The Directors: Cecil B. DeMille Quiz

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.