Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille (/dəˈmɪl/; August 12, 1881 – January 21, 1959) was an American film director and film producer in both silent and sound films. DeMille began his career as a stage actor in 1900. He later moved on to writing and directing stage productions. His first silent film, The Squaw Man (1914), was a box-office hit and "served to put Hollywood on the map." His first biblical epic, The Ten Commandments (1923), was both a critical and financial success; it held the Paramount revenue record for 25 years. DeMille was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies. Cleopatra (1934) was his first film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The pinnacle of his career started with Samson and Delilah (1949), his third biblical epic which had "an all-time record business." He went on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the first time for his circus drama The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. His last and most famous film, The Ten Commandments (1956), is currently the seventh highest-grossing film of all-time adjusted for inflation. In addition to his Academy Award win, he was also awarded an Academy Honorary Award for his film contributions, the Palme d'Or, a DGA Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. He was also the first recipient of the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, which is named in his honor. He was married to Constance Adams DeMille in 1902 with whom he had one biological child, Cecilia, and three adopted children, Katherine, John, and Richard. DeMille died in January 1959 of a heart ailment at the age of 77.