Cecil B. DeMille
Known for Directing · 51 credits
- Born
- 1881-08-12
- Died
- 1959-01-21
- Place of birth
- Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA
- Also known as
- Cecil Blount de Mille · Cecil Blount DeMille
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.
Known For
TV Shows (6)
Movies (45)
Sunset Boulevard
1950
as Cecil B. DeMille
The Ten Commandments
1956
as Narrator (uncredited)
Samson and Delilah
1949
as Narrator (uncredited)
The Greatest Show on Earth
1952
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age
2021
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Reap the Wild Wind
1942
as Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited)
Unconquered
1947
as Self - Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
North West Mounted Police
1940
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Hail Satan?
2019
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
The Buccaneer
1958
as Presenter of Prologue
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
2007
as Self (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Story of Dr. Wassell
1944
as Voice of Narrator (uncredited)
Madam Satan
1930
as Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited)
Variety Girl
1947
as Cecil B. DeMille
Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic
2019
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Hollywood
1923
as Cecil B. DeMille
Son of Paleface
1952
as Photographer (uncredited)
Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary
1945
as Self
Estrellados
1930
as Self (Guest Appearance)
The Circus: Premiere
1928
as Self
The Buster Keaton Story
1957
as Cecil B. DeMille
Star Spangled Rhythm
1942
as Cecil B. DeMille
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
2012
as Self (archive footage)
The Making of The Ten Commandments
2003
as Self
Hooray for Hollywood
1976
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood on Parade No. B-5
1933
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
1942
as Self
The Squaw Man
1914
as Faro Dealer
Free and Easy
1930
as Director Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
The Casting Couch
1995
Yul Brynner, the Magnificent
2020
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle II
2020
as Self
A Trip to Paramountown
1922
as Self
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Extra Girl
1935
as Cecil B. DeMille
Showbiz Ballyhoo
1982
as Self (archive footage)
The Fallbrook Story
1952
as Self, Introduction
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille
2016
as Self
Jens Mons in America
1947
as Self (uncredited)
The Hollywood You Never See
1934
as Self
The Movies March On
1939
as Self (archive footage)
Life in Hollywood No. 1
1927
as Self
About Cecil B. DeMille
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… With 51 credits spanning from 1914 to 2022, Cecil B. DeMille has appeared in 45 films and 6 TV shows.
Fans searching for Cecil B. DeMille movies, Cecil B. DeMille filmography, or the latest projects starring Cecil B. DeMille can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Cecil B. DeMille Movies
- Sunset Boulevard (1950) — as Cecil B. DeMille
- The Ten Commandments (1956) — as Narrator (uncredited)
- Samson and Delilah (1949) — as Narrator (uncredited)
- The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) — as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age (2021) — as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Where to Watch Cecil B. DeMille Films
Most Cecil B. DeMille movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Cecil B. DeMille, check our movies catalogue and browse page.