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Quiz about The Directors Cecil B DeMille
Quiz about The Directors Cecil B DeMille

The Directors: Cecil B. DeMille Quiz


Perhaps no film director for five decades had more influence on the shape of cinema than Cecil B. DeMille. This quiz explores his life and varied interests.

A multiple-choice quiz by Rehaberpro. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Rehaberpro
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
389,676
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
181
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. DeMille was a celebrity in his own right. He cultivated the omnipotent director, with megaphone, riding crop, and jodhpurs. DeMille was noted for his crisp articulate voice. He born in 1881. Where? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. DeMille decided early on for a career as an actor and enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Prior to that he had graduated from what school?
Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Cecil B. DeMille had a niece who also excelled in the arts, named Agnes de Mille. In what field was she considered an innovator?
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. DeMille was an autocrat when directing a film. Among his pet peeves were actors who were not paying attention and actors who refused to take moderate risks in scenes that had been demonstrated to be safe. Which of these incidents did NOT occur with DeMille? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Cecil B. DeMille increased his public profile by hosting what popular anthology radio program from 1936-1945? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. If you saw Cecil N. DeMille in the studio commissary dining alone and reading, which of these would be most likely reading?
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. DeMille had four children, Cecilia and three adopted children--Katherine, John, and Richard. Katherine married an actor who later went on to win an Academy Award. Who was he?
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Cecil B. DeMille was fond of remaking films. Which of these did he NOT remake? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Cecil B. DeMille was politically a staunch conservative. Where did he stand on the 'blacklisting' of actors, screenwriter, and allied cinema artisans?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. During his career Cecil B. DeMille received many accolades and awards. Who was the first winner of the Cecil B. DeMille Award? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. DeMille was a celebrity in his own right. He cultivated the omnipotent director, with megaphone, riding crop, and jodhpurs. DeMille was noted for his crisp articulate voice. He born in 1881. Where?

Answer: Ashfield, Massachusetts

DeMille was born while his parents were on vacation in Massachusetts but their home at the time was Washington, NC. His father was a North Carolina-born dramatist and lay reader in the Episcopal Church. His mother once started a dramatic school for girls. She was British born Jew but grew up in Brooklyn.
2. DeMille decided early on for a career as an actor and enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Prior to that he had graduated from what school?

Answer: Pennsylvania Military College

A military education teaches discipline, organization, and tactics--skills valuable in seventy plus films that he directed. DeMille certainly needed these skills since many of his films were on an epic scale requiring thousands of extras.
3. Cecil B. DeMille had a niece who also excelled in the arts, named Agnes de Mille. In what field was she considered an innovator?

Answer: Choreography

Agnes de Mille turned to dance when she was told that she was 'not pretty enough' to be an actress. Because she started dancing late her skills in ballet were mediocre but she became interested in movement beyond ballet. Honing what she had learned, she became a Broadway choreographer with such successes as "Bloomer Girl" (1944)," Carousel" (1945), "Brigadoon" (1947, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1949), "Paint Your Wagon" (1951), "The Girl in Pink Tights" (1954), "Goldilocks" (1957), and "110 in the Shade" (1963).

Hollywood did not call upon her to choreograph her Broadway successes to the silver screen, but her one success was "Oklahoma!" (1955). Cecil B. DeMille assigned her "Cleopatra" (1934) but, fearing accusations of nepotism, he used a more experienced dance director. Note the difference in the spelling of the last name. His brother William DeMille was her father and a silent film director.
4. DeMille was an autocrat when directing a film. Among his pet peeves were actors who were not paying attention and actors who refused to take moderate risks in scenes that had been demonstrated to be safe. Which of these incidents did NOT occur with DeMille?

Answer: Berated James Stewart for his fear of clowns

When Victor Mature refused to wrestle a tame lion in "Sampson and Delilah" (1949), DeMille tussled with Jackie the Lion.

The death scene in Cleopatra (1934) was delayed by Claudette Colbert's fear of snakes. DeMille appeared on the set with a boa constrictor wrapped around his body and handed her a harmless garter snake as a stand-in for an asp.

Paulette Goddard feared a fire scene in "Unconquered" (1947) and DeMille refused to cast her in any other films.

There is no evidence that James Stewart feared clowns and, in fact, played one in "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952).
5. Cecil B. DeMille increased his public profile by hosting what popular anthology radio program from 1936-1945?

Answer: Lux Radio Theatre (Theater)

In that era, if asked to name a prominent film director, most would have responded with Cecil B. DeMille. His smooth velvety voice served him well in this role. As host he would introduce the week's offering that was a condensed audio rendering of popular film. Often the stars of the film would voice the adapted version. DeMille would conduct an brief interview with the actors.
6. If you saw Cecil N. DeMille in the studio commissary dining alone and reading, which of these would be most likely reading?

Answer: The Bible

DeMille's father was active in the church. His mother born a Jew but became a Protestant when she married. Following the pattern of his seventy films, a large number had a religious theme. It reported that he was not a regular church-goers but was a well versed student of the Bible.
7. DeMille had four children, Cecilia and three adopted children--Katherine, John, and Richard. Katherine married an actor who later went on to win an Academy Award. Who was he?

Answer: Anthony Quinn

Katherine DeMille married Anthony Quinn in 1937 and divorced in 1965. They had five children. The divorce stemmed from his infidelity. DeMille cared for and trusted his son-in-law. When DeMille became too ill to direct, he acted as producer and hired Quinn to direct "The Buccaneer" (1958).

In spite of an all-star cast including Yul Brenner, Clare Bloom, Charles Boyer, Charlton Heston, E.G. Marshall, and Lorne Green, it had only mediocre success. It was to be Quinn's only directorial effort. The DeMilles adopted Katherine from an orphanage at age nine and she became a moderately successful actress.
8. Cecil B. DeMille was fond of remaking films. Which of these did he NOT remake?

Answer: The Greatest Show on Earth

"The Squaw Man" is a tale of interracial love. This was the first film directed by DeMille in 1914. He later remade it in 1918 and again as a sound era version in 1931. "Squaw" is now regarded as derogatory term as it means 'prostitute' to native Americans.

The 1923 silent version of "The Ten Commandments" was considered lavish for its time but is overshadowed by the 1956 epic. Adjusted for inflation, it is one of the most financially successful films of all time. Schools often released students to see the film at special showings.

During the filming of a scene involving thousands of extras, DeMille had to climb to cameras posted for a panoramic view of the field. At 73, the exertion prompted a heart attack followed by several more over the following years and led to his death in 1959. "The Ten Commandments" was the last film that he directed.

He directed "The Buccaneer" in 1938 with Fredric March in the title role. The 1958 remake starred Yule Brenner as Jean Lafitte with DeMille as the producer.
9. Cecil B. DeMille was politically a staunch conservative. Where did he stand on the 'blacklisting' of actors, screenwriter, and allied cinema artisans?

Answer: Supported the blacklist

DeMille butted heads with fellow director Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Their back and forth is legendary. DeMille's position was that all actors and extras should sign a loyalty oath. Mankiewicz as president of the director's guild disagreed.

When the blacklist collapsed under its own weight in the mid-1950s, DeMille hired a blacklisted actor, Edward G, Robinson, for the role in "The Ten Commandments" and revitalized Robinson's career.

One source said that Herbert Hoover was his favorite president. He consistently supported Republican candidates and other conservatives.
10. During his career Cecil B. DeMille received many accolades and awards. Who was the first winner of the Cecil B. DeMille Award?

Answer: Cecil B. DeMille

The Cecil B, DeMille Award is an award for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment" bestowed at the annual Golden Globes ceremony. It was established by the fledgling foreign film critics association in 1952 in order to give the organization some credence. Listed are the first four recipients.

Here are just a few of the other awards or honors:

"Best Picture" "The Greatest Show on Earth" Academy Award 1953
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement 1953
Cannes' Palm d'Or for "Union Pacific" 1939
Two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame--one for film, one for radio.

His religious films gathered literally hundreds of awards from a cross section of religious organizations.
Source: Author Rehaberpro

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