They continued filming in 1955 in Paris and Hollywood on 30 different sound stages. [206] Bernstein recalled that DeMille would scream, yell, or flatter, whatever it took to achieve the perfection he required in his films. Let's take a look back at 20 of his greatest movies, ranked worst to best. "[267] Salvador Dal wrote that DeMille, Walt Disney and the Marx Brothers were "the three great American Surrealists". He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies. [250] Five of DeMille's film were the highest-grossing films at the year of their release, with only Spielberg topping him with six of his films as the highest-grossing films of the year. [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". His other well known films include The Sign of the Cross (1932), Cleopatra (1934), Samson and Delilah [] However, Sam Goldwyn realized that if they called it "Rembrandt" lighting, the audience would pay double the price. DeMille himself directed twenty films by 1915. Consequently, DeMille's television and radio appearance ban lasted for the remainder of his life, though he was permitted to appear on radio or television to publicize a movie. However, DeMille's second remake at MGM in 1931 would be a failure. The film was produced on a large budget of $600,000, the most expensive production at Paramount. Gender. In this way, the characters' thoughts and desires are the visual focus rather than the circumstances regarding the physical scene. DeMille recalled that this church was the place where he visualized the story of his 1923 version of The Ten Commandments.[25]. She had a Southern drawl which she never lost. DeMille's primary criticism was of closed shops, but later included criticism of communism and unions in general. [103] It held the Paramount record for twenty-five years until DeMille broke the record again himself. During the French New Wave, critics began to categorize certain filmmakers as auteurs such as Howard Hawks, John Ford, and Raoul Walsh. [151] DeMille would reminisce into a voice recorder, the recording would be transcribed, and the information would be organized in the biography based on the topic. DeMille lent Roosevelt a car for his campaign for the 1932 United States presidential election and voted for him. In his first instance, in 1917, he remade The Squaw Man (1918), only waiting four years from the 1914 original. Cause of death. The wedding party was small. [130] He resigned from the Lux Radio Show because he refused to pay a dollar to the American Federation of Radio Artists (AFRA) because he did not believe that any organization had the right to "levy a compulsory assessment upon any member. [129], From June 1, 1936, until January 22, 1945, Cecil B. DeMille hosted and directed Lux Radio Theater, a weekly digest of current feature films. He attempted to create a guild of a half a dozen directors with the same creative desires called the Director's Guild. [238] Although he is known for his later "spectacular" films, his early films are held in high regard by critics and film historians. The Ten Commandments (Documentary: Making Miracles) (Six-Disc Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Cecil B. DeMille / Paramount. [244] Another minor characteristic of DeMille's films include train crashes which can be found in several of his films. If you have diabetes and take insulin or other oral medications aimed to reduce blood sugar, taking chromium may increase the risk of . He is one of the most extraordinarily able showmen of modern times. "[132] Consequently, he had to resign from the radio show. Studio: A Cecil B. DeMille Production Paramount Pictures Premiered: February 4, 1938 Featured Cast: Fredric March, Franciska Gaal, Akim Tamiroff Producer-director: Cecil B. DeMille Screenwriter: Harold Lamb, Edwin Justus Mayer, C. Gardner Sullivan Source: Lyle Saxon's book Lafitte the Pirate Additional writers: Emily Barrye, Grover Jones, Jesse Lasky Jr., Jeanie Macpherson, Preston . His films were distinguished by their epic scale and by his cinematic showmanship. [263] Joseph Henabery recalled that DeMille looked like "a king on a throne surrounded by his court" while directing films on a camera platform. [168] Despite a cast led by Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner, the 1958 film The Buccaneer was a disappointment. [125], Cecil B. DeMille was outspoken about his strong Episcopalian integrity but his private life included mistresses and adultery. [170] DeMille's autobiography was mostly completed by the time DeMille died and was published in November 1959. 27 October 2022. [17] As a child, DeMille created an alter-ego, Champion Driver, a Robin Hood-like character, evidence of his creativity and imagination. Famous Players-Lasky donated the films. DeMille told the actor that he was "one hundred percent yellow". [115] In 1916, DeMille purchased a mansion in Hollywood. The members rejected his proposal, even though his last two films, Samson and Delilah and The Greatest Show on Earth, had been record-breaking hits. 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". Cecil Blount DeMille was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, while his parents were vacationing there, and grew up in Washington, North Carolina. [49] DeMille had a daughter, Cecilia, on November 5, 1908, who would be his only biological child. [290][note 16] Donated by the Cecil B. DeMille Foundation in 2004, the moving image collection of Cecil B. DeMille is held at the Academy Film Archive and includes home movies, outtakes, and never-before-seen test footage. . Consequently, his mother hired him for her agency The DeMille Play Company and taught him how to be an agent and a playwright. [159] The Ten Commandments, released in 1956, was DeMille's final film. The Union Pacific gave DeMille access to historical data, early period trains, and expert crews, adding to the authenticity of the film. [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. [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. His overriding spirit . 1 reference. He worked with visual technicians, editors, art directors, costume designers, cinematographers, and set carpenters in order to perfect the visual aspects of his films. The first 24 of his silent films were made in the first three years of his career (1913-1916). William had been a successful playwright, but DeMille was suffering from the failure of his plays The Royal Mounted and The Genius. Date of death: 21 Jan 1959. View Bio. Recent images. He had completely adapted to the production of sound film despite the film's poor dialogue. [10] At the military college, even though his grades were average, he reportedly excelled in personal conduct. [107] Aside from The King of Kings, none of DeMille's films away from Paramount were successful. [15] The two were married on July 1, 1876, despite Beatrice's parents' objections because of the young couple's differing religions; Beatrice converted to Episcopalianism. [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. . He stated that The Ten Commandments was the final culmination of DeMille's style. Cecil B. DeMille began his career as an actor on the stage in the theatrical company of Charles Frohman in 1900. [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". [180] and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. - Death and the Maiden (1973) . [7] His brother, William C. DeMille, was born on July 25, 1878. [228] DeMille was often criticized for making his spectacles too colorful and for being too occupied with entertaining the audience rather than accessing the artistic and auteur possibilities that film could provide. Peters claimed that he encouraged the cast to attend the funeral with him anyway since DeMille would not be able to shoot the film without him. [84] His specific use of lighting, influenced by his mentor David Belasco, was for the purpose of creating "striking images" and heightening "dramatic situations". Cecil B. DeMille passed away January 21, 1959, from a heart condition. Among his best-known films are The Ten Commandments (1956), Cleopatra (1934), and The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. [240] Moreover, before his religious-themed films, many of his silent era films revolved around "husband-and-wife-divorce-and-remarry satires", considerably more adult-themed. [124] DeMille followed this epic uncharacteristically with two dramas released in 1933 and 1934. [207], DeMille made stars of unknown actors: Gloria Swanson, Bebe Daniels, Rod La Rocque, William Boyd, Claudette Colbert, and Charlton Heston. Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959) was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. Barbara Stanwyck. A deficiency in chromium may cause high blood sugar; however, deficiency is very rare. His art was even shown at Paramount meetings when pitching new films. 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. Cecil Blount DeMille was 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. Death: December 20, 1982 (68) Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States. (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.". [242] Another common theme in DeMille's films is the reversal of fortune and the portrayal of the rich and the poor, including the war of the classes and man versus society conflicts such as in The Golden Chance and The Cheat. [227], Cecil B. DeMille's film production career evolved from critically significant silent films to financially significant sound films. "[257] The critic Camille Paglia has called The Ten Commandments one of the ten greatest films of all time. [note 4], While filming The Captive in 1915, an extra, Bob Fleming, died on set when another extra failed to heed to DeMille's orders to unload all guns for rehearsal. They struggled to adapt the play from the stage to the set. Next, he would work with writers to develop the story that he was envisioning. Cause of Death. Beatrice became a play broker and author's agent, influencing DeMille's early life and career. Cecil B. DeMille's "Ten Commandments" is getting appropriately colossal treatment in honor of its 55th anniversary. However, his final films maintained that DeMille was still respected by his audiences. The second star is located at 1725 Vine Street. According to Richard Birchard, DeMille's weakened state during production may have led to the film being received as uncharacteristically substandard. DeMille's early silent comedies influenced the comedies of Ernst Lubitsch and Charlie Chaplin's A Woman of Paris. *mother - Ashkenazi Jewish. [83], DeMille's most successful film was The Cheat; DeMille's direction in the film was acclaimed. [145] After working on Reap the Wild Wind, in 1944, he was the master of ceremonies at the massive rally organized by David O. Selznick in the Los Angeles Coliseum in support of the DeweyBricker ticket as well as Governor Earl Warren of California. Profile of the Hollywood directing legend who became known for his "spectaculars." Learn how DeMille helped establish Hollywood as the movie-making capital o. Cecil B. DeMille was born on August 12th, in 1881. However, one word is especially appropriate. [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. [53] Another DeMille-Lasky production that opened in January 1912 was The Antique Girl. [29] He fled the school to join the SpanishAmerican War, but failed to meet the age requirement. De Mille daughter dies. Date of birth. He was disliked by many inside and outside of the film industry for his cold and controlling reputation. [133] He began presenting speeches across the United States for the next few years. He received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director for his circus drama The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), which won both the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Drama. [235] DeMille was also known for his use of special effects without the use of digital technology. The cuts were sometimes rough, but the movies were always interesting. [136] During pre-production of Union Pacific, DeMille was dealing with his first serious health issue. [202] Another important aspect of DeMille's editing technique was to put the film away for a week or two after an initial edit in order to re-edit the picture with a fresh mind. [102] Many of his films featured scenes in two-color Technicolor. DeMille wanted to film in Canada; however, due to budget constraints, the film was instead shot in Oregon and Hollywood. Additionally, he often starred in prologues and special trailers that he created for his films, having an opportunity to personally address the audience. [173] After his death, notable news outlets such as The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Guardian honored DeMille as "pioneer of movies", "the greatest creator and showman of our industry", and "the founder of Hollywood". [245], Known as the father of the Hollywood motion picture industry, Cecil B. DeMille made 70 films including several box-office hits. He said he was rather against union leaders such as Walter Reuther and Harry Bridges whom he compared to dictators. She would die one year later. [23][note 2] DeMille's parents operated a private school in town and attended Christ Episcopal Church. However, the films of his silent era were often thematically different from the films of his sound era. DeMille frequently made cameos as himself in other Paramount films. imported from Wikimedia project. DeMille served as executive producer, overseeing producer Henry Wilcoxon. Mrs. DeMille's office and library opened to the music room. [30] DeMille attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (tuition-free due to his father's service to the Academy). Cecil Blount DeMille (/ s s l d m l /; August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor.Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films.He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cinema and the most commercially successful producer-director in film history.
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