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William C. deMille

December 18, 2023

William Churchill deMille (July 25, 1878 – March 5, 1955), also spelled de Mille or De Mille, was an American screenwriter and film director from the silent film era through the early 1930s.[1] 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.[2]

William C. deMille
De Mille c. 1904
Born
William Churchill deMille

(1878-07-25)July 25, 1878
Washington, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 1955(1955-03-05) (aged 76)
Playa del Rey, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, film director
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1903; div. 1927)​
​
(m. 1928)​
ChildrenAgnes de Mille
Peggy George
Parent(s)Henry Churchill de Mille
Beatrice deMille
RelativesCecil B. DeMille (brother)
Katherine DeMille (niece)
Richard de Mille (nephew)

Biography edit

De Mille was born in Washington, North Carolina, to Henry Churchill de Mille, an actor and playwright from North Carolina, and Matilda Beatrice Samuel, who was also a play and screenwriter. His father was a Christian whilst his mother was born to a German-Jewish family in Liverpool but converted to her husband's faith.[citation needed]

William was the elder brother of 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",[citation needed] 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.

 
De Mille directing a scene using a "Magna Vox" voice amplification device

In 1903, he married Anna Angela George, the daughter of notable economist Henry George. Anna and William had two children, Agnes de Mille – named after a younger sister who died in childhood – who became a noted choreographer and Peggy George, who became an actress.

Professionally, their life was stable. In 1905, he became successful Broadway playwright,[3][4] following its development in 1904.[5]

William had nine plays he wrote or co-wrote – one of them with Cecil – produced on Broadway between 1905 and 1913, and another two productions mounted in 1929 and 1936,[6] the latter of which he produced and directed as well.[7]

His first play, Strongheart was eventually released as a movie by his brother as Braveheart (1925). Two of William's works, The Warrens of Virginia (1907)[8] and The Woman (1911)[9] were produced by the flamboyant impresario David Belasco. The former featured future film star Mary Pickford and Cecil, both struggling actors playing minor roles.[8]

He wrote a number of vaudeville sketches including In 1999, Food, Poor Old Jim, The Squealer, The Martyrs, and The Deceivers.[10]

Cecil eventually moved to Hollywood, and William followed. His directorial debut was The Only Son (1914).

Personal life edit

William C. deMille and Anna Angela George divorced in 1927.[11] One of the writers of Miss Lulu Bett was Clara Beranger, whom deMille married in 1929.[1]

At about this time, he met Lorna Moon, an established New York author from Scotland, who also wrote sophisticated Hollywood comedies.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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.)[citation needed]

With Douglas Fairbanks, he co-hosted the 1st Academy Awards in 1929, and he solely hosted the 2nd Academy Awards the following year. He 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.[citation needed]

Death edit

 
Tombs of Cecil Blount DeMille (right), Constance DeMille (left), William DeMille (urn in front), Clara DeMille (stone below urn in front)

DeMille died on March 5, 1955, in Playa del Rey, California.[1] He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Partial filmography edit

Books edit

  • deMille, William C. (1939). Hollywood Saga (First ed.). New York, NY: E. P. Dutton. OCLC 1353346.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "W.C. De Mille, 76, Playwright, Dies. Author Of 'The Warrens Of Virginia' Was Brother Of Noted Film Producer". New York Times. March 6, 1955.
  2. ^ William C. deMille bio by Hal Erickson at allrovi.com
  3. ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (May 6, 2004). The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Oxford University Press. p. 171. ISBN 978-0-19-516986-7.
  4. ^ Michael Schwartz (2007). A Matter for Experts: Broadway 1900--1920 and the Rise of the Professional Managerial Class. ProQuest. pp. 107–114. ISBN 978-0-549-45115-0.
  5. ^ "The new play…". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, IL. October 2, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  6. ^ William C. deMille at the Internet Broadway Database
  7. ^ "Hallowe'en (1936)", Internet Broadway Database; accessed December 28, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "The Warrens of Virginia (1907)" on the Internet Broadway Database; accessed December 29, 2017.
  9. ^ "The Woman (1911)", IBDB.com; accessed December 29, 2017.
  10. ^ Powell, William S. (ed.) Dictionary of North Carolina Biography: Vol. 2, D-G, pg. 52 (1986); accessed December 29, 2017.
  11. ^ "Wife Divorces William C. DeMille". New York Times. August 6, 1927.
  12. ^ deMille, William C. (2007). "24: The Excitements of Celluloid: The Camel's Nose". In Peter Wild (ed.). The Grumbling Gods: a Palm Springs Reader. Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah Press. ISBN 978-0-87480-899-5. OCLC 122974473, 608203796, 608020250 (print and on-line), quoting deMille in Hollywood Saga. New York, NY: E. P. Dutton. 1939. pp. 319. OCLC 1353346. (Rouben Mamoulian Collection (Library of Congress) First edition OCLC 655475937) (Also catalogued at OCLC 494267566, 475574309; and OCLC 591194207 (eBook)); and see The Heir to the Hoorah at the American Film Institute Catalog

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William C. deMille.
  • William C. deMille at the Internet Broadway Database  
  • William C. deMille at IMDb
  • , silentgents.com
  • William C. deMille profile, Virtual-History.com
  • Works by William C. deMille at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)  
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
1929–1931 		Succeeded by

December 18, 2023
william, demille, william, churchill, demille, july, 1878, march, 1955, also, spelled, mille, mille, american, screenwriter, film, director, from, silent, film, through, early, 1930s, also, noted, playwright, prior, moving, into, film, once, established, film,. William Churchill deMille July 25 1878 March 5 1955 also spelled de Mille or De Mille was an American screenwriter and film director from the silent film era through the early 1930s 1 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 2 William C deMilleDe Mille c 1904BornWilliam Churchill deMille 1878 07 25 July 25 1878Washington North Carolina U S DiedMarch 5 1955 1955 03 05 aged 76 Playa del Rey California U S Occupation s Screenwriter film directorSpousesAnna George de Mille m 1903 div 1927 wbr Clara Beranger m 1928 wbr ChildrenAgnes de MillePeggy GeorgeParent s Henry Churchill de MilleBeatrice deMilleRelativesCecil B DeMille brother Katherine DeMille niece Richard de Mille nephew Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 2 1 Death 3 Partial filmography 4 Books 5 References 6 External linksBiography editDe Mille was born in Washington North Carolina to Henry Churchill de Mille an actor and playwright from North Carolina and Matilda Beatrice Samuel who was also a play and screenwriter His father was a Christian whilst his mother was born to a German Jewish family in Liverpool but converted to her husband s faith citation needed William was the elder brother of 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 citation needed 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 nbsp De Mille directing a scene using a Magna Vox voice amplification deviceIn 1903 he married Anna Angela George the daughter of notable economist Henry George Anna and William had two children Agnes de Mille named after a younger sister who died in childhood who became a noted choreographer and Peggy George who became an actress Professionally their life was stable In 1905 he became successful Broadway playwright 3 4 following its development in 1904 5 William had nine plays he wrote or co wrote one of them with Cecil produced on Broadway between 1905 and 1913 and another two productions mounted in 1929 and 1936 6 the latter of which he produced and directed as well 7 His first play Strongheart was eventually released as a movie by his brother as Braveheart 1925 Two of William s works The Warrens of Virginia 1907 8 and The Woman 1911 9 were produced by the flamboyant impresario David Belasco The former featured future film star Mary Pickford and Cecil both struggling actors playing minor roles 8 He wrote a number of vaudeville sketches including In 1999 Food Poor Old Jim The Squealer The Martyrs and The Deceivers 10 Cecil eventually moved to Hollywood and William followed His directorial debut was The Only Son 1914 Personal life editWilliam C deMille and Anna Angela George divorced in 1927 11 One of the writers of Miss Lulu Bett was Clara Beranger whom deMille married in 1929 1 At about this time he met Lorna Moon an established New York author from Scotland who also wrote sophisticated Hollywood comedies citation needed 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 citation needed 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 citation needed With Douglas Fairbanks he co hosted the 1st Academy Awards in 1929 and he solely hosted the 2nd Academy Awards the following year He 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 citation needed Death edit nbsp Tombs of Cecil Blount DeMille right Constance DeMille left William DeMille urn in front Clara DeMille stone below urn in front DeMille died on March 5 1955 in Playa del Rey California 1 He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Partial filmography editThe House of Discord 1913 author of play The Only Son 1914 Rose of the Rancho 1914 actor Strongheart 1914 play Young Romance 1915 author of play The Goose Girl 1915 screenwriter The Woman 1915 author of play The Wild Goose Chase 1915 story screenwriter Carmen 1915 screenwriter The Ragamuffin 1916 The Blacklist 1916 The Sowers 1916 The Clown 1916 Common Ground 1916 Anton the Terrible 1916 The Heir to the Hoorah 1916 12 Maria Rosa 1916 screenwriter Hashimura Togo 1917 The Ghost House 1917 The Secret Game 1917 The Widow s Might 1918 One More American 1918 The Honor of His House 1918 Mirandy Smiles 1918 The Mystery Girl 1918 For Better for Worse 1919 screenwriter Peg o My Heart 1919 completed but never released due to legal matters The Tree of Knowledge 1920 Jack Straw 1920 The Prince Chap 1920 Conrad in Quest of His Youth 1920 Why Change Your Wife 1920 screenwriter Midsummer Madness 1921 What Every Woman Knows 1921 The Lost Romance 1921 After the Show 1921 Miss Lulu Bett 1921 Bought and Paid For 1922 A Trip to Paramountown 1922 short Nice People 1922 Clarence 1922 The World s Applause 1923 Grumpy 1923 Only 38 1923 The Marriage Maker 1923 Don t Call It Love 1923 Icebound 1924 The Bedroom Window 1924 The Fast Set 1924 Classmates 1924 author of 1907 play Locked Doors 1925 Men and Women 1925 Lost A Wife 1925 New Brooms 1925 The Splendid Crime 1926 The Runaway 1926 For Alimony Only 1926 The Little Adventuress 1927 Tenth Avenue 1928 Craig s Wife 1928 The Doctor s Secret 1929 The Idle Rich 1929 Passion Flower 1930 director and producer Two Kinds of Women 1932 His Double Life 1933 associate director Books editdeMille William C 1939 Hollywood Saga First ed New York NY E P Dutton OCLC 1353346 References edit a b c W C De Mille 76 Playwright Dies Author Of The Warrens Of Virginia Was Brother Of Noted Film Producer New York Times March 6 1955 William C deMille bio by Hal Erickson at allrovi com Hischak Thomas S May 6 2004 The Oxford Companion to American Theatre Oxford University Press p 171 ISBN 978 0 19 516986 7 Michael Schwartz 2007 A Matter for Experts Broadway 1900 1920 and the Rise of the Professional Managerial Class ProQuest pp 107 114 ISBN 978 0 549 45115 0 The new play Chicago Daily Tribune Chicago IL October 2 1904 p 1 Retrieved August 19 2014 William C deMille at the Internet Broadway Database Hallowe en 1936 Internet Broadway Database accessed December 28 2017 a b The Warrens of Virginia 1907 on the Internet Broadway Database accessed December 29 2017 The Woman 1911 IBDB com accessed December 29 2017 Powell William S ed Dictionary of North Carolina Biography Vol 2 D G pg 52 1986 accessed December 29 2017 Wife Divorces William C DeMille New York Times August 6 1927 deMille William C 2007 24 The Excitements of Celluloid The Camel s Nose In Peter Wild ed The Grumbling Gods a Palm Springs Reader Salt Lake City UT University of Utah Press ISBN 978 0 87480 899 5 OCLC 122974473 608203796 608020250 print and on line quoting deMille in Hollywood Saga New York NY E P Dutton 1939 pp 319 OCLC 1353346 Rouben Mamoulian Collection Library of Congress First edition OCLC 655475937 Also catalogued at OCLC 494267566 475574309 and OCLC 591194207 eBook and see The Heir to the Hoorah at the American Film Institute CatalogExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to William C deMille William C deMille at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp William C deMille at IMDb William deMille profile silentgents com William C deMille profile Virtual History com Works by William C deMille at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Non profit organization positionsPreceded byDouglas Fairbanks President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences1929 1931 Succeeded byM C Levee Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William C deMille amp oldid 1155655109, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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