Photo: Unknown photographer Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons¹⁵

William Churchill deMille

American screenwriter and film director (1878–1955)

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. He was also a noted playwright prior to moving into film.²

From Wikipedia’s article on William Churchill deMille (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Jul 25, 1878, died Mar 5, 1955.¹

About

Once he was established in film he specialized in adapting Broadway plays into silent films.

From Wikipedia’s article on William Churchill deMille, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.²

Companies

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesChair 1929 to 1931¹⁴

Early life and education

Date not recordedColumbia University³

Career

Occupation: writer, screenwriter, theatre director, film actor, actor, film producer, television presenter, playwright.^{6 7}

1929 to 1931Chair, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences⁵
Date not recordedWorked at University of Southern California⁴

Personal life

BornJul 25, 1878, Washington⁸
DiedMar 5, 1955, Playa del Rey⁹
CitizenshipUnited States¹⁰
SpousesAnna George de Mille 1903 to 1927¹¹; Clara Beranger 1928 to 1955¹¹

William C. deMille and Anna Angela George divorced in 1927.

One of the writers of Miss Lulu Bett was Clara Beranger, whom deMille married in 1929.

At about this time, he 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.

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 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.

Death

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

From Wikipedia’s article on William Churchill deMille (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Awards

Date not recordedstar on Hollywood Walk of Fame¹²

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

1
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille on Wikidata
2
WikipediaWilliam Churchill deMille on Wikipedia
3
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: education, on Wikidata
4
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: Worked at University of Southern California, on Wikidata
5
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: Chair, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wikidata
6
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: occupation, on Wikidata
7
Wikidataoccupation, as reported by The New York Times
8
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: place of birth, on Wikidata
9
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: place of death, on Wikidata
10
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: citizenship, on Wikidata
11
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: spouse, on Wikidata
12
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: award, on Wikidata
13
WikidataWilliam Churchill deMille: IMDb, on Wikidata
14
WikidataAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Chair
15
Wikimedia CommonsWilliam Churchill deMille photo by Unknown photographer Unknown photographer, Public domain