Cecil B. DeMille · Queuebrick

Cecil B. DeMille

Directing·Aug 12, 1881·Ashfield, États-Unis

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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.

Academy Awards®1953
- Best Picture
  The Greatest Show on Earth

Film	Credit
The Ten Commandments1956 · Narrator (uncredited), Director, Producer	Narrator (uncredited), Director, Producer
The Greatest Show on Earth1952 · Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer	Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer
Samson and Delilah1949 · Narrator (uncredited), Director, Producer	Narrator (uncredited), Director, Producer
Unconquered1947 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Story of Dr. Wassell1944 · Voice of Narrator (uncredited), Director, Producer	Voice of Narrator (uncredited), Director, Producer
Reap the Wild Wind1942 · Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer	Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer
North West Mounted Police1940 · Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer	Narrator (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer
Union Pacific1939 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Buccaneer1938 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Plainsman1936 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Crusades1935 · Director	Director
Cleopatra1934 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Four Frightened People1934 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
This Day and Age1933 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Sign of the Cross1932 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Squaw Man1931 · Director	Director
Madam Satan1930 · Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer	Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited), Director, Producer
Dynamite1929 · Director	Director
The Godless Girl1928 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The King of Kings1927 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Volga Boatman1926 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Road to Yesterday1925 · Director	Director
The Golden Bed1925 · Director	Director
Feet of Clay1924 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Triumph1924 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
The Ten Commandments1923 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Adam's Rib1923 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Manslaughter1922 · Director	Director
Saturday Night1922 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Fool's Paradise1921 · Director	Director
The Affairs of Anatol1921 · Director	Director
Forbidden Fruit1921 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
TThe Affairs of Anatol - Promo Reel1921 · As himself, Director	As himself, Director
Something to Think About1920 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Why Change Your Wife?1920 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Male and Female1919 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
For Better, for Worse1919 · Director	Director
Don't Change Your Husband1919 · Director	Director
The Squaw Man1918 · Director	Director
Till I Come Back to You1918 · Director	Director
We Can't Have Everything1918 · Director	Director
Old Wives for New1918 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Whispering Chorus1918 · Director	Director
The Devil Stone1917 · Director	Director
Nan of Music Mountain1917 · Director	Director
The Woman God Forgot1917 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Little American1917 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
A Romance of the Redwoods1917 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
Joan the Woman1916 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Dream Girl1916 · Director	Director
Maria Rosa1916 · Director	Director
The Heart of Nora Flynn1916 · Director	Director
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine1916 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Golden Chance1915 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Temptation1915 · Director	Director
The Cheat1915 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Chimmie Fadden Out West1915 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
Carmen1915 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
KKindling1915 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
Chimmie Fadden1915 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
The Arab1915 · Producer, Director, Writer	Producer, Director, Writer
The Wild Goose Chase1915 · Director	Director
The Captive1915 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
The Unafraid1915 · Director	Director
The Warrens of Virginia1915 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
After Five1915 · Director	Director
The Girl of the Golden West1915 · Director, Producer, Writer	Director, Producer, Writer
The Ghost Breaker1914 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
The Rose of the Rancho1914 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
The Man From Home1914 · Director, Writer, Producer	Director, Writer, Producer
What's His Name1914 · Director, Producer, Writer	Director, Producer, Writer
The Virginian1914 · Director	Director
The Call of the North1914 · Director	Director
TThe Man on the Box1914 · Director	Director
The Only Son1914 · Director	Director
The Master Mind1914 · Director	Director
Brewster's Millions1914 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Squaw Man1914 · Faro Dealer, Producer, Director, Writer	Faro Dealer, Producer, Director, Writer