"Did 'The Conqueror' get filmed near a nuclear blast location?"
In the scorching deserts of Utah, during the summer of 1956, the filming of 'The Conqueror' unfolded. Little did the cast and crew know that they were not just making a movie, but unwittingly stepping into a nuclear fallout zone.
The movie, starring John Wayne as Genghis Khan, was filmed in Snow Canyon, a location unaware of the radioactive legacy that lay beneath its sands. The canyon had previously been contaminated by fallout from nuclear testing at the Nevada National Security Site, which had taken place between 1951 and 1963.
The conditions on set were harsh. Temperatures often rose to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celsius), and the dust and dirt kicked up during filming were so intense that the actors had to be hosed down at the end of the day.
It seems that the film's producer, Howard Hughes, and its director, Bill Powell, were aware of the radiation dangers. Despite this, Hughes trucked 60 tons of the radioactive dirt back to Los Angeles for use in reshots.
The nuclear testing in question included Operation Upshot-Knothole in 1953, which involved the detonation of 11 atomic bombs, most larger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Two of the bombs, code-named 'Simon' and 'Harry,' caused massive radiation fallout.
Unfortunately, the fallout from the Nevada National Security Site tended to drift over St. George, Utah, and concentrate in the Snow Canyon area, where 'The Conqueror' was filmed. The consequences were dire. By 1980, 90 members of the 220-person crew had developed cancer and 46 of them had died.
The cast and crew members started developing cancer at seemingly unusual rates. Key figures like Powell, Wayne, Hayward, and Moorhead, who played Genghis Khan's wife, died of cancer within 25 years of the movie's release.
John Wayne, the lead actor, reportedly brought a Geiger counter to the set, hinting at his concerns about the radiation levels. Despite this, he, too, fell victim to cancer and died in 1979.
Howard Hughes, despite not developing cancer, spoke out against nuclear power in later years, expressing regret over his actions during the filming of 'The Conqueror.' In 1957, he ordered the distribution of numerous copies of the film near nuclear test sites in Utah, leading to many cast and crew members developing cancer. This incident made the film notorious.
In an attempt to salvage the film's reputation, Hughes spent $12 million to buy all existing prints of 'The Conqueror' in 1957, preventing it from being seen again for 17 years. However, the tragic story of 'The Conqueror' lingers on, a chilling reminder of the potential dangers of nuclear testing.
There is no data available on the hundreds of Native American extras who worked on the film, adding another layer of mystery to this tragic tale. The story of 'The Conqueror' serves as a grim reminder of the potential consequences of human hubris and our relationship with nuclear power.
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