Cast & creator
Cecil B. DeMille
Best known for What's My Line?, Spécial cinéma, The Ed Sullivan Show
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.
Also known as: Cecil Blount de Mille, Cecil Blount DeMille
230
film credits
7
television credits
55
1914–2022 · acting roles
6.5
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (237)
Showing 237 of 237 credits
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Spécial cinéma
Self (archive footage)
1974
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
This Is Your Life
Self
1952
Cinépanorama
Self
1956
The Ten Commandments
Narrator (uncredited)
1956The Ten Commandments
Producer
1956The Ten Commandments
Director
1956
Sunset Boulevard
Cecil B. DeMille
1950
The War of the Worlds
Executive Producer
1953
Samson and Delilah
Narrator (uncredited)
1949Samson and Delilah
Director
1949Samson and Delilah
Producer
1949
Hollywood
Self (archive footage, uncredited)
1980
The U.S. and the Holocaust
Self (archive footage)
2022
The Greatest Show on Earth
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
1952The Greatest Show on Earth
Director
1952The Greatest Show on Earth
Producer
1952
Unconquered
Self - Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
1947Unconquered
Director
1947Unconquered
Producer
1947
Reap the Wild Wind
Prologue Speaker (voice) (uncredited)
1942Reap the Wild Wind
Director
1942Reap the Wild Wind
Producer
1942
The King of Kings
Director
1927The King of Kings
Producer
1927
Union Pacific
Director
1939Union Pacific
Producer
1939
The Buccaneer
Presenter of Prologue
1958The Buccaneer
Executive Producer
1958The Buccaneer
Producer
1958
The Sign of the Cross
Director
1932The Sign of the Cross
Producer
1932
Indiana Jones: The Search for the Lost Golden Age
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2021
Cleopatra
Director
1934Cleopatra
Producer
1934
North West Mounted Police
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
1940North West Mounted Police
Director
1940North West Mounted Police
Producer
1940
The Cruise of the Jasper B
Producer
1926
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
The Buster Keaton Story
Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
1957
Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2019
The Plainsman
Director
1936The Plainsman
Producer
1936
The Story of Dr. Wassell
Voice of Narrator (uncredited)
1944The Story of Dr. Wassell
Director
1944The Story of Dr. Wassell
Producer
1944
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Son of Paleface
Photographer (uncredited)
1952
The Ten Commandments
Director
1923The Ten Commandments
Producer
1923
Yul Brynner, the Magnificent
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2020
Vanity
Producer
1927
Hail Satan?
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2019
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Self (archive footage)
1984
This Day and Age
Director
1933This Day and Age
Producer
1933
Hollywood on Parade No. B-5
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1933
The Godless Girl
Director
1928The Godless Girl
Producer
1928
We Can't Have Everything
Editor
1918We Can't Have Everything
Director
1918
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Self
1942
Male and Female
Director
1919Male and Female
Producer
1919
For Better, for Worse
Director
1919
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2007
Old Wives for New
Director
1918Old Wives for New
Editor
1918Old Wives for New
Producer
1918
Star Spangled Rhythm
Cecil B. DeMille
1942All-Time Movie Greats
Self (archive footage)
1988
The Warrens of Virginia
Director
1915The Warrens of Virginia
Producer
1915
Madam Satan
Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited)
1930Madam Satan
Director
1930Madam Satan
Producer
1930
The Affairs of Anatol
Director
1921
The Rose of the Rancho
Editor
1914The Rose of the Rancho
Director
1914The Rose of the Rancho
Writer
1914
Variety Girl
Cecil B. DeMille
1947
The Wild Goose Chase
Director
1915
The Casting Couch
1995
The Volga Boatman
Director
1926The Volga Boatman
Producer
1926
Red Dice
Presenter
1926
The Man From Home
Editor
1914The Man From Home
Director
1914The Man From Home
Writer
1914The Man From Home
Producer
1914
Land of Liberty
Editor
1939
The Crusades
Director
1935
A Romance of the Redwoods
Director
1917A Romance of the Redwoods
Writer
1917A Romance of the Redwoods
Producer
1917A Romance of the Redwoods
Editor
1917
The Making of The Ten Commandments
Self
2003
Screen Snapshots (Series 25, No. 1): 25th Anniversary
Self
1945
Why Change Your Wife?
Director
1920Why Change Your Wife?
Producer
1920
The Buccaneer
Director
1938The Buccaneer
Producer
1938
The Cheat
Editor
1915The Cheat
Director
1915The Cheat
Producer
1915
Don't Change Your Husband
Director
1919
Betty to the Rescue
General Manager
1917
The Girl of the Golden West
Producer
1915The Girl of the Golden West
Director
1915The Girl of the Golden West
Writer
1915The Girl of the Golden West
Editor
1915
A Trip to Paramountown
Self
1922
Nan of Music Mountain
Director
1917
The Woman God Forgot
Director
1917The Woman God Forgot
Producer
1917The Woman God Forgot
Editor
1917
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
What's His Name
Writer
1914What's His Name
Director
1914What's His Name
Editor
1914What's His Name
Producer
1914
Forbidden Fruit
Director
1921Forbidden Fruit
Producer
1921Forbidden Fruit
Story
1921
Jens Mons in America
Self (uncredited)
1947
Free and Easy
Director Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
1930
Chimmie Fadden Out West
Director
1915Chimmie Fadden Out West
Producer
1915Chimmie Fadden Out West
Editor
1915Chimmie Fadden Out West
Writer
1915
The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille
Self
2016
The Angel of Broadway
Producer
1927
The Movies March On
Self (archive footage)
1939
Something to Think About
Director
1920Something to Think About
Producer
1920
The Heart of Nora Flynn
Director
1916
Till I Come Back to You
Director
1918
Hollywood
Cecil B. DeMille
1923
The Call of the North
Director
1914
Fascination: Unauthorized Story of Marilyn Monroe
Self (archive footage)
2012
Joan the Woman
Director
1916Joan the Woman
Editor
1916Joan the Woman
Producer
1916
The Road to Yesterday
Director
1925
The Dressmaker from Paris
Supervising Producer
1925
The Captive
Director
1915The Captive
Writer
1915The Captive
Producer
1915The Captive
Editor
1915
The Circus: Premiere
Self
1928
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle II
Self
2020The Affairs of Anatol - Promo Reel
As himself
1921The Affairs of Anatol - Promo Reel
Director
1921
Silence
Producer
1926
The Little American
Director
1917The Little American
Producer
1917The Little American
Editor
1917The Little American
Writer
1917
Dynamite
Director
1929
The Only Son
Director
1914
Hollywood Extra Girl
Cecil B. DeMille
1935
Life in Hollywood No. 1
Self
1927
The Squaw Man
Director
1918
The Dream Girl
Director
1916
The Fighting Eagle
Producer
1927
Four Frightened People
Director
1934Four Frightened People
Producer
1934
The Wedding Song
Producer
1925
Manslaughter
Director
1922
The Squaw Man
Director
1931
The Circus Man
Writer
1914
The Squaw Man
Faro Dealer
1914The Squaw Man
Producer
1914The Squaw Man
Director
1914The Squaw Man
Writer
1914
Adam's Rib
Director
1923Adam's Rib
Producer
1923
Chimmie Fadden
Writer
1915Chimmie Fadden
Producer
1915Chimmie Fadden
Director
1915Chimmie Fadden
Editor
1915
Carmen
Director
1915Carmen
Producer
1915Carmen
Editor
1915
The Whispering Chorus
Director
1918
Patterns of Evidence: The Red Sea Miracle
Self (archive footage)
2020
Whispering Smith
Producer
1926
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Story
1916The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Director
1916The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Producer
1916
Let 'Er Go Gallegher
Executive Producer
1928
Saturday Night
Director
1922Saturday Night
Producer
1922
Maria Rosa
Director
1916
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Self (archive footage)
1982
Fool's Paradise
Director
1921
Life in Hollywood
Self
1927
The Devil Stone
Director
1917The Man on the Box
Director
1914
Brewster's Millions
Director
1914Brewster's Millions
Producer
1914
The Golden Chance
Director
1915The Golden Chance
Story
1915The Golden Chance
Producer
1915The Golden Chance
Editor
1915
White Gold
Producer
1927The Hollywood You Never See
Self
1934
The Unafraid
Story
1915The Unafraid
Director
1915
Feet of Clay
Director
1924Feet of Clay
Producer
1924
The Golden Bed
Director
1925
The Virginian
Director
1914The Virginian
Editor
1914Lord Chumley
Theatre Play
1914
After Five
Director
1915
Lost and Won
Producer
1917
Estrellados
Self (Guest Appearance)
1930
Triumph
Producer
1924Triumph
Director
1924
Ready Money
Writer
1914
The Love Mask
Writer
1916
The Master Mind
Director
1914
The Ghost Breaker
Producer
1914The Ghost Breaker
Writer
1914The Ghost Breaker
Director
1914
The Fallbrook Story
Self, Introduction
1952Kindling
Writer
1915Kindling
Producer
1915Kindling
Director
1915
The Arab
Producer
1915The Arab
Director
1915The Arab
Writer
1915
Temptation
Editor
1915Temptation
Director
1915