director 1928
The King of Kings
The King of Kings Director 1927
The Volga Boatman
The Volga Boatman Director 1926
The Road to Yesterday
The Road to Yesterday Director 1925
The Golden Bed
The Golden Bed Director 1925
Feet of Clay
Feet of Clay Director 1924
Triumph
Triumph Director 1924
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments Director 1923
Adam's Rib
Adam's Rib Director 1923
Manslaughter
Manslaughter Director 1922
Saturday Night
Saturday Night Director 1922
Fool's Paradise
Fool's Paradise Director 1921
The Affairs of Anatol
The Affairs of Anatol Director 1921
Forbidden Fruit
Forbidden Fruit Director 1921
Something to Think About
Something to Think About Director 1920
Why Change Your Wife?
Why Change Your Wife? Director 1920
Male and Female
Male and Female Director 1919
For Better, for Worse
For Better, for Worse Director 1919
Don't Change Your Husband
Don't Change Your Husband Director 1919
The Squaw Man
The Squaw Man Director 1918
Till I Come Back to You
Till I Come Back to You Director 1918
We Can't Have Everything
We Can't Have Everything Director 1918
Old Wives for New
Old Wives for New Director 1918
The Whispering Chorus
The Whispering Chorus Director 1918
The Devil Stone
The Devil Stone Director 1917
Nan of Music Mountain
Nan of Music Mountain Director 1917
The Woman God Forgot
The Woman God Forgot Director 1917
The Little American
The Little American Director 1917
A Romance of the Redwoods
A Romance of the Redwoods Director 1917
Joan the Woman
Joan the Woman Director 1916
The Dream Girl
The Dream Girl Director 1916
Maria Rosa
Maria Rosa Director 1916
The Heart of Nora Flynn
The Heart of Nora Flynn Director 1916
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Director 1916
The Golden Chance
The Golden Chance Director 1915
Temptation
Temptation Director 1915
The Cheat
The Cheat Director 1915
Chimmie Fadden Out West
Chimmie Fadden Out West Director 1915
Carmen
Carmen Director 1915
Kindling
Kindling Director 1915
Chimmie Fadden
Chimmie Fadden Director 1915
The Arab
The Arab Director 1915
The Wild Goose Chase
The Wild Goose Chase Director 1915
The Captive
The Captive Director 1915
The Unafraid
The Unafraid Director 1915
The Warrens of Virginia
The Warrens of Virginia Director 1915
After Five
After Five Director 1915
The Girl of the Golden West
The Girl of the Golden West Director 1915
The Ghost Breaker
The Ghost Breaker Director 1914
The Rose of the Rancho
The Rose of the Rancho Director 1914
The Man From Home
The Man From Home Director 1914
What's His Name
What's His Name Director 1914
The Virginian
The Virginian Director 1914
The Call of the North
The Call of the North Director 1914
The Man on the Box
The Man on the Box Director 1914
The Only Son
The Only Son Director 1914
The Master Mind
The Master Mind Director 1914
Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions Director 1914
The Squaw Man
The Squaw Man Director 1914

Writing Credits (21)

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