Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Cecil Blount de Mille , Cecil Blount DeMille

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA

Homepage: https://www.cecilbdemille.com/

Movie Involvements: 202

TV Involvements: 1


Most Famous Work

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.

Most Famous Work

The Ten Commandments
Average
8

The Ten Commandments

(1956) Producer
The War of the Worlds
Average
7

The War of the Worlds

(1953) Executive Producer
Samson and Delilah
Average
7

Samson and Delilah

(1949) Producer
The Greatest Show on Earth
Average
6

The Greatest Show on Earth

(1952) Producer
The Ten Commandments
Average
7

The Ten Commandments

(1923) Producer
Union Pacific
Average
7

Union Pacific

(1939) Producer
Reap the Wild Wind
Average
6

Reap the Wild Wind

(1942) Producer
Unconquered
Average
6

Unconquered

(1947) Producer

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2021 Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2020 Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Self
Self
2019 Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Self (archive footage)
2016 Self
2014 Self (archive footage)
2007 Self (archive footage)
1995 (archive footage)
1984 Self (archive footage)
1983 Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1975 Self (archive footage)
1957 Cecil B. DeMille
1956 Narrator (uncredited)
Self
1952 Self
Photographer (uncredited)
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Self, Introduction
1950 Cecil B. DeMille
Self - Mystery Guest
1949 Narrator (uncredited)
1948 Self
1947 Self - Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Cecil B. DeMille
Self (uncredited)
1945 Self
1944 Voice of Narrator (uncredited)
1942 Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited)
Cecil B. DeMille
Self
1940 Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
1939 Self (archive footage)
1935 Cecil B. DeMille
1934 Self
1933 Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1930 Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited)
Self (Guest Appearance)
Director Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
1928 Self
1927 Self
1923 Cecil B. DeMille
1922 Self
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
1958 Producer
Executive Producer
1956 Producer
1953 Executive Producer
1952 Producer
1949 Producer
1947 Producer
1944 Producer
1942 Producer
1940 Producer
1939 Producer
1938 Producer
1936 Producer
1934 Producer
Producer
1933 Producer
1932 Producer
1930 Producer
1928 Producer
Executive Producer
1927 Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
1926 Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
1925 Producer
Supervising Producer
1924 Producer
1923 Producer
Producer
1921 Producer
1920 Producer
Producer
1919 Producer
1918 Producer
1917 Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
1916 Producer
Producer
1915 Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
1914 Producer
Producer
Producer
Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Directing

Year Role Movie/Tv
1956 Director
1952 Director
1949 Director
1948 Director
1947 Director
1944 Director
1942 Director
1940 Director
1939 Director
1938 Director
1936 Director
1935 Director
1934 Director
Director
1933 Director
1932 Director
1931 Director
1930 Director
1929 Director
1928 Director
1927 Director
1926 Director
1925 Director
Director
1924 Director
Director
1923 Director
Director
1922 Director
Director
1921 Director
Director
Director
1920 Director
Director
1919 Director
Director
Director
1918 Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
1917 Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
1916 Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
1915 Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
1914 Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Year Role Movie/Tv

Editing

Crew

Year Role Movie/Tv
1926 Presenter
Year Role Movie/Tv

Writing


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