Skip to main content

DeMille, Cecil B. (Cecil Blount), 1881-1959

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1881 - 1959

Biographical History

Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959) was an American motion picture producer and director, considered the archetype of the American film mogul. His 70 films reflect changing American tastes and values, and he was particularly noted for his multimillion-dollar spectacles.

Cecil B. DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 in Ashfield, Massachusetts to Henry Churchill de Mille and Matilda Beatrice Samuel de Mille. DeMille started acting on Broadway in 1900, and by 1913 he joined a film studio partnership which would eventually become Paramount Pictures. DeMille had a long and storied career as a filmmaker and directed several epic films, such as the Ten Commandments (1956). DeMille died on January 21, 1959, in Hollywood, California.

Citation:
His The Royal ...

LC data base, 10/11/85 (hdg.: DeMille, Cecil Blount, 1881-1959; usage: Cecil B. DeMille); LC manual auth. cd. (also shows usage: Cecil B. De Mille)

Wikipedia, Sept. 16, 2010 (Cecil Blount DeMille; b. Aug. 12, 1881 in Ashfield, Mass.; d. Jan. 21, 1959 in Hollywood, Calif.; American film director and producer)

Turner Classic Movies database, Oct. 7, 2010 (Cecil B. DeMille Productions; est. 1921; founded by Cecil B. DeMille)

Empire of dreams, 2010: p. 212 (Cecil B. DeMille Pictures Corporation; founded by Cecil B. DeMille)

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:

Peter Brosnan papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 5905
Scope and Contents Contains papers and audiovisual materials collected by Peter Brosnan for his research on Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 and 1956 Ten Commandments films and for his documentary, "The Lost City of Cecile B. DeMille." The 1923 film was shot in the Guadalupe Dunes in California and excavated by Brosnan, resulting in the documentary. Includes audiotapes, videocassettes, film reels, digital files, interview transcripts, biographical research either typed or printed from the internet, press articles and...
Dates: approximately 1923-2022
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Peter Brosnan papers

Cecil B. DeMille letters

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230343383]
Identifier: MSS 2613
Scope and Contents

12 letters and 1 telegram from DeMille to Lasky, 1 photograph.

Dates: 1942-1956
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Cecil B. DeMille letters

Cecil B. DeMille papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1400
Scope and Contents Personal and business papers generated by DeMille (1881-1959), his family, and his motion picture and other activities from 1863 to 1983 including correspondence, audio and videotape recordings, financial ledgers, and memorabilia. Also with the collection are more than 6,500 pieces of production-related art work, more than 37,869 motion picture still photographs, 275 volumes of scrapbooks (1919-1962), sound recordings, and video tapes of 36 motion pictures from DeMille's personal film...
Dates: 1863-1983
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Cecil B. DeMille papers

Mark A. Vieira papers

 Collection — Carton 1: [Barcode: 31197232563251]
Identifier: MSS 8945
Scope and Contents

Contains research consisting of photocopies of newspaper articles, telegrams, magazine articles, internet resources, film still copies, interview transcripts, book excerpts, and correspondence used in the writing of Vieira's book on Cecil B. DeMille's work. Includes approximately 300 pages of the untitled publisher's manuscript of CeCil B. DeMille: The Art of the Hollywood Epic. Dated approximately 2010-2015.

Dates: approximately 2010-2015
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Mark A. Vieira papers

The world's greatest showman : the legend of Cecil B. DeMille

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230326735]
Identifier: MSS SC 2792
Scope and Contents

Typewritten screenplay for a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer television production. The item is the "first draft" of the screenplay. Also included are photographs of the actors in the production.

Dates: 1963
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / The world's greatest showman : the legend of Cecil B. DeMille

Staff Interface | Send Feedback or Report a Problem

More information about Special Collections including Hours, Services, Events, and Exhibits can be found at lib.byu.edu/special-collections.

The BYU Library aims to create descriptions of collections that are inclusive and support an “environment of belonging.” If you encounter language in finding aids, catalog records, or collection descriptions that you find offensive or believe to be harmful, we invite your feedback at librarydescription@byu.edu.