[138] Despite the criticism, it was Paramount's highest-grossing film of the year. Cecil Blount DeMille was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, while his parents were vacationing there, and grew up in Washington, North Carolina. [72] DeMille adapted Belasco's dramatic lighting techniques to film technology, mimicking moonlight with U.S. cinema's first attempts at "motivated lighting" in The Warrens of Virginia. According to Simon Louvish, these films reflected DeMille's inner thoughts and opinions about marriage and human sexuality. [17] As a child, DeMille created an alter-ego, Champion Driver, a Robin Hood-like character, evidence of his creativity and imagination. Heart Ailment. After the film was shown, viewers complained that the shadows and lighting prevented the audience from seeing the actors' full faces, complaining that they would only pay half price. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts honored DeMille with an Alumni Achievement Award in 1958. [9] DeMille's father was also an English teacher at Columbia College (now Columbia University). [144], In 1942, DeMille released Paramount's most successful film, Reap the Wild Wind. He wanted to prevent other companies from shooting on . Terrible. After reading the screenplay, Daniel A. Lord warned DeMille that Catholics would find the film too irreverent, while non-Catholics would have considered the film Catholic propaganda. [300] In 1963, the Cecil B. DeMille Foundation donated the "Paradise" ranch to the Hathaway Foundation, which cares for emotionally disturbed and abused children. Male. Just two years before his death, and shortly after the release of his last film, The Ten Commandments, he delivered a commencement address at Brigham Young University. [157] Adolph Zukor convinced the board to change their minds on the grounds of morality. [60] In addition to directing, DeMille was the supervisor and consultant for the first year of films made by the Lasky Feature Play Company. (He would later cast her in The Ten Commandments.) Cecil B DeMille - RUSC [32] From 1904 to 1905, DeMille attempted to make a living as a stock theatre actor with his wife Constance. Cecil B. Demille papers (English) type of reference. He was disliked by many inside and outside of the film industry for his cold and controlling reputation. However much I may dislike some of his pictures, it would be very silly of me, as a producer of commercial motion pictures, to demean for an instant his unparalleled skill as a maker of mass entertainment. [321]:2123. [255] Consequently, the name "DeMille" has become synonymous with filmmaking. He produced many flops. The Sign of the Cross (1932) is said to be the first sound film to integrate all aspects of cinematic technique. [38], In 1902, he played a small part in Hamlet. [146][note 10] DeMille's subsequent film Unconquered (1947) had the longest running time (146 minutes), longest filming schedule (102 days) and largest budget of $5million. Step Inside Cecil B. De Mille's House in Los Angeles [10], Cecil B. DeMille's mother, Beatrice, a literary agent and scriptwriter, was the daughter of German Jews. [76][77] The film grossed over ten times its budget after its New York premiere in February 1914. Moreover, DeMille was audited by the Internal Revenue Service due to issues with his production company. Moreover, DeMille's epics inspired directors such as Howard Hawks, Nicholas Ray, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and George Stevens to try producing epics. [110] After the release of DeMille's The Godless Girl, silent films in America became obsolete and DeMille was forced to shoot a shoddy final reel with the new sound production technique. [5] On September 1, 1881, the family returned with the newborn DeMille to their flat in New York. He then appealed to the California Supreme Court and lost again. His silent era films often included the "battle of the sexes" theme due to the era of women's suffrage and the enlarging role of women in society. He is particularly remembered for his 1956 film "The Ten Commandments", but made over 70 films throughout his long career. [103] It held the Paramount record for twenty-five years until DeMille broke the record again himself. It was produced with a large budget and contained many special effects including an electronically operated giant squid. [159] The Ten Commandments, released in 1956, was DeMille's final film. A censorship board called the Hays Code was established. education: American Academy Of Dramatic Arts, Pennsylvania Military College. (Born, August 13, 1881 - died January 21, 1959) Cecil Blount DeMille's career plowed relentlessly forward living and dying again and again in waves - on the crests and in the troughs of the "American Dream.". [32] Publicists wrote that he became an actor in order to learn how direct and produce, but DeMille admitted that he became an actor in order to pay the bills. He claimed he abandoned the project in order to complete a different project, but in reality, it was to preserve his reputation and avoid appearing reactionary. [84] His specific use of lighting, influenced by his mentor David Belasco, was for the purpose of creating "striking images" and heightening "dramatic situations". [154] In 1954, Secretary of the Air Force Harold E. Talbott asked DeMille for help in designing the cadet uniforms at the newly established United States Air Force Academy. The King of Kings (1927) The first real film about Jesus Christ, this one also set up the template by which all others would be measured until 1988. Director John Huston intensely disliked both DeMille and his films. [238] Although he is known for his later "spectacular" films, his early films are held in high regard by critics and film historians. [13] She had emigrated from England with her parents in 1871 when she was 18; the newly arrived family settled in Brooklyn, New York, where they maintained a middle-class, English-speaking household. AKA Cecil Blount DeMille. [61] Moreover, when he was busy directing other films, he would co-author other Lasky Company scripts as well as create screen adaptations that others directed. However, the films of his silent era were often thematically different from the films of his sound era. Cecil B. DeMille Birthday and Date of Death. [61], The Squaw Man was a success, which led to the eventual founding of Paramount Pictures and Hollywood becoming the "film capital of the world". [33] They had met in a theater in Washington D.C. while they were both acting in Hearts Are Trumps. Name Constance DeMille Cause of death pneumonia: Born April 27, 1874 . [41] The Return of Peter Grimm sparked controversy; however, because Belasco had taken DeMille's unnamed screenplay, changed the characters and named it The Return of Peter Grimm, producing and presenting it as his own work. Still, the members unanimously approved it. [164] Although DeMille completed the film, his health was diminished by several more heart attacks. Cecil B. DeMille Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death Cause of death. Legendary producer-director Cecil B. DeMille, (1) affectionately known as C.B., was a seminal cofounder of Hollywood and a progenitor of Paramount studio who became a mega-star of . Alfred Hitchcock cited DeMille's 1921 film Forbidden Fruit as an influence of his work and one of his top ten favorite films. [37] Despite his reputation for extramarital affairs, DeMille did not like to have affairs with his stars, as he believed it would cause him to lose control as a director. DeMille told the actor that he was "one hundred percent yellow". In that respect, he was better than any of us. He was so eager to produce the film, that he hadn't yet read the novel. [252], Despite his box-office success, awards, and artistic achievements, DeMille has been dismissed and ignored by critics both during his life and posthumously. Mature refused to wrestle Jackie the Lion, even though DeMille had just tussled with the lion, proving that he was tame. DeMille frequently made cameos as himself in other Paramount films. . Self - The Real FBI Story (2017) . 1. Robert Birchard wrote that one could argue auteurship of DeMille on the basis that DeMille's thematic and visual style remained consistent throughout his career. [192] DeMille had large and frequent office conferences to discuss and examine all aspects of the working film including story-boards, props, and special effects. [193], DeMille rarely gave direction to actors; he preferred to "office-direct" where he would work with actors in his office, going over characters and reading through scripts. Golden Globes 2018: Read Oprah's Entire Showstopping Acceptance Speech [121], In 1932, DeMille returned to Paramount at the request of Lasky, bringing with him his own production unit. Consequently, he formed the DeMille Foundation for Political Freedom in order to campaign for the right to work. On the day of DeMille's death, President McKay sent a telegram to the DeMille family stating that DeMille "merits the welcome, 'well done that good and faithful servant; enter thou into the rest prepared for the just.' . Epic. Notably, DeMille had cinematographer John P. Fulton create the parting of the Red Sea scene in his 1956 film The Ten Commandments, which was one of the most expensive special effects in film history, and has been called by Steven Spielberg "the greatest special effect in film history". [309][310][note 17] For his contribution to the motion picture and radio industry, DeMille has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. . He appeared in eleven of the fifteen plays presented that season, although all were minor roles. However, DeMille's second remake at MGM in 1931 would be a failure. [307] In the same ceremony, DeMille received a nomination from Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for The Greatest Show on Earth. [156] DeMille did not have an exact budget proposal for the project,[158] and it promised to be the most costly in U.S. film history. [155], We have just lived through a war where our people were systematically executed. [90], During World War I, the Famous Players-Lasky organized a military company underneath the National Guard called the Home Guard made up of film studio employees with DeMille as captain. Cause of Death. [28] This was the first of few film collaborations with his brother William. The actor had 10 Globes nominations and five wins, including a special award for his vocal work on . Work period (start) 1899; Work period (end) 1959; Country of citizenship: [201], DeMille experimented in his early films with photographic light and shade which created dramatic shadows instead of glare. [30] DeMille attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (tuition-free due to his father's service to the Academy). DeMille also was planning a film about the space race as well as another biblical epic about the Book of Revelation. retrieved. [61] Sometimes, he directed scenes for other directors at the Feature Play Company in order to release films on time. Cecil B. DeMille Birthday, Real Name, Age, Weight, Height, Family New Bio Gives Cecil B. DeMille His Own Close-Up : NPR A Biblical epic with sex, it was a characteristically DeMille film. Beatrice was intelligent, educated, forthright, and strong-willed. [113][295] The former film building at Chapman University in Orange, California, is named in honor of DeMille. Cleopatra (1934) was his first film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Cecil B. DeMille photo shoot. Adopted son of Cecil B. DeMille and Constance DeMille. How Artisans Brought Cecil B. DeMille's Famous Train Crash to Life in The original story Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is about two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, who fall in love and their families' feud ends with death of Romeo and Juliet. imported from Wikimedia project. DeMille asked David Niven to star in the film, but it was never made. 21 January 1959. He donated. This was, according to DeMille, the lowest point of his career. Adams was 29 years old at the time of their marriage, eight years older than DeMille. [172] DeMille's funeral was held on January 23 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. DeMille did not believe a large movie set was the place to discuss minor character or line issues. He had a band of assistants who catered to his needs. [82] Additionally, because of DeMille's cordiality after the Peter Grimm incident, DeMille was able to rekindle his partnership with Belasco. DeMille, Cecil B. Cecil Blount deMille, 12 th August 1881, Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA. Cause of death: Heart failure: Nationality: American: Occupation: Producer, director, editor, screenwriter, actor: Years active: 1913-1959: Spouse(s) Constance Adams . Billy Jim Hawkins . [213] DeMille did receive help in his films, notably from Alvin Wyckoff who shot forty-three of DeMille's films;[80] brother William deMille who would occasionally serve as his screenwriter;[82] and Jeanie Macpherson, who served as DeMille's exclusive screenwriter for fifteen years;[214] and Eddie Salven, DeMille's favorite assistant director. [84] Goldwyn was later fired from Famous Players-Lasky due to frequent clashes with Lasky, DeMille, and finally Zukor. [49] In the 1910s, DeMille began directing and producing other writer's plays. However, others interpreted DeMille's work as visually impressive, thrilling, and nostalgic. Carl Laemmle anniversary 1931.JPG 1,473 1,161; 359 KB. In the silent era, he was renowned for Male and Female (1919), Manslaughter (1922), The Volga Boatman (1926), and The Godless Girl (1928). However, Birchard acknowledged that Sarris's point was more likely that DeMille's style was behind the development of film as an art form. Death: December 20, 1982 (68) Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States. [11] Henry deMille frequently collaborated with David Belasco in playwriting;[12] their best-known collaborations included "The Wife", "Lord Chumley", "The Charity Ball", and "Men and Women". Birthday: August 12, 1881. [261][262] He was known for his unique, working wardrobe which included riding boots, riding pants, and soft, open necked shirts. [84] In 1916, exhausted from three years of nonstop filmmaking, DeMille purchased land in the Angeles National Forest for a ranch which would become his getaway. Broadway Actor. [289] The Dunes Center in Guadalupe, California contains an exhibition of artifacts uncovered in the desert near Guadalupe from DeMille's set of his 1923 version of The Ten Commandments, known as the "Lost City of Cecil B. More Facts. Mrs. DeMille's office and library opened to the music room. The film began production in 1949, Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey were paid $250,000 for use of the title and facilities. De Mille daughter dies - UPI Archives Birth of Hollywood: Season 1, Episode 2 script | Subs like Script Cemetery Name: Hollywood Forever Cemetery. [162] Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, it grossed over $80million, which surpassed the gross of The Greatest Show on Earth and every other film in history, except for Gone with the Wind. DeMille developed a plan with his doctor to allow him to continue directing while reducing his physical stress. . Media in category "Cecil B. DeMille" The following 53 files are in this category, out of 53 total. [174] DeMille left his multi-million dollar estate in Los Feliz, Los Angeles in Laughlin Park to his daughter Cecilia because his wife had dementia and was unable to care for an estate. Cecil B DeMille announced that his next production would be his biggest and most ambitious to date. View the latest Cecil B. DeMille photos. It was commercially very successful. Eddie Murphy is going to the Golden Globes. Married Life. Further illustrated by his home life, DeMille required formality and politeness at home. 5 Supplements You Shouldn't Be Taking If You Have Diabetes, According Compared to other directors, few film scholars have taken the time to academically analyze his films and style. [274] DeMille has influenced the careers of many modern directors. To provide for her family, she opened the Henry C. DeMille School for Girls in her home in February 1893. [122] His first film back at Paramount, The Sign of the Cross, was also his first success since leaving Paramount besides The King of Kings. [70] Filming began on December 29, 1913, and lasted three weeks. [59] Lasky and DeMille were said to have sketched out the organization of the company on the back of a restaurant menu. De Mille daughter dies. Here is all you want to know, and more! Profile of the Hollywood directing legend who became known for his "spectaculars." Learn how DeMille helped establish Hollywood as the movie-making capital o. Henry was a tall, red-headed student. [108] The King of Kings established DeMille as "master of the grandiose and of biblical sagas". He later moved to writing and directing stage productions, some with Jesse Lasky, who was then a vaudeville producer. [170] DeMille's autobiography was mostly completed by the time DeMille died and was published in November 1959. Cecil B. DeMille - Wikipedia Cecil B. DeMille - NNDB DeMille was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, and grew up in New York City. DeMille purchased the home in 1916 for $27,893 (Yes, five digits) and lived there with his family until his death in 1959. [7] His brother, William C. DeMille, was born on July 25, 1878. [191] DeMille was the first director to connect art to filmmaking; he created the title of "art director" on the film set. Finally, he would leave the script with artists and allow them to create artistic depictions and renderings of each scene. Heart Ailment. [143] [note 9] In 1938, DeMille supervised the compilation of film Land of Liberty to represent the contribution of the American film industry to the 1939 New York World's Fair. [236][189][237], Aside from his Biblical and historical epics which are concerned with how man relates to God, some of DeMille's films contained themes of "neo-naturalism" which portray the conflict between the laws of man and the laws of nature. [86] A large collection of DeMille's materials including scripts, storyboards, and films resides at Brigham Young University in L. Tom Perry Special Collections. It was the longest (3 hours, 39 minutes) and most expensive ($13million) film in Paramount history. Martin Scorsese cited Unconquered, Samson and Delilah, and The Greatest Show on Earth as DeMille films that have imparted lasting memories on him. He directed 70 feature films, beginning in the silent era . [26] The aim of the school was to teach young women to properly understand and fulfill the women's duty to herself, her home, and her country. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies. [67], On December 12, 1913, DeMille, his cast, and crew boarded a Southern Pacific train bound for Flagstaff via New Orleans. [228] Throughout his career, he did not alter his films to better adhere to contemporary or popular styles. [148] Again, 1952's The Greatest Show on Earth became Paramount's highest-grossing film to that point. Additionally, DeMille's epics such as The Crusades influenced Sergei Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky. DeMille's highest-grossing films include: The Sign of the Cross (1932), Unconquered (1947), Samson and Delilah (1949), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), and The Ten Commandments (1956). [184] While working in theatre, DeMille used real fruit trees in his play California as influenced by Belasco. Birth place. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Cecil B. DeMille. At least one DeMille film can represent each film genre. 77. heart failure. [109] Eight of his films were "epics" with five of those classified as "Biblical". Actor, The F.B.I. I'm ready for my close-up." [251] Director Ridley Scott has been called "the Cecil B. DeMille of the digital era" due to his classical and medieval epics. September 17, 1914. Scripture Filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille - University of Waterloo Hijo del dramaturgo Henry Churchill DeMille, en cuyas obras particip durante su infancia y primera adolescencia, curs . [112] He was also a real estate speculator,[113] an underwriter of political campaigns, and vice president of Bank of America. The surgery caused him to suffer from sexual dysfunction for the rest of his life, according to some family members. Maude Fealy would appear as the featured actress in several productions that summer and would develop a lasting friendship with DeMille. Biography: Cecil B. deMille is one of the most important and successful filmmakers Hollywood has ever produced. [297] The title of the 2000 John Waters film Cecil B. Demented alludes to DeMille. Cecil B. Demille - Turner Classic Movies [124] DeMille followed this epic uncharacteristically with two dramas released in 1933 and 1934. However, Sam Goldwyn realized that if they called it "Rembrandt" lighting, the audience would pay double the price. Cecil Blount Demille (1881 - 1959) - Genealogy [10] He worked as a playwright, administrator, and faculty member during the early years of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, established in New York City in 1884. [39] Another unperformed play he wrote was Son of the Winds, a mythological Native American story. Date of Death: January 21, 1959. With his editor, Anne Bauchens, DeMille used editing techniques to allow the visual images to bring the plot to climax rather than dialogue. Pioneering film maker Cecil B. deMille dies - from Guardian archive, 22 Constance was born the daughter of Judge Frederic Adams, New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals, and Ella Adams, Frederics first wife. Cecil B. DeMille's "Ten Commandments" is getting appropriately colossal treatment in honor of its 55th anniversary. 'Ten Commandments' went from film to stone - Chron Constance Adams DeMille - Alchetron, the free social encyclopedia Pictorials. [231][note 14] The Ten Commandments inspired DreamWorks Animation's later film about Moses, The Prince of Egypt. [253] However, Simon Louvish wrote "he was the complete master and auteur of his films"[254] and Anton Kozlovic called him the "unsung American auteur". [255] Andrew Sarris, a leading proponent of the auteur theory, ranked DeMille highly as an auteur in the "Far Side of Paradise", just below the "Pantheon". [209][note 13], DeMille was known for autocratic behavior on the set, singling out and berating extras who were not paying attention. Age. [205], Composer Elmer Bernstein described DeMille as "sparing no effort" when filmmaking. View Bio. The second star is located at 1725 Vine Street. DeMille wanted to film in Canada; however, due to budget constraints, the film was instead shot in Oregon and Hollywood. Cause of death: Heart failure: Nationality: American: Occupation: Producer, director, editor, screenwriter, actor: Years active: 1913-1959: Spouse(s) Constance Adams (1902-1959) Partner(s) Jeanie MacPherson Julia Faye: Parent(s) Henry Churchill DeMille Beatrice Samuel: Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959) was an . [180] His playwright father introduced him to the theater at a young age. [104], In the early 1920s, scandal surrounded Paramount; religious groups and the media opposed portrayals of immorality in films. DeMille's Ten Commandments premiered in 1956. [39] In the summer of 1905 DeMille joined the stock cast at the Elitch Theatre in Denver, Colorado. [203], DeMille often edited in a manner that favored psychological space rather than physical space through his cuts. Magazine pics. They struggled to adapt the play from the stage to the set. He is one of the most extraordinarily able showmen of modern times. Hayne, Autobiography of Cecil B. DeMille, 433-34. [229] He began the production of epics earlier in his career until they began to solidify his career in the 1920s. Beatrice became a play broker and author's agent, influencing DeMille's early life and career. Occupations. Still, it was a huge success at the box office. His art was even shown at Paramount meetings when pitching new films. His films were distinguished by their epic scale and by his cinematic showmanship. Alternative names DeMille, Cecil Blount Short description Film director: Date of birth August 12, 1881 Place of birth He graduated in 1900, and for graduation, his performance was the play The Arcady Trail. [128] He supported Herbert Hoover and in 1928 made his largest campaign donation to Hoover. Cecil B. DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 in Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S., United States, is Film Director, Producer. Cecil B. DeMille. *mother - Ashkenazi Jewish. His other well known films include The Sign of the Cross (1932), Cleopatra (1934), Samson and Delilah [] Birthplace: Ashfield, MA Location of death: Hollywood, CA Cause of death: Heart Failure Remains: Bu. [194] DeMille was particularly adept at directing and managing large crowds in his films. He stated that The Ten Commandments was the final culmination of DeMille's style. Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S. Ethnnicity: *father - English, small amounts of Scottish and Dutch, distant Belgian Flemish, remote Welsh. Few words can describe the monumental Cecil B. DeMille. This allowed for the rapid production of his films in the early years of the Lasky Company. Work period (start) . [47] In 1907, due to a scandal with one of Beatrice's students, Evelyn Nesbit, the Henry deMille School lost students. [185] Similar to Belasco, DeMille's theatre was revolved around entertainment, rather than artistry. DeMille's trademark scenes included bathtubs, lion attacks, and Roman orgies. The Captive (1915) $500 /week. "[35] DeMille had more violent sexual preferences and fetishes than his wife. [204] As DeMille's career progressed, he increasingly relied on artist Dan Sayre Groesbeck's concept, costume, and storyboard art. [241] Religion was a theme that DeMille returned to throughout his career. Cecil B DeMille Family Tree & History, Ancestry & Genealogy - FameChain During the French New Wave, critics began to categorize certain filmmakers as auteurs such as Howard Hawks, John Ford, and Raoul Walsh. [142] Jeanie MacPherson would work as a scriptwriter for many of DeMille's films. [337], Charles Frohman, Constance Adams, and David Belasco, Scandalous dramas, Biblical epics, and departure from Paramount, There are several variants of DeMille's surname. [119] These three films, Dynamite, Madame Satan, and his 1931 remake of The Squaw Man were both critically and financially unsuccessful. . Radford, Bill. Charlie Chaplin lived next door for a time, and after he moved, DeMille purchased the other house and combined the estates. A documentary titled. An example is the Bible which has been remade into many different movies including The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. DeMille and The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson. Cecil B. DeMille Biography - life, family, children, story, death [41] However, none of these were very successful; William deMille was most successful when he worked alone. His overriding spirit . [48] DeMille wrote another play originally called Sergeant Devil May Care which was renamed The Royal Mounted. [88] On July 19, 1916, the Jesse Lasky Feature Play Company merged with Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company, becoming Famous Players-Lasky. The longest-living Oscar winner is a recipient of the Golden Globes' prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award, which he was awarded in 1977, and he received the Producers Guild of America's Lifetime . Produced in eight weeks without exceeding budget, the film was financially successful. 1 reference. Groesbeck's art was circulated on set to give actors and crew members a better understanding of DeMille's vision. Eventually, he became manager of the agency and later, a junior partner with his mother. 72 pictures of Cecil B. DeMille. [319] The Ten Commandments is broadcast every Saturday at Passover in the United States on the ABC Television Network. We have estimated Cecil B. DeMille's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets. In the 1950s, Paramount sold its entire pre-1948 film library, including those of DeMille, to, The set was discovered by Peter Brosnan after hearing a rumor in 1982 that DeMille had ordered the enormous set to be buried after filming rather than taken away.

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