Cecil B. DeMille

Lore & Background

Cecil B. DeMille was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, and raised in New York City. He began his career as a stage actor in 1900, later writing and directing stage plays, some with his older brother William de Mille and with Jesse L. Lasky. His first film, The Squaw Man (1914), was the first feature-length film shot in Hollywood and marked Hollywood as the new home of the U.S. film industry. Based on continued successes, he founded Famous Players-Lasky, later reverse merged into Paramount Pictures with Lasky and Adolph Zukor.

DeMille directed The King of Kings (1927), a biography of Jesus that reportedly reached an enormous audience, though precise historical viewership figures are unsubstantiated. The Sign of the Cross (1932) is said to be the first sound film to integrate all aspects of cinematic technique. Cleopatra (1934) was his first film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. His biblical epic Samson and Delilah (1949) became the highest-grossing film of 1950. He also directed films oriented toward 'neo-naturalism,' focusing on the laws of man fighting the forces of nature.

DeMille received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Director for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), which won Best Picture and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama. His 1956 remake of The Ten Commandments became his final and best-known film, also a Best Picture nominee, and is often cited among the highest-grossing films of all time when adjusted for inflation, though its exact ranking varies. He received an Academy Honorary Award, the Palme d'Or (posthumously) for Union Pacific (1939), a DGA Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. He was the first recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, named in his honor.

Reader's Guide

Cecil B. DeMille's significance lies in his role as a founding father of American cinema and his unparalleled commercial success as a producer-director. Between 1914 and 1958, he created 70 features, including silent and sound films, many dominating the box office. His first film, The Squaw Man (1914), was the first full-length feature shot in Hollywood, establishing the location as the center of the U.S. film industry. He founded Famous Players-Lasky, a precursor to Paramount Pictures. His biblical epics, such as The Ten Commandments (1923 and 1956) and Samson and Delilah (1949), set standards for epic scale and showmanship. The King of Kings (1927) reached over 800 million viewers. The Sign of the Cross (1932) is considered the first sound film to integrate all cinematic techniques. His legacy includes multiple awards: an Academy Honorary Award, the Palme d'Or, a DGA Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. The Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award was named for him. His work experienced a renaissance in the 2010s and has influenced numerous films and directors.

Did You Know?

• DeMille's first film, The Squaw Man (1914), was the first feature-length film shot in Hollywood.
• His 1923 version of The Ten Commandments held the Paramount revenue record for 25 years.
• The King of Kings (1927) reportedly reached an enormous audience, though specific viewership figures are unsubstantiated.
• DeMille was the first recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, named in his honor.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Motion pictures are the most important contribution to literature and art since the invention of fiction." — Cecil B. DeMille "Who can tell what the years of the future will bring to the art of the motion picture in view of the amazing progress of the past few years." — Cecil B. DeMille "Legend rides high with history, but truth follows a lonely trail. I've pursued verity from the museum at Cairo to the smoking tepees of the Cheyennes at Lame Deer, Montana." — Cecil B. DeMille "Actors are born, and every human being is born an actor." — Cecil B. DeMille