Cecil B. DeMille Cut Signature Framed with a Photograph. Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 ? January 21, 1959) was an American film director and film producer in both silent and sound films. DeMille began his career as a stage actor in 1900. He later moved on to writing and directing stage productions. His first silent film, The Squaw Man (1914), was a box-office hit and "served to put Hollywood on the map." His first biblical epic, The Ten Commandments (1923), was both a critical and financial success;it held the Paramount revenue record for 25 years.