From Blue Book of the Screen (1923) CECIL BLOUNT DE MILLE can credit his success in part in the motion picture world to both heredity and environment, for both elements played an important part in his early life. The son of Henry Churchill de Mille, partner and collaborator of David Belasco, DeMille literally grew up in the atmosphere of the theater. Although he was born in Asheville, Mass., forty-one years ago, most of his early life was spent in New York.