CECIL B. DeMILLE

The world-renowned motion picture producer and director spent a good portion of his youth in Pompton Lakes. He was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts on August 2, 1881.

The DeMille family became neighbors of the Terhunes in Pompton when Mr. DeMille Sr. bought property there and built a large home. He had studied for the Priesthood and served as a lay reader briefly in Christ Church. Each day he would read excerpts from the Old and New Testaments to the family. Perhaps from these precious memories came Cecil's interest in producing "The Ten Commandments" later in his life.

Cecil was educated at The Pennsylvania Military College and at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He began his career in the theatre as a playwright, acting and theatrical production until 1914, after which he turned his efforts to the production of motion pictures and radio dramas.

Among the films that Cecil B. DeMille produced or directed besides "The Ten Commandments" were "The Squaw Man", "Manslaughter" and "King of Kings".