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William C. de Mille is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer and Still Photographer American born on 25 july 1878 at Washington (USA)

William C. de Mille

William C. de Mille
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Birth name William Churchill de Mille
Nationality USA
Birth 25 july 1878 at Washington (USA)
Death 5 march 1955 (at 76 years) at Playa del Rey, Los Angeles (USA)

Willam C. de Mille (July 25, 1878 – March 5, 1955) was an American screenwriter and film director from the silent movie era through the early 1930s. He was also a noted playwright prior to moving into film. Once he was established in film he specialized in adapting Broadway plays into silent films.

Biography

De Mille was born in Washington, North Carolina, to Henry Churchill de Mille (1853–1893), an Episcopal lay minister and playwright from North Carolina, and Matilda Beatrice Samuel (1853–1923), who was born to a Sephardic Jewish family in England but converted to her husband's faith. He was the elder brother of the versatile Cecil B. DeMille, who altered the capitalization of his last name when he went to Hollywood, claiming that it fit better on marquees. (William continued to be known as "de Mille", and his daughter Agnes also chose "de Mille".) William received a bachelor's degree from Columbia University followed by graduate studies at the Academy of Dramatic Arts, at schools in Germany, and a second stint at Columbia studying under Brander Matthews.

In 1903, he married Anna Angela George, the daughter of notable economist Henry George. Anna bore William two children, choreographer Agnes de Mille (named after a younger sister who died in childhood) and actress Peggy George. Professionally, their life was stable. A successful Broadway playwright, William's works were regularly produced by the flamboyant impresario David Belasco. One notable production, The Warrens of Virginia (1907) featured future film star Mary Pickford and Cecil, both struggling actors playing minor roles. Cecil eventually moved to Hollywood and William followed. Though not as famous today as Cecil, he was one of the silent film era's most respected directors. And though most of his silents have been lost, 1921's Miss Lulu Bett shows a delicate touch in the telling of an impoverished spinster's misfortunes in a small town. One of the writers involved in the film was Clara Beranger, whom deMille would marry in 1929.

At about this time, William also met Lorna Moon, an established New York author from Scotland, who also wrote sophisticated Hollywood comedies. In 1998, Richard de Mille, who had grown up in Cecil's household, revealed in the memoir My Secret Mother, Lorna Moon that William C. deMille was his father and screenwriter Moon his biological mother. Richard had been adopted by Cecil B. and Constance DeMille to avoid a family scandal. Apparently, William's wife never knew the truth of Richard's birth.

In addition to his filmmaking fame, William deMille was an early member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (His brother was a founding member.) With Douglas Fairbanks, he co-hosted the 1st Academy Awards in 1929, and he solely hosted the 2nd Academy Awards the following year. He also served as President of the Academy briefly. DeMille helped found the USC Film School in 1929, and after his East Coast theatrical career failed to revive in the early 1930s, he was active on the faculty there until his death.

DeMille died in 1955 while living in Playa del Rey, California and was interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Usually with

Jesse L. Lasky
Jesse L. Lasky
(24 films)
Clara Beranger
Clara Beranger
(20 films)
Adolph Zukor
Adolph Zukor
(17 films)
James Neill
James Neill
(14 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of William C. de Mille (76 films)

Display filmography as detailed form
YearNameJobRoles
1939Captain FuryScriptwriter
1934Social RegisterProducer
1933The Emperor JonesDirector
1933His Double LifeDirector
1932Two Kinds of WomenDirector
1931The Secret CallTheatre Play
1930This Mad WorldDirector
1930Passion FlowerDirector, Producer
1929The Idle RichDirector
1929The Doctor's SecretDirector, Writer
1927The Telephone GirlTheatre Play
1926GigoloProducer
1926The RunawayDirector, Producer
1926The Splendid CrimeDirector, Story
1925BraveheartTheatre Play
1925Men and WomenDirector
1925New BroomsDirector
1925BraveheartTheatre Play
1925Locked DoorsDirector
1925Lost: A WifeDirector
1925The Night ClubScriptwriter
1924ClassmatesTheatre Play
1924IceboundDirector
1924The Warrens of VirginiaWriter
1924The Bedroom WindowDirector
1924The Fast SetDirector
1924Don't Call It LoveDirector
1923HollywoodActorWilliam C. de Mille
1923The Marriage MakerDirector
1923GrumpyDirector
1923The World's ApplauseDirector
1923Only 38Director
1922Bought and Paid ForDirector
1922ClarenceDirector
1922A Trip to ParamountownActorHimself
1922Nice PeopleDirector
1921Midsummer MadnessDirector, Producer
1921Miss Lulu BettDirector
1921What Every Woman KnowsDirector
1921The Lost RomanceDirector
1921After the ShowDirector
1920Why Change Your Wife?Story
1920Jack StrawDirector
1920Conrad in Quest of His YouthDirector, Producer
1920The Tree of KnowledgeDirector
1920The Prince ChapDirector
1919For Better, for WorseWriter
1918We Can't Have EverythingWriter
1918The Mystery GirlDirector
1918The Honor of His HouseDirector
1917The Woman God ForgotWriter
1917The Secret GameDirector
1917The Ghost HouseDirector
1916Joan the WomanWriter
1916Maria RosaScriptwriter
1916The World and the WomanWriter
1916Common GroundDirector
1916The RagamuffinDirector, Writer
1916The SowersDirector
1916The ClownDirector
1916The Heir to the HoorahDirector
1916Anton the TerribleDirector
1915CarmenWriter, Still Photographer
1915After FiveScriptwriter
1915TemptationScriptwriter
1915The Warrens of VirginiaTheatre Play
1915The Wild Goose ChaseTheatre Play
1915Young RomanceScriptwriter
1915The Goose GirlScenario Writer
1915The ExplorerScriptwriter
1915The Puppet CrownScriptwriter
1915The WomanTheatre Play
1914The Only SonDirector
1914The Rose of the RanchoActorCowboy
1914ClassmatesWriter
1913The House of DiscordScriptwriter