N.B. The member numbers follow The Internet Movie Database's list order announcing the Academy in January 1927.
8. Cecil B. DeMille (Cecil Blount de Mille, 1881-1959) of the Directors Branch.
Like Mary Pickford or Jesse L. Lasky, DeMille was a model of his kind: in his case, the bravura "Hollywood director." His career lasted long enough that he remade some of his films: THE SQUAW MAN of 1914 was remade twice, in 1918 and 1931; a wide-screen remake of the silent TEN COMMANDMENTS (1923) was the final film in DeMille's (directorial) career, released in 1956. He moved back and forth between romantic comedies and time-spanning (often Biblical) epics: the scenery-chewing GOLDEN BED (1925) was followed by THE VOLGA BOATMAN (1926) and THE KING OF KINGS (1927).
Perhaps he was not the first to say it, but the phrase "The public is always right" is credited to him. Oddly enough, considering his film pedigree, DeMille was nominated for an Academy Award just twice; only one of his films won Best Picture: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952). In honor of his service to the Academy, and the industry, he won an honorary Oscar in 1950 and the 1953 Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
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