THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Charlton Heston’s loved ones dish on the biblical epic.
When Charlton Heston got into character as Moses for The Ten Commandments, he committed himself fully to the part, even staying in costume between scenes. “He actually became Moses,” Marc Eliot, author of the upcoming Charlton Heston: Hollywood’s Last Icon, tells Closer. “He ate in costume. He was totally immersed in that role.”
The actor’s dedication paid off: After director Cecil B. DeMille’s $13 million epic was released on Oct. 5, 1956, it earned nearly $200 million, snared seven Oscar nods and became a highly rated TV staple every Easter. “I don’t think he realized to what degree his life would change as a result of that film,” Charlton’s daughter, Holly Rochell, 55, tells Closer. “It was a profound experience for him.”
Even though Charlton and DeMille had gotten along well on 1952’s Best Picture winner The Greatest Show on Earth, the actor still had to convince the filmmaker he was the right man to play Moses. “Charlton read everything he could get his hands on about ancient Egypt,” says Eliot, noting the director almost gave the role to William Boyd, aka cowboy Hopalong Cassidy. “Charlton impressed Cecil with his knowledge.”
The film hit a snag once shooting started, as the director, who was in his mid-70s, suffered a heart attack, forcing production to shut down and relocate from Egypt to Holly-
wood. That’s where the famous parting of the Red Sea scene was shot. To achieve the effect, “They created a huge barrel, a miniature ocean, and they spilled the barrel and turned the footage upside down,” explains Eliot. “They pulled out all the stops — it was very innovative.”
A great divide also existed between Charlton and co-star Yul Brynner, who played the Pharoah. “Yul was 5'8" and Heston was 6'2",” says Eliot. “Yul worked out, so he was very muscular, and he was always after Cecil to put him higher on the set than Charlton.”
Still, The Ten Commandments elevated Charlton to superstardom. “His fame changed overnight,” Holly says. “It was pivotal in establishing him as a leading man.” It also gave his 3-month-old son, Fraser (Holly’s older brother), a taste of fame. He was cast as the baby Moses. “Charlton was very proud of that,” Carol Lanning, his secretary of 40 years, shares with Closer.
In fact, he felt a sense of pride about the entire movie. “He kept the staff in his office, behind the door, for his entire life,” reveals Jeff Rovin, a longtime friend and author of The Films of Charlton Heston.
For the star’s loved ones, the movie’s annual telecasts provide them with a reminder of the man behind the legend. “I watch it every year with my kids,” says Holly. “It’s a way for me to be close to my father.”
“I like playing great men. They’re more interesting than the rest of us.”
— Charlton Heston