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Greetings from Mr. Hollywood

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Cecil B. DeMille, Classical Hollywood, and Modern American Mass Culture

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Abstract

This chapter examines the material powers of mass culture over the totality of DeMille’s long and volatile career. It is divided into three chronological sections. The first explores DeMille’s early years, his increasingly troubled relationship with the economic imperatives of the burgeoning studio system, and his heightened interest in film finance and marketing. The second examines DeMille’s travails as an independent producer. Here his artistic ideals first faced the harsh economic realities of block-booking, the star system, and other corporate practices that controlled access to the mass audience. The concluding section examines DeMille’s return to Paramount, in 1932, and his rise as industry spokesman.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Lasky , Jr., Whatever Happened to Hollywood, 75, 77, 123, 139, 140.

  2. 2.

    Agee , Agee on Film, 411–415.

  3. 3.

    For DeMille’s clothing, see BYU, Box 651, Folder 19. Wilder said that directing DeMille he felt “like a man about to explain satire to George Bernard Shaw.” MHL, “Cecil B. DeMille,” Box 2.

  4. 4.

    For “Mr. Bracket and I,” see Sam Staggs, Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard: Billy Wilder , Norma Desmond, and the Dark Hollywood Dream (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2002), 9.

  5. 5.

    Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 10. Koury , Yes, Mr. DeMille, 318.

  6. 6.

    For the definitive summary of the material history of the American commercial film industry, see the ten-volume History of the American Cinema Series (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994–2006).

  7. 7.

    Wall, Inventing the “American Way,” 5.

  8. 8.

    Bordwell , Staiger , Thompson, Classical Hollywood Cinema, 4–5, 101, 109. For the example of MPPDA as representative for studios as integrated businesses, see Giuliana Muscio , Hollywood’s New Deal (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1997), 105–107.

  9. 9.

    Janet Wasko , Movies and Money, xii, 18–19, 26, 28–31, 47. Balio , Grand Design, 7–8, 18–21, 21–26. For the industry’s “Code of Fair Competition ,” adopted and enforced through the National Industrial Recovery Act (1933), see Muscio , Hollywood’s New Deal, 117–120; Tino Balio , Grand Design, 18–21; Sklar , Movie-Made America, 195–214.

  10. 10.

    Balio has written the definitive, two-volume biography of UA: Balio , United Artists: The Company Built by the Stars (Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1976); Balio , United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1987).

  11. 11.

    Staiger , The Studio System, 226–250; Crafton, The Talkies, 184, 216–224; Muscio , Hollywood’s New Deal, 127. For the IA strike, see Ibid., 119, 127–128.

  12. 12.

    Muscio , Hollywood’s New Deal, 3–11. For a succinct yet specific analysis of “What the New Deal Did,” see David M. Kennedy, Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), Ch. 12.

  13. 13.

    Balio , Grand Design, 18–19. Muscio , Hollywood’s New Deal, 4, 117–120.

  14. 14.

    George Lipsitz , Rainbow at Midnight: Labor and Culture in the 1940s (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994), 3.

  15. 15.

    For early correspondence, see BYU, Box 235, Folder 12. Lasky quoted in Louvish , A Life in Art, 54. For “consent,” see MHL, Jesse L. Lasky Papers, Box 2, Folder 43.

  16. 16.

    Neal Gabler, An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood (New York: Anchor Books, 1988), 17, 44.

  17. 17.

    Zukor , The Public is Never Wrong, 95, 97, 98–115. Whitfield, Pickford, 124–133. Eileen Bowser, The Transformation of Cinema, 1907–1915, History of the American Cinema, Volume 2, Harpole, General Editor (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990), 92, 226.

  18. 18.

    Bowser, The Transformation of Cinema, 226–227. Lasky, I Blow My Own Horn, 121. For Garbutt’s influential role, see Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 83–84.

  19. 19.

    For Lichtman , see MHL, Adolph Zukor Collection, Folder 1.

  20. 20.

    Zukor , The Public is Never Wrong, 138. Hayne , Autobiography, 152. Whitfield, Pickford, 144.

  21. 21.

    Gabler, An Empire of Their Own, 24, 44. Whitfield, Pickford, 135. Crowther , The Lion’s Share, 33.

  22. 22.

    FPL demoted Paramount Picture Corporation to a subsidiary role and, on December 29, 1917, consolidated production facilities by merging Bosworth, Inc. and the Morosoco Photoplay Co. under the FPL banner. See Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 83–84, 85–89, 142–143, 145; Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 120–125; Wasko , Movies and Money, 18–19.

  23. 23.

    Lasky quoted in BYU, Box 238, Folder 14; MHL, “Papers, Lasky, Jesse L.,” Box 2, Folder 43.

  24. 24.

    For correspondence see BYU, Box 238, Folder 12; Box 238, Folder 14; Box 240, Folder 10; MHL, “Papers, Lasky, Jesse L.,” Box 2, Folder 43.

  25. 25.

    For Newman see MHL, Adolph Zukor Collection, Folder 2 – “Correspondence 1919.” For block-booking and the birth of First National, see Koszarski, An Evening’s Entertainment, 71–73, 74–77. The 1921 federal block-booking investigation ended in 1932 and is considered by many the “first Paramount case” in preparation for the 1938 probe and Paramount decree in 1948. See Muscio , Hollywood’s New Deal, 115–116.

  26. 26.

    For numerous notes on Zukor , see BYU Box 238, Folder 14; Box 240, Folder 1; MHL, Adolph Zukor Collection, Box 1, Folder 2 “Correspondence 1919.”

  27. 27.

    For telegrams, see MHL, “Papers, Lasky, Jesse L.,” Box 2, Folder 43.

  28. 28.

    He cited Catherine Carr and Harvey Thew as two such people. For “dead wood,” see BYU, Box 240, Folder 1; for “sycophants,” see BYU, Box 239, Folder 1; for “lengthy account,” see BYU, Box 240, Folder 1. For “overhead” charges, see BYU, Box 240, Folder 10. For “vast group,” see BYU, Box 650, Folder 2. For loss of collaborative team and DeMille’s frustration, see Lasky, I Blow My Own Horn, 144–145; Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 158–159; Swanson , Swanson on Swanson, 214. For a roster of the staff of the West Coast studio, see BYU, Box 240, Folder 9.

  29. 29.

    For Buckland’s complaints, see BYU, Box 238, Folder 16; Box 240, Folder 13.

  30. 30.

    For examples of “mighty grip,” see BYU, Box 238, Folder 14; Box 240, Folder 1; Box 244, Folder 16. For “pulse” see BYU, Box 240, Folder 1. For examples of DeMille’s touchiness about the “home office,” see Box 240, Folder 1 and Hayne , Autobiography, 211–212. For Bennett, see MHL, Adolph Zukor Collection, Folder 2 “Correspondence 1919.” For later complaints and Lasky’s warnings, see BYU, Box 241, Folder 5; Box 241, Folder 8; Box 241 Folder 16.

  31. 31.

    BYU, Box 445, Folder 14. MHL, Adolph Zukor Collection, Folder 2, “Correspondence 1919.”

  32. 32.

    For “turning a hair,” see BYU, Box 241, Folder 20. Zukor’s generous contract offer was likely forced by the growing competition from First National and UA. See Lasky, I Blow My Own Horn, 168; Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 142–143, 167–168; Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 163–164; Edwards, The DeMilles, 92–95.

  33. 33.

    For “afraid of it,” see BYU, Box 244, Folder 19. For Lasky’s design of The Covered Wagon as a historical epic, see MHL, Adolph Zukor Collection, Folder 6, “Correspondence 1923.” For DeMille’s repeated complaints about FPL’s promotion of The Covered Wagon, see BYU, Box 244, Folders 1, 16, 19.

  34. 34.

    For correspondence regarding DeMille’s budget, see BYU, Box 249, Folder 7; Box 242, Folder 2. See also Lasky, I Blow My Own Horn, 165–169.

  35. 35.

    For Lasky, see BYU, Box 241, Folder 20. For financing, see BYU, Box 245, Folder 5. DeMille quoted, “I was fired,” in Koury , Yes, Mr. DeMille, 107.

  36. 36.

    For Lasky’s optimism, see BYU, Box 250, Folder 14. For DeMille’s optimism, see Box 258, Folder 17. For correspondence between DeMille and FPL executives, see BYU, Box 244, Folder 19. For meeting with Zukor , DeMille quoted in Koury , Yes Mr. DeMille, 107; emphasis added.

  37. 37.

    For IRS investigation and rumors of extravagance, see Box 260, Folder 2. For “good thing,” see Box 260, Folder 2. For FPL’s claims of interest owed, see BYU, Box 262, Folder 6. Long-time FPL exhibitors reacted angrily to Neilan’s slight. For the incident and various responses, see BYU, Box 264, Folders 2, 14; Box 264, Folders 21, 22. Neilan publicly apologized, in BYU, Box 264, Folder 14.

  38. 38.

    Higashi , The Silent Era, 201. She concludes that, to that point, DeMille had merely “contributed to the evolution of filmmaking as commodification in an Orientalist form, that is, displayed as spectacle.” This distinction mattered to her because, “As opposed to the bureaucratic cost accounting procedures of entrepreneurialism, the Orientalist dimension of filmmaking as an irrational expression of power poses an interesting legacy for the industry today in its phase of multinational corporate competition that transcends geographical boundaries.” While Higashi’s presentism is intriguing, a closer examination of DeMille’s business acumen during these years undermines her basic premise that his success was simply due to spectacle. For “place in the industry” and “standing,” see BYU, Box 250 Folder 13.

  39. 39.

    For Ince’s death and studio, see Box 250, Folders 9, 13, 15; Box 251, Folder 6; Box 259, Folders 2, 6.

  40. 40.

    For various responses by FPL employees, see BYU, Box 259, Folder 2; Box 262, Folder 18. Predatory studio-hiring was a violation of Article 14 of the Hays Association by-laws. For charges and defense against inter-studio hiring, see BYU, Box 259, Folder 4. DeMille found the need to write to Lasky to refute these claims, see BYU, 260, Folder 1.

  41. 41.

    For Fisher’s assessments, see BYU, Box 250, Folder 9. For early partners, see BYU, Box 264, Folder 2; Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 223–224, 239–241.

  42. 42.

    For profit sharing, see BYU, Box 263, Folder 1. For “shoulders,” see Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 206. DeMille repeats this, almost verbatim, to L. M. Goodstadt in BYU, Box 259, Folder 6. For the “family” atmosphere, see Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 220. For assembly of his dream team, see BYU, Box 258, Folder 7; Box 258, Folder 17. For newspaper coverage, see BYU, Box 259, Folder 6. For exalted expectations, see BYU, Box 259, Folder 6; Box 262, Folder 1; Box 262, Folder 1. For “burns our bridges,” see BYU, Box 262, Folder 1. For “things are popping,” see BYU, Box 268, Folder 1.

  43. 43.

    Hall cited in Louvish , A Life in Art, 246. For cost overruns, see Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 365–367. For properties, see BYU, Box 261, Folder 10. For physical improvements, see BYU, Box 265, Folder 18.

  44. 44.

    Balio , United Artists, 52–73.

  45. 45.

    For Goldwyn negotiations and efforts with Lesser and Blank , see BYU, Box 262, Folder 1. For Schenck see Box 260, Folder 2.

  46. 46.

    For DeMille’s extended correspondence with Wilson , see BYU, Box 260, Folder 6. For rise in venture capital, see Wasko , Movies and Money, 30–31.

  47. 47.

    Flebbe claimed some in Hollywood wanted DeMille to entice Henry Ford into film finance, writing “Henry Ford has been anxious to interest himself in pictures, and deMille with Ford and his organization would put everything else out of sight.” For Flebbe see BYU, Box 259, Folder 2. For DeMille’s investments through Flebbe , see Box 259, Folder 3. The King of Kings strengthened PDC’s reputation as “a Christian organization.” See BYU, Box 272, Folder 9.

  48. 48.

    DeMille personally guaranteed payroll payments through the Culver City branch of the Bank of Italy, see BYU, Box 265, Folder 18. For Burwell , see BYU, Box 263, Folder 1. For “keep DeMille in the family” and “bankers simply,” see BYU, Box 264, Folder 14.

  49. 49.

    Flinn quoted in BYU, Box 265, Folder 4. Milbank’s concerns in BYU, Box 262, Folder 5; Box 265, Folder 19. For DeMille’s response, also mirroring the crisis in 1923, see Box 268, Folder 7. For “frightened and worried” see BYU, Box 268, Folder 9. For Sistrom and financial crisis, see BYU, Box 265, Folder 18; Box 272, Folder 8.

  50. 50.

    For “most important,” see BYU, Box 268, Folder 9. For rumors, see BYU, Box 268, Folder 3. DeMille quoted in Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 239.

  51. 51.

    For McCarthy , see BYU, Box 251, Folder 6. For “big fight,” BYU, Box 258, Folder 7. For management team debate, see BYU, Box 263, Folder 20.

  52. 52.

    For Burwell , see BYU, Box 263, Folder 1.

  53. 53.

    BYU, Box 263, Folder 1.

  54. 54.

    BYU, Box 263, Folder 1. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a professional association designed to advance the interests of civil engineering.

  55. 55.

    BYU, Box 263, Folder 1. Emphasis in original.

  56. 56.

    BYU, Box 263, Folder 1.

  57. 57.

    Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 319.

  58. 58.

    For “state of panic,” see BYU, Box 276, Folder 27.

  59. 59.

    For “ashcan,” see MHL, Hedda Hopper Papers, Folder 549 “Cecil B. DeMille.” For his meeting with the Kaiser, see BYU, Box 296, Folder 18. For “on trial,” see Hayne , Autobiography, 321. For net worth, see Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 277. DeMille debated whether to sign a deal with First Choice Pictures in early 1933; see BYU, Box 308, Folder 7. IRS audits during the depression bankrupted both Lasky and William de Mille. For “present state,” see BYU, Box 505, Folder 11.

  60. 60.

    For “petered out” and “deadly uniformity,” see Hayne , Autobiography, 302, 303. Leisen quoted in Chierichetti, Mitchell Leisen, 48.

  61. 61.

    BYU, Box 294, Folder 14. For DeMille’s denials to Cohen, see BYU, Box 505, Folder 7. For DeMille’s interaction with Katz , see BYU, Box 505, Folder 15. DeMille also allowed Paramount cutters to make the final changes to his film, This Day and Age, see Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 273.

  62. 62.

    Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 363; see also Ibid., 218, 273. For McClure, see BYU, Box 314 Folder 7.

  63. 63.

    For “constantly thrown up” and “heart of humanity,” see BYU, Box 250, Folder 15. For “firstly,” see Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 273. For his defense of showmanship, see BYU, Box 305, Folder 13. Zukor , The Public Is Never Wrong, 296.

  64. 64.

    Birchard , DeMille’s Hollywood, 314. Eyman , Empire of Dreams, 339, 367.

  65. 65.

    For Jeffers and premiere, see BYU, Box 547, Folder 2; Box 549, Folder 5.

  66. 66.

    See BYU, Box 506, Folder 11; MHL, Lux Radio Theatre Collection , 1934–1955. For rating reports by the C. E. Hooper Company see BYU, Box 384, Folder 2; Box 374, Folder 11.

  67. 67.

    For DeMille’s comments on “legitimate theatre,” see BYU, Box 384, Folder 3. For Pine and JWT contract negotiations, meetings, and signing, see BYU Box 324, Folder 8.

  68. 68.

    DeMille relished the role of film narrator. Beginning with North West Mounted Police (1940), the director’s smooth voice is used for narration in nearly all of his later films. For making the audience “hear sight,” BYU, Box 363, Folder 10, emphasis added. For Paramount Silver Jubilee Broadcast see BYU, Box 339, Folder 8. For DeMille’s political use of radio, see BYU, Box 324, Folder 12.

  69. 69.

    For DeMille’s discussion of theology and “The Return of Peter Grimm ,” see BYU, Box 383, Folder 14. For Jeffers, see BYU, Box 384, Folder 5. For sponsor identification see BYU, Box 384, Folder 2.

  70. 70.

    For the new Lux format, see BYU, Box 357, Folder 13.

  71. 71.

    For new sobriquets see BYU, Box 339, Folder 8; Box 342, Folder 7. For Washington notice, see BYU, Box 384, Folder 3. For Louisiana notice and the account provided the Jefferson Parish Yearly Review, March 1938, see BYU, Box 343, Folder 1.

  72. 72.

    For newsreel coverage, see BYU, Box 343, Folder 3. For Barnett , see BYU, Box 384, Folder 5.

  73. 73.

    Produced at the Vine Street Theatre, across from the old Lasky barn, “Gateway to Hollywood” forced Jesse to relive his banishment from Paramount every Sunday. See BYU, Box 324, Folder 15; Box 342, Folder 11; 384 Folder 3; Lasky, I Blow My Own Horn, 250–251.

  74. 74.

    Lasky, I Blow My Own Horn, 250; emphasis added. For “important to me,” see BYU, Box 353, Folder 14.

  75. 75.

    Emphasis added. Box 384, Folder 3; Box 391, Folder 9.

  76. 76.

    DeMille was forced to cancel radio appearances promoting Unconquered (1947) because of AFRA threats and his unwillingness to “precipitate a picketing affair,” see BYU, Box 405, Folder 5.

  77. 77.

    Pratt, “Forty-Five Years,” 143.

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  1. Department of History, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, USA

    David Blanke

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Blanke, D. (2018). Greetings from Mr. Hollywood. In: Cecil B. DeMille, Classical Hollywood, and Modern American Mass Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76986-8_5

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