Talk:Cecil B. DeMille/Archive 1

comments
In Wikipedia, Agnes is listed as "Agnes de Mille" but Cecil is listed as "Cecil DeMille". I'm not sure which last name spelling is more correct but it might be good to pick one of the two and create appropriate redirects. Comments? --Zdv 16:50, 16 Sep 2004 (UTC)
 * The article states Though most commonly referred to by the press as DeMille with a capital "D", deMille preferred and even signed his checks as "deMille" with a small "d". Based on that, I think that we should change every case of "DeMille" in this article to "deMille", including the title of the article, and excepting only where it appears at the beginning of a sentence. What do others think? Is there an official Wikipedia policy on when the more common spelling of a person's name is different from what he persnally preferred?--Keeves 13:00, 3 November 2005 (UTC)
 * His name credit on all his movies that I've seen was with a capital "D". Consider the capital "D" his stage name, and the lower case "d" his legal name. — Walloon 05:15, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

"Common" vernacular?
As a young whipper-snapper myself, I was unaware of the following reference, but a slightly senior coleague of mine shared it with me. I'm not clear on any of the particulars, but this is the only reference I could find to it with Google, and thought it should be documented (as true, rumor, legend, or hoax) SOMEWHERE. So this is what I found on the web. Would someone with a bit more knowledge on the subject check this out for accuracy, etc?

Quote: "Any time your ready CB!"

The famous movie director Cecil B. DeMille was directing one of his “cast-of-thousands” extravaganzas, and the time came to shoot the big action scene, the very expensively real head-on collision of two steam powered trains. He set up three camera stations, just to make sure that the effort went on film. Finally, at seven a.m. on the big day, he yelled, “Roll ‘em!,” and the action began. Belching their 'cinematically enhanced' smoke, the two steam locomotives raced towards each other and collided with incredibly visual dramatic effect. Almost beside himself with glee at his 'accomplishment' DeMille raced to the first camera station, only to find the cameraman pounding his fists on the camera. “I can’t understand it,” he cried. “The lens cap was stuck-on the whole time and we got nothing.” A little shaken, C.B. went to the second camera station to find the cameraman pounding his fists on the ground. “I can’t understand it,” he cried. “There was no film in the camera the whole time and we got nothing.” Upset now, C.B. thought at least he had the third man for backup, and went to his position. The cameraman greeted him jovially and called out, “Anytime you’re ready, C.B.!”

THe story was denied by DeMille on one occasion when he told friends privately that there was not "a word of truth in it." He never denied it publicly for some reason. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kbrianton (talk • contribs) 04:53, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

Parentage
This article claimed that DeMille's father was Dutch! Well according to every single family tree from, DeMille's father's family has been in the US for a long time and does not even trace back to Holland in any way during at least 200 years before DeMille's birth. His mother is also listed as born in North Carolina. Does anyone have a reliable source that she was actually Jewish? doesn't mention it. The fact that many sites claim she was from England (when in fact she was not) also seem to suggest that she may not have been Jewish, much less Sephardic, at all. Mad Jack 07:50, 28 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Robert S. Birchard, in his book Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood, p. 344, says that Cecil's mother was Jewish. So does Sumiko Higashi, in his book Cecil B. DeMille and American Culture: The Silent Era, p. 220: "Beatrice DeMille was Jewish, a lineage her son de-emphasized, but she converted to her husband's Episcopal faith." Agnes DeMille also said that her grandmother was Jewish in a television documentary that I saw, and she turned her head in profile to show what she said was her Jewish nose.


 * The listing for Beatrice DeMille in the 1880 U.S. Census (State of New York, County of New York, City of New York, enumeration district 340, p. 576C, family 61) says that she was born in England, as were her parents. Her listing in the 1900 U.S. Census (State of New Jersey, County of Passaic, Township of Wayne, enumeration district 92, p. 2A, family 21) says that she was born in London, England, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1866. Her listing in the 1910 U.S. Census (State of New York, County of New York, City of New York, enumeration district 731, p. 13A, family 284) says that she was born in England, to English parents, and that she immigrated to the U.S. in 1870. Her listing in the 1920 U.S. Census (State of California, County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles, enumeration district 161, p. 9A, family 373) says that she was born in England, to English parents. So, we have four U.S. Census listings vs. a family tree that doesn't give a source for her place of birth being in North Carolina. — Walloon 10:05, 28 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Hmmm, fair enough. However, the whole "Dutch born father" thing was definitely a mistake. :) Mad Jack 16:10, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

Baths
Should be something about his love of including bathing tub scenes in his movies (which was parodied in Paris When It Sizzles and probably elsewhere). AnonMoos 00:53, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

Ancestry
Any evidence his mother's being Jewish has been "disproved"? Here's a ready link making the contrary claim. Biruitorul 05:41, 29 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Your wording about "making the contrary claim" is a little confusing. The article to which you linked confirms that DeMille's mother was Jewish. — Walloon 05:12, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

Mason
An anon IP inserted this into the article: Judging from the masonic symbol on his grave(compass,ruler and a g in it),he was a freemason,and it's a bit strange that it isn't mentioned anywhere. I moved it from the article to here (unsourced). Studerby 00:28, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Mansion in Wayne demolished or renovated?
The article claims the DeMille mansion was demolished, but the following Herald News article (March 25, 2007 on northjersey.com) claims Mark and Terry Charnet have restored it.

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzNTcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcwOTgxMzEmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3

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Agnes deMille
In the "Early Life" section Agnes deMille is mentioned as his daughter, while in the "Personal Life" section he has two daughters, Cecilia and Katherine. On the Agnes deMille page of Wiki she's named as his neice, not his daughter. I'm a noob so I don't want to change it, but someone needs to check that... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Special:Contributions/ (talk)
 * No, that's not what the "Early Life" section says. It says, "[Cecil B. DeMille] had an older brother, William, and a younger sister who died in childhood, Agnes, after whom William's famous daughter was named." — Walloon 05:07, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

WP:WikiProject Actors and Filmmakers priority assessment
Per debate and discussion re: assessment of the approximate 100 top priority articles of the project, this article has been included as a top priority article. Wildhartlivie (talk) 11:05, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Lay minister?
I happened upon this article by chance. The term 'lay minister' is anachronistic. Thus, I looked up Henry C. DeMille's obituary and changed the term accordingly.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A02E1DC1731E033A25752C1A9649C94629ED7CF —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.245.38.110 (talk) 18:50, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

de MIlle appearing as hiself
Cecil B de Mille also appeared as himself in the Swedish production - filmed mostly on location in the US - "Jens Månsson i Amerika", starring Edvard Persson 1947 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.73.242.3 (talk) 08:10, 12 September 2008 (UTC)