[259] He cultivated the image of the omnipotent director,[260] complete with megaphone, riding crop, and jodhpurs. [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. However, his final films maintained that DeMille was still respected by his audiences. Cecil B. DeMille, in full Cecil Blount DeMille, (born August 12, 1881, Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.died January 21, 1959, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California), American motion-picture producer-director whose use of spectacle attracted vast audiences and made him a dominant figure in Hollywood for almost five decades. [304] Additionally, in 1958, he received an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Temple University. [263] Joseph Henabery recalled that DeMille looked like "a king on a throne surrounded by his court" while directing films on a camera platform. DeMille's film The Affairs of Anatol came under fire. [188][189] DeMille recalled that one of the most influential plays he saw was Hamlet, directed by Sothern. William deMille reluctantly became a story editor. Cecil Blount DeMille. DeMille, Cecil B. But they have inspired cutting edge directors including Stephen Spielberg and Martin Scorcese. The play was successful, and DeMille was distraught that his childhood idol had plagiarized his work. [7] His brother, William C. DeMille, was born on July 25, 1878. . Hayne, Autobiography of Cecil B. DeMille, 433-34. Immediate Family: Biological son of Gus Gonzales and Ada Piper. [49] DeMille had a daughter, Cecilia, on November 5, 1908, who would be his only biological child. [139] DeMille was anti-communist and abandoned a project in 1940 to film Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls due to its communist themes despite the fact he had already paid $100,000 for the rights to the novel. [50], DeMille was poor and struggled to find work. [317], Two of DeMille's films have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress: The Cheat (1915) and The Ten Commandments (1956). DeMille claimed that MacPherson was not a good writer, but she received credit in his films because she gave him many ideas for the screenplays. 1. Cecil Blount DeMille (/ssl dml/; August 12, 1881 January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. [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 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. The continued success of his productions led to the founding of Paramount Pictures with Lasky and Adolph Zukor. Many of these displays were thought to be staged, however, as an exercise in discipline. Early Life 1. Oscars 1950 - Honorary Award. [109] Six of DeMille's filmsThe Arab, The Wild Goose Chase, The Dream Girl, The Devil-Stone, We Can't Have Everything, and The Squaw Man (1918)were destroyed due to nitrate decomposition, and are considered lost. [45] His 1905 performance in The Prince Chap as the Earl of Huntington was well received by audiences. [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. Work period (start) 1899; Work period (end) 1959; Country of citizenship: [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. DeMille adored the art of Groesbeck, even hanging it above his fireplace, but film staff found it difficult to convert his art into three-dimensional sets. A lasting memory for DeMille was a lunch with his father and actor Edwin Booth. However, he did take a few months to set up a movie theater for the French front. [172], DeMille received two Academy Awards: an Honorary Award for "37 years of brilliant showmanship" in 1950[313] and a Best Picture award in 1953 for The Greatest Show on Earth. Male. 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. [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. He directed 70 feature films, beginning in the silent era . Martin Scorsese cited Unconquered, Samson and Delilah, and The Greatest Show on Earth as DeMille films that have imparted lasting memories on him. [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". The Enigmatic Pop Culture Professional. [278] As one of the establishing members of Paramount Pictures and co-founder of Hollywood, DeMille had a role in the development of the film industry. DeMille lent Roosevelt a car for his campaign for the 1932 United States presidential election and voted for him. [124] DeMille followed this epic uncharacteristically with two dramas released in 1933 and 1934. [166] [note 11], Due to his frequent heart attacks, DeMille asked his son-in-law, actor Anthony Quinn, to direct a remake of his 1938 film The Buccaneer. He called this place, "Paradise", declaring it a wildlife sanctuary; no shooting of animals was allowed besides snakes. [181] Henry was heavily influenced by the work of Charles Kingsley whose ideas trickled down to DeMille. [273], As a filmmaker, DeMille was the aesthetic inspiration of many directors and films due to his early influence during the crucial development of the film industry. "[267] Salvador Dal wrote that DeMille, Walt Disney and the Marx Brothers were "the three great American Surrealists". [209][note 13], DeMille was known for autocratic behavior on the set, singling out and berating extras who were not paying attention. [63] The Lasky Company wanted to attract high-class audiences to their films so they began producing films from literary works. [138] Audiences liked its highly saturated color, so DeMille made no further black-and-white features. DeMille asked David Niven to star in the film, but it was never made. He then appealed to the California Supreme Court and lost again. [84] Throughout his career, DeMille would frequently remake his own films. [102] Many of his films featured scenes in two-color Technicolor. Birthplace: Laramie, Albany County, Wyoming, United States. [73] There were problems; however, with the perforation of the film stock and it was discovered the DeMille had brought a cheap British film perforator which had punched in sixty-five holes per foot instead of the industry-standard of sixty-four. The picture of her husband was taken in 1916, the year they bought the house, when he was 35 and an increasingly active and . Cecil B. Demille papers (English) type of reference. We should get down on our knees to Cecil and say "Thank you! He related a story that he maintained his self-control when Gloria Swanson sat on his lap, refusing to touch her. [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. [229] He began the production of epics earlier in his career until they began to solidify his career in the 1920s. [247] Adjusted for inflation, DeMille's remake of The Ten Commandments is the eighth highest-grossing film in the world. DeMille made a 1905 reprise in Hamlet as Osric. The film was considered a "masterpiece" and surpassed the quality of other sound films of the time. 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. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies. DeMille discovered the possibilities of the "bathroom" or "boudoir" in film without being "vulgar" or "cheap". [15], DeMille was a brave and confident child. His last and best known film, The Ten Commandments (1956), also a Best Picture Academy Award nominee, is currently the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time, adjusted for inflation. Barbara Stanwyck. [29] He fled the school to join the SpanishAmerican War, but failed to meet the age requirement. He began his career as a stage actor in 1900. According to Richard Birchard, DeMille's weakened state during production may have led to the film being received as uncharacteristically substandard. Cecil B. DeMille's final film, another version of The Ten Commandments , is his most widely seen work, thanks to Easter-time television programming, but it is not one of his most respected. [207], DeMille made stars of unknown actors: Gloria Swanson, Bebe Daniels, Rod La Rocque, William Boyd, Claudette Colbert, and Charlton Heston. Stills. 77. Julia was born in Richmond, Virginia, of French-American parentage. 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 . Adams allowed DeMille to have several long term mistresses during their marriage as an outlet, while maintaining an outward appearance of a faithful marriage. Consequently, his mother hired him for her agency The DeMille Play Company and taught him how to be an agent and a playwright. He consistently was criticized for producing shallow films without talent or artistic care. cause of death. [80] The first few years of the Lasky Company were spent in making films nonstop, literally writing the language of film. [218][219] DeMille cast some of his performers repeatedly, including: Henry Wilcoxon,[220] Julia Faye, Joseph Schildkraut,[221] Ian Keith,[222] Charles Bickford,[223] Theodore Roberts, Akim Tamiroff[224] and William Boyd. Find out about Cecil B DeMille's family tree, family history, ancestry, ancestors, genealogy, relationships and affairs! Zukor became president with Lasky as the vice president. [207] Costume designer Dorothy Jeakins, who worked with DeMille on The Ten Commandments (1956), said that he was skilled in humiliating people. Produced in eight weeks without exceeding budget, the film was financially successful. He adapted several of Belasco's screenplays into film. [28] This was the first of few film collaborations with his brother William. Recent images. [255], Publicly Episcopalian, DeMille drew on his Christian and Jewish ancestors to convey a message of tolerance. 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. Movie posters. Still, it was a huge success at the box office. Cecil Blount DeMille[note 1] was born on August 12, 1881, in a boarding house on Main Street in Ashfield, Massachusetts, where his parents had been vacationing for the summer. [137] Following his surgery and the success of Union Pacific, in 1940, DeMille first used three-strip Technicolor in North West Mounted Police. [208] DeMille had an authoritarian persona on set; he required absolute attention from the cast and crew. Despite its quick turnaround, the film was fairly successful. Famous Players-Lasky donated the 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. To provide for her family, she opened the Henry C. DeMille School for Girls in her home in February 1893. Although he is one of the most commercially successful film directors of all time, Cecil B. DeMille has for a long time been considered at best a director of . [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. [42] DeMille would later adapt Belasco's The Girl of the Golden West, Rose of the Rancho, and The Warrens of Virginia into films. DeMille liked to sail and dive; he had several boats throughout his lifetime. [citation needed] He was known as anti-union and worked to prevent unionizing of film production studios. Name in native language: Cecil Blount DeMille: Date of birth: 12 August 1881 Ashfield: Date of death: 21 January 1959 Hollywood: Cause of death: heart failure; Place of burial: Hollywood Forever Cemetery; Pseudonym: C.B. Covers. [5] On September 1, 1881, the family returned with the newborn DeMille to their flat in New York. He produced many flops. [272] DeMille's reputation had a renaissance in the 2010s. Its interracial love story made it commercially successful and it first publicized Hollywood as the home of the U.S. film industry. [298][299], DeMille's legacy is maintained by his granddaughter Cecilia DeMille Presley who serves as the president of the Cecil B. DeMille Foundation, which strives to support higher education, child welfare, and film in Southern California. However, his earlier films The Captive, Kindling, Carmen, and The Whispering Chorus are more serious films. [309][310][note 17] For his contribution to the motion picture and radio industry, DeMille has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cecil Blount DeMille was a legendary. [205], Composer Elmer Bernstein described DeMille as "sparing no effort" when filmmaking. Compared to other directors, few film scholars have taken the time to academically analyze his films and style. [293] Two schools have been named after him: Cecil B. DeMille Middle School, in Long Beach, California, which was closed and demolished in 2010 to make way for a new high school;[294] and Cecil B. DeMille Elementary School in Midway City, California. [251] Director Ridley Scott has been called "the Cecil B. DeMille of the digital era" due to his classical and medieval epics. [159] The Ten Commandments, released in 1956, was DeMille's final film. [292], In summer 2019, The Friends of the Pompton Lakes Library hosted a Cecil B DeMille film festival to celebrate DeMille's achievements and connection to Pompton Lakes. According to director of photography Janusz Kaminski, Steven Spielberg's earliest home movies still exist, and were consulted for the scene in "The Fabelmans" in which young Sammy Fabelman recreates a train crash scene from Cecil B. DeMille's 1952 film "The Greatest Show on Earth." "We've watched them before, but they are a little too primitive [] Red carpet photos. Cecil B. DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 and died in 2000 De Mille Drive, Hollywood, California due to Heart failure due to a series of heart attacks on January 21, 1959. . DeMille's return was approved by Zukor under the condition that DeMille not exceed his production budget of $650,000 for The Sign of the Cross. Cecil Blount deMille, 12 th August 1881, Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA. Jeakins admitted that she received quality training from him, but that it was necessary to become a perfectionist on a DeMille set to avoid being fired. After Henry DeMille's death at age 40, Cecil's mother, Beatrice, ran a well-known boarding school for girls in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. He is from USA. DeMille served as executive producer, overseeing producer Henry Wilcoxon. View the latest Cecil B. DeMille photos. Groesbeck's art was circulated on set to give actors and crew members a better understanding of DeMille's vision. [109] Western and frontier American were also themes that DeMille returned to throughout his career. DeMille was painstakingly attentive to details on set and was as critical of himself as he was of his crew. His most notable works include The Ten Commandments -1923, The Sign of the Cross-1932 and Cleopatra-1934.Cleopatra earned him credits as it was the first film that was listed among the nominees for an Academy Award.. [140][note 8] While concurrently filmmaking, he served in World War II at the age of sixty as his neighborhood air-raid warden. U.S. State: Massachusetts. Cause of Death: Heart failure due to a series of heart attacks. . His poor physical condition upon his return home affected the production of his 1922 film Manslaughter.
cecil b demille cause of death
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