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We have estimated Cecil B. DeMille's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets. [20] John Philip Sousa was a friend of the family, and DeMille recalled throwing mud balls in the air so neighbor Annie Oakley could practice her shooting. Cecil B. DeMille's trademark films were Biblical and historical dramas, usually told in sweeping, big-budget scale, emblematic of overwrought Hollywood hugeness. [137] Following his surgery and the success of Union Pacific, in 1940, DeMille first used three-strip Technicolor in North West Mounted Police. Consequently, his mother hired him for her agency The DeMille Play Company and taught him how to be an agent and a playwright. However, he would never again vote for a Democratic candidate in a presidential election. Oscars 1950 - Honorary Award. Pioneering film director. [38], In 1902, he played a small part in Hamlet. [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". His tentative plan was to shoot a film in Arizona, but he felt that Arizona did not typify the Western look they were searching for. But they have inspired cutting edge directors including Stephen Spielberg and Martin Scorcese. [66] With no knowledge of filmmaking, DeMille was introduced to observe the process at film studios. [159] The Ten Commandments, released in 1956, was DeMille's final film. [232] In the early age of cinema, DeMille differentiated the Lasky Company from other production companies due to the use of dramatic, low-key lighting they called "Lasky lighting" and marketed as "Rembrandt lighting" to appeal to the public. His other well known films include The Sign of the Cross (1932), Cleopatra (1934), Samson and Delilah [] To provide for her family, she opened the Henry C. DeMille School for Girls in her home in February 1893. Still, the members unanimously approved it. The October 2002 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine saluted Paramount's ninetieth Anniversary by writing: "Somewhere Cecil B. DeMille is smiling.". [90], During World War I, the Famous Players-Lasky organized a military company underneath the National Guard called the Home Guard made up of film studio employees with DeMille as captain. [72] DeMille's next project was to aid Oscar Apfel and directing Brewster's Millions, which was wildly successful. Memoir of DeMille titled 'The Autobiography of Cecil B. DeMille' was published in 1959. She would die one year later. His family's, DeMille's niece and William deMille's daughter. Farnum chose $250 per week. [255] Andrew Sarris, a leading proponent of the auteur theory, ranked DeMille highly as an auteur in the "Far Side of Paradise", just below the "Pantheon". [39] Another unperformed play he wrote was Son of the Winds, a mythological Native American story. DeMille traveled abroad to find employment until he was offered a deal at Paramount. View Bio. (Cecil Blount De Mille o DeMille; Ashfield, 1881 - Hollywood, 1959) Productor y director de cine estadounidense recordado especialmente por sus superproducciones de epopeyas histricas y religiosas. Considered one of the founders of Hollywood, film producer and director Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959) earned a place in moviemaking history with such religious epic films as The Ten Commandmentsand King of Kings.. Cleopatra (1934) was his first film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. [163], On November 7, 1954, while in Egypt filming the Exodus sequence for The Ten Commandments, DeMille (who was seventy-three) climbed a 107-foot (33m) ladder to the top of the massive Per Rameses set and suffered a serious heart attack. Ben Gabbe/Getty. He was a Freemason who remained a member of Prince of Orange Lodge #16 in New York . He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cinema and the most commercially successful producer-director in film history. The other three children were surprised by this, as DeMille did not treat the children differently in life. [30] DeMille attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (tuition-free due to his father's service to the Academy). [138] Despite the criticism, it was Paramount's highest-grossing film of the year. [149][150] DeMille signed a contract with Prentice Hall publishers in August 1953 to publish an autobiography. Moreover, DeMille's epics inspired directors such as Howard Hawks, Nicholas Ray, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and George Stevens to try producing epics. He said he was rather against union leaders such as Walter Reuther and Harry Bridges whom he compared to dictators. [297] The title of the 2000 John Waters film Cecil B. Demented alludes to DeMille. [32] From 1904 to 1905, DeMille attempted to make a living as a stock theatre actor with his wife Constance. [248], According to Sam Goldwyn, critics did not like DeMille's films, but the audiences did and "they have the final word". [126] DeMille was a conservative Republican activist, becoming more conservative as he aged. [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. The legendary producer-director Cecil B. DeMille was a master of the American biblical epic who shaped the public's perceptions of Judeo-Christianity in his role as Hollywood's Sunday school teacher. He appeared in eleven of the fifteen plays presented that season, although all were minor roles. Its interracial love story made it commercially successful and it first publicized Hollywood as the home of the U.S. film industry. He directed 70 feature films, beginning in the silent era . [43] DeMille was credited with creating the premise of Belasco's The Return of Peter Grimm. [42] DeMille would later adapt Belasco's The Girl of the Golden West, Rose of the Rancho, and The Warrens of Virginia into films. Eventually, he became manager of the agency and later, a junior partner with his mother. Just two years before his death, and shortly after the release of his last film, The Ten Commandments, he delivered a commencement address at Brigham Young University. DeMille used clips from his own films in Land of Liberty. 77. However, his earlier films The Captive, Kindling, Carmen, and The Whispering Chorus are more serious films. [255] Consequently, the name "DeMille" has become synonymous with filmmaking. [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. [283] In response to the claims, DeMille donated some of the profits from The King of Kings to charity. [245], Known as the father of the Hollywood motion picture industry, Cecil B. DeMille made 70 films including several box-office hits. Mini Bio (1) Julia Faye's career is inextricably linked to director Cecil B. DeMille. [51] In 1911, DeMille became acquainted with vaudeville producer Jesse Lasky when Lasky was searching for a writer for his new musical. Right here at FameChain. [182] DeMille noted that his mother had a "high sense of the dramatic" and was determined to continue the artistic legacy of her husband after he died. [185] Similar to Belasco, DeMille's theatre was revolved around entertainment, rather than artistry. [296] During the Apollo 11 mission, Buzz Aldrin refers to himself in one instance as "Cecil B. DeAldrin", as a humorous nod to DeMille. [138] Audiences liked its highly saturated color, so DeMille made no further black-and-white features. Self - Actor, The F.B.I. [140][note 8] While concurrently filmmaking, he served in World War II at the age of sixty as his neighborhood air-raid warden. [169] DeMille attended the Santa Barbara premiere of The Buccaneer in December 1958. [252], Despite his box-office success, awards, and artistic achievements, DeMille has been dismissed and ignored by critics both during his life and posthumously. But he put on pictures that made a fortune. Early life [ edit ] Born in Orange, New Jersey , [1] DeMille was the daughter of Judge Fredrick Adams, [2] New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals, [1] and Ella Adams, his first wife. [120] After his contract ended at MGM, he left, but no production studios would hire him. Eddie Murphy is going to the Golden Globes. View the latest Cecil B. DeMille photos. After more than thirty years in film production, DeMille reached a pinnacle in his career with Samson and Delilah (1949), a biblical epic which became the highest-grossing film of 1950. With his editor, Anne Bauchens, DeMille used editing techniques to allow the visual images to bring the plot to climax rather than dialogue. [225][226] DeMille was credited by actor Edward G. Robinson with saving his career following his eclipse in the Hollywood blacklist. Finally, he would leave the script with artists and allow them to create artistic depictions and renderings of each scene. [180] and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Golden Globes 1953 - Best Director and Best . Covers. According to Richard Birchard, DeMille's weakened state during production may have led to the film being received as uncharacteristically substandard. 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. [82] Additionally, because of DeMille's cordiality after the Peter Grimm incident, DeMille was able to rekindle his partnership with Belasco. He was the first recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, which was named in his honor. He produced or directed about 80 movies - including The Ten Commandments (1956), a movie in the 'epic' genre for which he is probably best known today. [146][note 10] DeMille's subsequent film Unconquered (1947) had the longest running time (146 minutes), longest filming schedule (102 days) and largest budget of $5million. Cecil B. DeMille, of course, is the legendary filmmaker, director of The Ten Commandments, The King of Kings, Cleopatra, Samson & Delilah, The Greatest Show on Earth, and many more excellent and timeless films. [249] Similarly, scholar David Blanke, argued that DeMille had lost the respect of his colleagues and film critics by his late film career. Cecil B. DeMille Born: 1881-08-12, Ashfield, Massachusetts, USA Education: NY Academy of Dramatic Arts Ethnicity: Caucasian Death Date:-0001-11-30 . The longest-living Oscar winner is a recipient of the Golden Globes' prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award, which he was awarded in 1977, and he received the Producers Guild of America's Lifetime . 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 B. DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 and died on January 21, 1959. [172] DeMille's funeral was held on January 23 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. [154] In 1954, Secretary of the Air Force Harold E. Talbott asked DeMille for help in designing the cadet uniforms at the newly established United States Air Force Academy. [187] E.H. Sothern's early influence on DeMille's work can be seen in DeMille's perfectionism. [28] On Henry DeMille's deathbed, he told his wife that he did not want his sons to become playwrights. 16 references. The cuts were sometimes rough, but the movies were always interesting. 22. View the most popular Cecil B. DeMille pix. [318], Cecil B. DeMille made 70 features. Media in category "Cecil B. DeMille" The following 53 files are in this category, out of 53 total. He would speak to the entire set, sometimes enormous with countless numbers of crew members and extras, via a microphone to maintain control of the set. [48] DeMille wrote another play originally called Sergeant Devil May Care which was renamed The Royal Mounted. This was the first feature-length film made in Hollywood. Unlike the other children the DeMille's adopted, John was never told about his birth parents. Recent images. Cecil Blount DeMille was a legendary. [231][note 14] The Ten Commandments inspired DreamWorks Animation's later film about Moses, The Prince of Egypt. DeMille would stick to his large-budget spectaculars for the rest of his career. [citation needed] He was known as anti-union and worked to prevent unionizing of film production studios. DeMille purchased the home in 1916 for $27,893 (Yes, five digits) and lived there with his family until his death in 1959. However, DeMille's second remake at MGM in 1931 would be a failure. [17] As a child, DeMille created an alter-ego, Champion Driver, a Robin Hood-like character, evidence of his creativity and imagination. 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. [16] He gained his love of theater while watching his father and Belasco rehearse their plays. He claimed he abandoned the project in order to complete a different project, but in reality, it was to preserve his reputation and avoid appearing reactionary. It opened on December 13, 1985, and features some of DeMille's personal artifacts. DeMille's mother sent him to Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University) in Chester, Pennsylvania, at age 15. DeMille's designs, most notably his design of the distinctive cadet parade uniform, won praise from Air Force and Academy leadership, were ultimately adopted, and are still worn by cadets. [125], Cecil B. DeMille was outspoken about his strong Episcopalian integrity but his private life included mistresses and adultery. He suffered from a post-surgery infection from which he nearly did not recover, citing streptomycin as his saving grace. Hot! DeMille's film The Affairs of Anatol came under fire. More Facts. [124] DeMille followed this epic uncharacteristically with two dramas released in 1933 and 1934. [34], They were sexually incompatible; according to DeMille, Adams was too "pure" to "feel such violent and evil passions. Cecil B. DeMille didn't make the kind of movies that wind up in French film festivals. . He was confined to bed and unable to eat. [187] DeMille's films Male and Female, Why Change Your Wife?, and The Affairs of Anatol can be retrospectively described as high camp and are categorized as "early DeMille films" due to their particular style of production and costume and set design. "A dreadful showoff. Perhaps Cecil B. DeMille is more responsible for this than are today's preachers.' 13. Date of death: 21 January 1959 Hollywood: Cause of death: heart failure; Place of burial: Hollywood Forever Cemetery; Pseudonym: C.B. While visually appealing, this made the films appear more old-fashioned. 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. They also learned that other filmmakers were successfully shooting in Los Angeles, even in winter. heart failure. date of death. Age at Death: 77. [256] Meanwhile, Sumiko Higashi sees DeMille as "not only a figure who was shaped and influenced by the forces of his era but as a filmmaker who left his own signature on the culture industry. [212] Paulette Goddard's refusal to risk personal injury in a scene involving fire in Unconquered cost her DeMille's favor and a role in The Greatest Show on Earth. However, others interpreted DeMille's work as visually impressive, thrilling, and nostalgic. Henry, a . Biography. He went before the Paramount board of directors, which was mostly Jewish-American. [134] William Keighley was his replacement. Frequent actors and actresses on the show included Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Loretta Young, Don Ameche, and Fred MacMurray. The Ten Commandments gave the director a chance to play God, to film miracles. Sarris added that despite the influence of styles of contemporary directors throughout his career, DeMille's style remained unchanged. Beatrice was intelligent, educated, forthright, and strong-willed. [202] DeMille was unique in using this technique. [193], DeMille rarely gave direction to actors; he preferred to "office-direct" where he would work with actors in his office, going over characters and reading through scripts. His daughter Cecilia took over as director as DeMille sat behind the camera with Loyal Griggs as the cinematographer. [14], DeMille's parents met as members of a music and literary society in New York. [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. [68] He continued to Los Angeles. Film Director. He had a band of assistants who catered to his needs. [187] DeMille produced the majority of his films before the 1930s, and by the time sound films were invented, film critics saw DeMille as antiquated, with his best filmmaking years behind him. 21 January 1959. DeMille frequently made cameos as himself in other Paramount films. [209][note 13], DeMille was known for autocratic behavior on the set, singling out and berating extras who were not paying attention. Occupations. DeMille did not like the first draft of the biography, saying that he thought the person portrayed in the biography was an "SOB"; he said it made him sound too egotistical. He worked with visual technicians, editors, art directors, costume designers, cinematographers, and set carpenters in order to perfect the visual aspects of his films. [31] In 1901, DeMille starred in productions of A Repentance, To Have and to Hold, and Are You a Mason? Cause of Death: Heart failure. Still, it was a huge success at the box office. In the 1950s, Paramount sold its entire pre-1948 film library, including those of DeMille, to, The set was discovered by Peter Brosnan after hearing a rumor in 1982 that DeMille had ordered the enormous set to be buried after filming rather than taken away. [203], DeMille often edited in a manner that favored psychological space rather than physical space through his cuts. Biographer Scott Eyman suggested that this may have been a result of Adams's recent miscarriage. [300] In 1963, the Cecil B. DeMille Foundation donated the "Paradise" ranch to the Hathaway Foundation, which cares for emotionally disturbed and abused children. - Death and the Maiden (1973) . education: American Academy Of Dramatic Arts, Pennsylvania Military College. It was produced with a large budget and contained many special effects including an electronically operated giant squid. 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. [100] Consequently, Beatrice deMille introduced the Famous Players-Lasky to Wilfred Buckland, who DeMille had known from his time at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and he became DeMille's art director. [109] Considered at the time to be the most successful Christian film of the silent era, DeMille calculated that it had been viewed over 800 million times around the world. Cecil Blount DeMille. The school closed, and Beatrice filed for bankruptcy. He volunteered for the Intelligence Office during World War II as well. [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. September 17, 1914. [181] Henry was heavily influenced by the work of Charles Kingsley whose ideas trickled down to DeMille. Born in 1881, DeMille made his directorial debut with "The Squaw Man" (1914), a story he remade in 1918 and 1931 . 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 . After reading the screenplay, Daniel A. Lord warned DeMille that Catholics would find the film too irreverent, while non-Catholics would have considered the film Catholic propaganda. that DeMille found his greatest inspiration. List of the best Cecil B. DeMille movies: The Ten Commandments(1956), The Godless Girl(1929), The Golden Bed(1925), Union Pacific(1939), Unconquered(1947), Male and Female(1919), The Plainsman(1936), The Whispering Chorus(1918), The Ten Commandments(1923), Samson and Delilah(1949), The Story of Dr. Wassell(1944), Reap the Wild Wind(1942 . [55][56] However, changes in the theater rendered DeMille's melodramas obsolete before they were produced, and true theatrical success eluded him. Despite the urging of his associate producer, DeMille wanted to return to the set right away. Alternative names DeMille, Cecil Blount Short description Film director: Date of birth August 12, 1881 Place of birth He is particularly remembered for his 1956 film "The Ten Commandments", but made over 70 films throughout his long career. DeMille wanted to film in Canada; however, due to budget constraints, the film was instead shot in Oregon and Hollywood. Recommended For You. Belasco was known for adding realistic elements in his plays such as real flowers, food, and aromas that could transport his audiences into the scenes. However, throughout his career, he filmed comedies, periodic and contemporary romances, dramas, fantasies, propaganda, Biblical spectacles, musical comedies, suspense, and war films. DeMille directed The King of Kings (1927), a biography of Jesus, which gained approval for its sensitivity and reached more than 800million viewers. [160] Production of The Ten Commandments began in October 1954. [195] DeMille was adept at directing "thousands of extras",[113] and many of his pictures include spectacular set pieces: the toppling of the pagan temple in Samson and Delilah;[196] train wrecks in The Road to Yesterday,[197] Union Pacific[198] and The Greatest Show on Earth;[199] the destruction of an airship in Madam Satan;[200] and the parting of the Red Sea in both versions of The Ten Commandments. DeMille's trademark scenes included bathtubs, lion attacks, and Roman orgies. DeMille told the actor that he was "one hundred percent yellow". [60] As director-general, DeMille's job was to make the films. "[35] DeMille had more violent sexual preferences and fetishes than his wife. Additionally, during the war, DeMille volunteered for the Justice Department's Intelligence Office, investigating friends, neighbors, and others he came in contact with in connection with the Famous Players-Lasky. While he is known as DeMille (his nom d'oeuvre), his family name was Dutch and is usually spelled "de Mil". [284] Although many of DeMille's films are available on DVD and Blu-ray release, only 20 of his silent films are commercially available on DVD [285][note 15], The original Lasky-DeMille Barn in which The Squaw Man was filmed was converted into a museum named the "Hollywood Heritage Museum". [93] [note 5] In 1922, the couple adopted Richard deMille. She later became the second female play broker on Broadway. [188][189] DeMille recalled that one of the most influential plays he saw was Hamlet, directed by Sothern. Additionally, DeMille's epics such as The Crusades influenced Sergei Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky. 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. In this way, the characters' thoughts and desires are the visual focus rather than the circumstances regarding the physical scene. The legendary comedian, 61, has been confirmed to receive one of the night's highest honors, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, given as a way to honor "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment," per the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. We should get down on our knees to Cecil and say "Thank you! [215][216][217] He also cast established stars such as Gary Cooper, Robert Preston, Paulette Goddard and Fredric March in multiple pictures. [247] Adjusted for inflation, DeMille's remake of The Ten Commandments is the eighth highest-grossing film in the world. In addition to his use of volatile and abrupt film editing, his lighting and composition were innovative for the time period as filmmakers were primarily concerned with a clear, realistic image. He was an active Freemason and member of Prince of Orange Lodge #16 in New York City.[1]. [236][189][237], Aside from his Biblical and historical epics which are concerned with how man relates to God, some of DeMille's films contained themes of "neo-naturalism" which portray the conflict between the laws of man and the laws of nature. [316] DeMille's Union Pacific received a Palme d'Or in retrospect at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Instead of portraying the danger and anarchy of the West, he portrayed the opportunity and redemption found in Western America. [119] These three films, Dynamite, Madame Satan, and his 1931 remake of The Squaw Man were both critically and financially unsuccessful. [22] Agnes would die on February 11, 1894, at the age of three from spinal meningitis. [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. . 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. [84] Goldwyn was later fired from Famous Players-Lasky due to frequent clashes with Lasky, DeMille, and finally Zukor. He graduated in 1900, and for graduation, his performance was the play The Arcady Trail. His first several films were westerns and he produced a chain of westerns during the sound era. 10 June 2021. His wife did not like Paradise, so DeMille often brought his mistresses there with him including actress Julia Faye. This is the earliest of DeMille's films available in a quality, color-tinted video format. Though the film was not high-grossing, it was well-received and DeMille was asked to shorten its running time to allow for more showings per day. [160] A unique practice at the time, DeMille offered ten percent of his profit to the crew. The film was produced on a large budget of $600,000, the most expensive production at Paramount. 1956 theater brochure [206] Bernstein recalled that DeMille would scream, yell, or flatter, whatever it took to achieve the perfection he required in his films. Credits. However, Sam Goldwyn realized that if they called it "Rembrandt" lighting, the audience would pay double the price. Constance Adams DeMille (April 27, 1873 July 17, 1960) actress and wife of filmmaker Cecil Blount DeMille. [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. They screened four of his films at Christ Church, where DeMille and his family attended church when they lived there. He debuted as an actor on February 21, 1900, in the play Hearts Are Trumps at New York's Garden Theater. [143] [note 9] In 1938, DeMille supervised the compilation of film Land of Liberty to represent the contribution of the American film industry to the 1939 New York World's Fair. . The King of Kings (1927) The first real film about Jesus Christ, this one also set up the template by which all others would be measured until 1988. He related a story that he maintained his self-control when Gloria Swanson sat on his lap, refusing to touch her. [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. They were even required to expand to RKO sound studios for filming. Read More Having emerged as a potent force during the birth of Hollywood, director Cecil B. DeMille was a crucial figure in the early development of the classic Hollywood narrative filmmaking style. However, this version is actually a 1918 re-release. The Union Pacific gave DeMille access to historical data, early period trains, and expert crews, adding to the authenticity of the film. Male. Robin Williams won the Cecil B. DeMille Awards in 2005. Self - The Real FBI Story (2017) . Famous Players-Lasky donated the films. [186] Generally, Belasco's influence of DeMille's career can be seen in DeMille's showmanship and narration. Julia was born in Richmond, Virginia, of French-American parentage. [187] It is difficult to typify DeMille's films into one specific genre. December 26, 2014 at 3:45 p.m. As the keeper of her grandfather Cecil B. DeMille's legacy, Cecilia de Mille Presley is used to fielding calls from people who want to ask her questions, recruit . 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 . DeMille filming the "big Indian raid" of Call of the North. By 1930, DeMille had perfected his film style of mass-interest spectacle films with Western, Roman, or Biblical themes.