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42-838: (Redirected from De Mille ) DeMille or De Mille is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Agnes De Mille , American dance and choreographer Beatrice deMille , English-born American playwright and screenwriter Cecil B. DeMille , American film director Constance Adams DeMille , American actress Evelyn de Mille (1919–2013), Canadian bookseller Henry Churchill de Mille , American playwright James De Mille , Canadian writer Katherine DeMille , Canadian-born American actress Nelson DeMille , American author Oliver DeMille , American author and educator Richard de Mille , American journalist and author William C. deMille , American screenwriter and film director [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with

84-451: A New York ballet performance within the context of a dominantly white company. Therefore, although it was only performed three times before being disbanded, Black Ritual was an unprecedented performance, changing perceptions about black ballet dancers and marking a significant milestone in American ballet history. De Mille’s first recognized significant work was Rodeo (1942), whose score

126-456: A captive. Enobarbus , his close friend, warns Antony against meeting Cleopatra, but he goes anyway. She entices him to her barge and throws a party with many exotic animals and beautiful dancers, and soon seduces him. Together, they sail to Egypt. King Herod , who has secretly allied himself with Octavian, visits the lovers. He informs Cleopatra privately that Rome and Octavian can be appeased if Antony were to be poisoned. Herod also tells Antony

168-482: A dancer's physical technique. De Mille regularly worked with a recognizable core group of dancers, including Virginia Bosler (Doris), Gemze de Lappe , Lidija Franklin , Jean Houloose, Dania Krupska , Bambi Linn , Joan McCracken , James Mitchell , Mavis Ray, and, at American Ballet Theatre, Sallie Wilson . Krupska, Mitchell, and Ray served as de Mille's assistant choreographers, and de Lappe took an active role in preserving de Mille's work. In 1973, de Mille founded

210-538: A dozen other musicals, most notably Bloomer Girl (1944), which presented her feelings of loneliness as a woman who saw her husband leave to serve for the army, Carousel (1945), Allegro (1947, director as well as choreographer), Brigadoon (1947, for which she was co-recipient of the inaugural Tony Award for Best Choreography ), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949), Paint Your Wagon (1951), The Girl in Pink Tights (1954), Goldilocks (1957), and 110 in

252-638: A few minutes at a time. Heavy costumes complicated matters further. Due to Colbert's fear of snakes, DeMille put off her death scene for as long as possible. At the time of shooting, he walked onto the set with a boa constrictor wrapped around his neck and handed Colbert a tiny garden snake . On July 1, 1934 (90 years ago)  ( 1934-07-01 ) , the Motion Picture Production Code began to be rigidly enforced and expanded by Joseph Breen . Talkie films made before that date are generally referred to as " pre-Code " films. However, DeMille

294-504: A gift carpet for the Roman. When Apollodorus unrolls it, Cleopatra emerges, much to Pothinos' surprise. He tries to deny who she is. Caesar sees through the deception, and Cleopatra soon beguiles Caesar with the prospect of the riches of Egypt and India. Later, when they are seemingly alone, she spots a sandal peeking out from underneath a curtain and thrusts a spear into the hidden Pothinos, foiling his assassination attempt. Caesar makes Cleopatra

336-478: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Agnes De Mille Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer . Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMille and her uncle Cecil B. DeMille were both Hollywood directors. Her mother, Anna Angela George ,

378-441: Is heartbroken to find him dying. They reconcile before he perishes. Then, with the gates breached, Cleopatra kills herself with a venomous snake and is found sitting on her throne, dead. The closing credits list 32 actors and the names of their characters: The shoot was a difficult one due to Colbert contracting appendicitis on the set of her previous film, Four Frightened People , leaving her only able to stand for

420-630: The Omnibus TV series titled "The Art of Ballet" and "The Art of Choreography" (both televised in 1956) were immediately recognized as landmark attempts to bring serious dance to the attention of a broad public. During his presidency, John F. Kennedy appointed de Mille a member of the National Advisory Committee on the Arts, the predecessor to the National Endowment for the Arts, to which she

462-674: The Agnes de Mille Dance Theatre , which she later revived as Heritage Dance Theatre. De Mille developed a love for public speaking, becoming an outspoken advocate for dance in America. She spoke in front of Congress three times: once in the Senate, once in the House of Representatives, and once for the Committee for Medical Research. She was interviewed in the television documentary series Hollywood: A Celebration of

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504-559: The American Ballet Theatre (then called the Ballet Theatre) in 1939. One of Agnes de Mille’s most overlooked and important pieces was Black Ritual ( Obeah ), which she began choreographing for the newly formed Ballet Theatre’s first season. Lasting 25 minutes, this performance was created for the “Negro Unit” of the dance company and was performed by 16 black ballerinas . This was the first representation of black dancers in

546-410: The surname DeMille . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=DeMille&oldid=955690456 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description

588-580: The American Silent Film (1980) primarily discussing the work of her uncle Cecil B. DeMille . Agnes de Mille appears in a wheelchair in Frederick Wiseman 's 1995 film Ballet rehearsing her final piece, “The Other.” She tells her star “You must look like something that’s absolutely broken, and stuck up in the wind.” DeMille's 1951 memoir Dance to the Piper was translated into five languages. It

630-575: The Cross , Four Frightened People , The Crusades and Union Pacific , was released on DVD in 2006 by Universal Studios as part of the five-disc box set The Cecil B. DeMille Collection . It has been released for home viewing several times in the United States of America, including a 75th anniversary DVD edition in 2009 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment . In the United Kingdom, Cleopatra

672-631: The Handel Medallion for achievement in the arts (1976), an honor from the Kennedy Center (1980), an Emmy for her work in The Indomitable de Mille (1980), Drama Desk Special Award (1986) and, in 1986, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts . De Mille also received seven honorary degrees from various colleges and universities. She was featured on a U.S. postage stamp in 2004. At present,

714-478: The Shade (1963). These many dance performances within musical theater enriched Broadway musicals by how they provided perspective on the events of the time. De Mille's success on Broadway did not translate into success in film. Her only significant film credit is Oklahoma! (1955). She was not invited to recreate her choreography for either Brigadoon (1954) or Carousel (1956). Nevertheless, her two specials for

756-526: The Wings Grow , America Dances , Portrait Gallery , and Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham . She also wrote And Promenade Home , To a Young Dancer , The Book of Dance , Lizzie Borden: Dance of Death , Dance in America , Russian Journals , and Speak to Me, Dance with Me . De Mille also wrote an introduction entitled "Anna George de Mille - A Note About the Author" to the book Henry George: Citizen of

798-637: The World by Anna George de Mille (daughter of Henry George & Agnes' mother) which was published in 1950 by the University of North Carolina Press. De Mille married Walter Prude on June 14, 1943. They had one child, Jonathan, born in 1946. Agnes de Mille donated her papers to the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College "between 1959 and 1968, and her Dance To The Piper was purchased in 1994. Three films were donated by Lester Tome in 2010. The bulk of

840-402: The ballet provided key insights into the heroine's emotional troubles. This performance exemplifies how de Mille brought new ideas to the performing arts, integrating dance to enhance the musical. This production is widely known for this innovative idea and is credited for starting de Mille’s fame as a choreographer, both for Broadway and in the dance industry. De Mille went on to choreograph over

882-438: The director's most ambitious spectacles" and singled out Wilcoxon's performance as "excellent, especially in the more dramatic sequences." Film Daily called it a "sumptuous historical drama" with a "strong cast" and "good entertainment values". John Mosher of The New Yorker wrote that "Even as extravaganza it's moderate", and called the dialogue "the worst I have ever heard in the talkies." Variety agreed that "Often

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924-587: The fighting between the forces of Antony and Octavian, ending in the naval Battle of Actium . Antony fights on with the Egyptian army, and is defeated. Octavian and his soldiers surround and besiege Antony and Cleopatra. Antony is mocked when he offers to fight them one by one. Without his knowledge, Cleopatra opens the gate and offers to cede Egypt in return for Antony's life in exile, but Octavian turns her down. Meanwhile, Antony believes that she has deserted him for his rival and stabs himself. When Cleopatra returns, she

966-676: The forebodings of Calpurnia, Cleopatra, and a soothsayer who warns him about the Ides of March , Caesar goes to announce his intentions to the Senate. Before he can do so, he is assassinated. Cleopatra is heartbroken at the news. At first, she wants to go to him, but Apollodorus tells her that Caesar did not love her, only her power and wealth, and that Egypt needs her. They return home. Bitter rivals Marc Antony and Octavian are named co-rulers of Rome. Antony, disdainful of women, invites Cleopatra to meet with him in Tarsus , intending to bring her back to Rome as

1008-624: The life of Lizzie Borden . While she lived in New York and was working for Ballet Theatre in 1941, de Mille choreographed Drums Sound in Hackensack for the Jooss Ballet (originally located in Germany), which had just moved to New York in 1939. This was an important step in the company’s history as it was the first performance not choreographed by Kurt Jooss himself. Although there are no film recordings of

1050-478: The lines drew titters that are not being angled for", but maintained, "Photographically the picture is superb." In his Movie Guide , film critic Leonard Maltin gave Cleopatra 3.5 out of 4 stars and wrote, "Opulent DeMille version of Cleopatra doesn't date badly, stands out as one of his most intelligent films, thanks in large part to fine performances by all." At the 7th Academy Awards in 1935, Cleopatra won for Best Cinematography ( Victor Milner ). It

1092-539: The only commercially available examples of de Mille's choreography are parts one and two of Rodeo by the American Ballet Theatre, Fall River Legend (filmed in 1989 by the Dance Theatre of Harlem ) and Oklahoma! Notes Further reading [REDACTED] Media related to Agnes de Mille at Wikimedia Commons Cleopatra (1934 film) Cleopatra received five Academy Award nominations. It

1134-557: The papers date from 1914 to 1960 and focus on both personal and professional aspects of de Mille's life." She suffered a stroke on stage in 1975, but recovered. She died in 1993 of a second stroke in her Greenwich Village apartment. De Mille was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1973. De Mille's many other awards include the Tony Award for Best Choreography (1947, for Brigadoon ; 1962, for Kwamina ),

1176-400: The performance was significant in her career as a choreographer. After her success with Rodeo de Mille was hired to choreograph the musical Oklahoma! (1943). The dream ballet, in which dancers Marc Platt , Katherine Sergava, and George Church doubled for the leading actors, successfully integrated dance into the musical's plot. Instead of functioning as an interlude or divertissement ,

1218-402: The performance, de Mille’s choreography notes and personal reflections of the dancers shed light on the characteristics of the performance. The piece was placed in a historical context with an American theme and fit the traditional mold for de Mille’s pieces featuring a female perspective. As one of the first pieces de Mille choreographed for a group of dancers rather than simply one or two people,

1260-700: The same thing, with the roles reversed. Antony laughs off his suggestion, but a reluctant Cleopatra, reminded of her duty to Egypt by Apollodorus, tests a poison on a condemned murderer to see how it works. Before Antony can drink the fatal wine, however, they receive news that Octavian has declared war. Antony orders his generals and legions to gather, but Enobarbus informs him that they have all deserted out of loyalty to Rome. Enobarbus tells his comrade that he can wrest control of Rome away from Octavian by having Cleopatra killed, but Antony refuses to consider it. Enobarbus bids Antony goodbye, as he will not fight for an Egyptian queen against Rome. A short montage sequence shows

1302-471: The sole ruler of Egypt, and begins an affair with her. Caesar eventually returns to Rome with Cleopatra to the cheers of the masses but Roman unease is directed at Cleopatra. Cassius , Casca , Brutus and other powerful Romans become disgruntled, rightly suspecting that he intends to abolish the Roman Republic and make himself emperor, with Cleopatra as his empress (after divorcing Calpurnia ). Ignoring

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1344-620: Was a special kind of glamour and sincerity." On August 16, 1934, Cleopatra received its world premiere at the Paramount Theatre in New York City . The premiere audience, which gave the film a standing ovation , included social leaders, diplomats, and famous stars of stage and film. In its first week at the Paramount, the film set an annual record with 110,383 admissions. Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times called it "one of

1386-660: Was able to get away with using more risqué imagery than he would be able to do in his later productions. He opens the film with an apparently naked, but strategically lit slave girl holding up an incense burner in each hand as the title appears on screen. The film is also memorable for the sumptuous art deco look of its sets (by Hans Dreier ) and costumes (by Travis Banton ), the atmospheric music composed by Rudolph George Kopp , and for DeMille's legendary set piece of Cleopatra's seduction of Antony, which takes place on Cleopatra's barge. Colbert later said: "DeMille's films were special: somehow when he put everything together, there

1428-433: Was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson after its creation. Her love for acting played a very important role in her choreography. De Mille revolutionized musical theatre by creating choreography that not only conveyed the emotional dimensions of the characters but enhanced the plot. Her choreography, as a reflection of her awareness of acting, reflected the angst and turmoil of the characters instead of simply focusing on

1470-526: Was by Aaron Copland , and which she staged for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo . Although de Mille continued to choreograph nearly up to the time of her death—her final ballet, The Other , was completed in 1992—most of her later works have dropped out of the ballet repertoire. Besides Rodeo , two other de Mille ballets are performed regularly, Three Virgins and a Devil (1934) adapted from a tale by Giovanni Boccaccio , and Fall River Legend (1948) based on

1512-684: Was choreographing Cecil B. DeMille's film Cleopatra (1934). DeMille's dance director LeRoy Prinz clashed with the younger de Mille. Her uncle always deferred to Prinz, even after agreeing to his niece's dances in advance, and Agnes de Mille left the film. De Mille graduated from UCLA with a degree in English where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and in 1933 moved to London to study with Dame Marie Rambert , eventually joining Rambert's company, The Ballet Club , later Ballet Rambert , and Antony Tudor 's London Ballet . De Mille arrived in New York in 1938 and later began her association with

1554-415: Was considered more of an activity, rather than a viable career option, so her parents refused to allow her to dance. She did not seriously consider dancing as a career until after she graduated from college. When de Mille's younger sister was prescribed ballet classes to cure her flat feet, de Mille joined her. De Mille lacked flexibility and technique, though, and did not have a dancer's body. Classical ballet

1596-649: Was nominated for four more awards: Outstanding Production ( Paramount ), Best Assistant Director ( Cullen Tate ), Best Film Editing ( Anne Bauchens ), and Best Sound Recording ( Franklin Hansen ). In the January 1935 issue of The New Movie Magazine , Claudette Colbert 's performance in Cleopatra was named the "Movie Highlight of the Year" for August 1934, the month in which the film premiered. Cleopatra , along with The Sign of

1638-414: Was reissued in 2015 by New York Review Books . De Mille was a lifelong friend of modern dance legend Martha Graham . De Mille, in 1992, published Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham , a biography of Graham that de Mille worked on for more than 30 years. After suffering from a near-fatal stroke, she wrote five books: Reprieve (which outlined the experience), Who Was Henry George? , Where

1680-443: Was the daughter of Henry George , the economist. On her father's side, Agnes was the granddaughter of playwrights Henry Churchill de Mille and Matilda Beatrice deMille . Her paternal grandmother was of German-Jewish descent. She had a love for acting and originally wanted to be an actress, but was told that she was "not pretty enough", so she turned her attention to dance. As a child, she had longed to dance, but dance at this time

1722-498: Was the first DeMille film to receive a nomination for Best Picture . Victor Milner won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography . In 48 BC, Cleopatra vies with her brother Ptolemy for control of Egypt. Pothinos kidnaps her and Apollodorus and strands them in the desert. When Pothinos informs Julius Caesar that the queen has fled the country, Caesar is ready to sign an agreement with Ptolemy when Apollodorus appears, bearing

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1764-466: Was the most widely known dance form at this time, and de Mille's apparent lack of ability limited her opportunities. She taught herself from watching film stars on the set with her father in Hollywood; these were more interesting for her to watch than perfectly turned out legs, and she developed strong character work and compelling performances. One of de Mille's early jobs, thanks to her father's connections,

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