‘The Ten Commandments’ turns 100: When Hollywood came to Central Coast to make epic movie

David Middlecamp
·3 min read

A century ago, Moses came to the Central Coast.

That’s when legendary Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille and his film crew flocked to the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes to shoot one of the first Biblical blockbusters: 1923’s “The Ten Commandments.”

The spectacular first half of the black-and-white movie follows the story of the prophet Moses as told in the book of Exodus, tracking his flight from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea.

That section ends with Moses bringing the stone tablets carrying the Ten Commandments down from Mount Sinai only to find the Israelites worshiping a golden calf and living in debauchery.

Moses calls on the power of God and the calf is destroyed by lightning.

The less memorable second half of the silent movie is set in the then-modern era as a morality play on the perils of failing to follow God’s laws.

Theodore Roberts played Moses the Lawgiver in the 1923 black and white silent movie, The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. DeMille. Location scenes were filmed at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes while others like this one were filmed on a studio backlot.
Theodore Roberts played Moses the Lawgiver in the 1923 black and white silent movie, The Ten Commandments by Cecil B. DeMille. Location scenes were filmed at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes while others like this one were filmed on a studio backlot.

In the epic, the shifting sands along the border of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties stand in for Pharaoh Ramses’ Egypt. Hundreds of extras were hired locally to play the Israelites.

Carpenters built massive plaster-and-wood sets, including towering temple gates and a phalanx of faux sphinxes.

Designed by Paul Iribe, considered the Father of Art Deco, “The city towered 110 feet over the dunes and spanned about 800 feet,” Telegram-Tribune reporter Carol Roberts wrote on Nov. 14, 1990. “Construction required 500,000 board-feet of lumber, 250 tons of plaster, 25,000 pounds of nails and 75 miles of reinforcing rod. There were 21 giant sphinxes, each 10 by 20 feet and weighing five tons, lining the avenue.”

After filming, the set pieces were buried in the sands, becoming the legendary Lost City of DeMille.

Portions have since been salvaged and restored, and can be seen at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, 1065 Guadalupe St. in Guadalupe.

The biggest box office hit of the year, “The Ten Commandments” didn’t win an Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences started handing out gold statuettes six years later, in 1929.

“The Ten Commandments” is now in the public domain, which means you can watch it for free to mark the movie’s 100th anniversary.

A quarter century later, DeMille remade “The Ten Commandments” on a much larger scale in full Technicolor with sound and stars Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner.

DeMille did not return to the dunes to film the 1956 movie, and he kept the story focused on the Bible story.

Celebrating 100 years of ‘The Ten Commandments’

The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center has teamed up with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, Central Coast Film Society and Guadalupe Visual and Performing Arts Center for a centennial Lost City Celebration.

The fun starts Friday, Oct. 6, with a VIP dinner at Boys & Girls Club, 4689 11th St. in Guadalupe. The event features historian Peter Brosnan, who’s been integral efforts to uncover the “Ten Commandments” film set.

The Central Coast Entertainment Expo will be held Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, 487 Fair Oaks Ave. in Arroyo Grande.

The free, all-day event will feature filmmaking workshops, demonstrations, networking and the Central Filmmakers Showcase featuring movies made by locals. The documentary “The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille,” about Brosnan and his mission, will also be shown.

Cecil B. DeMille built the “City of the Pharaoh” in the Guadalupe Dunes for his 1923 silent film, “The Ten Commandments.” The former movie set is registered archaeological site, removing items is a felony.
Cecil B. DeMille built the “City of the Pharaoh” in the Guadalupe Dunes for his 1923 silent film, “The Ten Commandments.” The former movie set is registered archaeological site, removing items is a felony.

That’s followed by a ticketed “Lost City of DeMille” panel discussion with Brosnan and a screening of the first 45 minutes of 1923’s “The Ten Commandments” accompanied by live music.

Downtown Guadalupe is the destination Sunday, Oct. 8, for a full day of festivities including “Ten Commandments” screenings, a panel discussion, a comedy show, bounce houses and a dig site for kids. Several local restaurants will offer $5 food and drink specials in partnership with the Guadalupe Business Association’s Taste of Guadalupe event.

For more information, go to lostcitycelebration.com.

From the left: John Parker, Glen Wharton, Peter Brosnan look over a dig exposing a piece of plaster set from the Ten Comandments, the 1923 black and white version of the film by Cecil B. DeMille filmed in the Guadalupe Dunes. They were working on an archeological investigation of the fragile site Nov. 19, 1990.
From the left: John Parker, Glen Wharton, Peter Brosnan look over a dig exposing a piece of plaster set from the Ten Comandments, the 1923 black and white version of the film by Cecil B. DeMille filmed in the Guadalupe Dunes. They were working on an archeological investigation of the fragile site Nov. 19, 1990.
Glen Wharton, gestures over a dig exposing a piece of bas relief plaster set from the Ten Comandments, the 1923 black and white version of the film by Cecil B. DeMille filmed in the Guadalupe Dunes. He was part of a team working on an archeological investigation of the fragile site Nov. 19, 1990.
Glen Wharton, gestures over a dig exposing a piece of bas relief plaster set from the Ten Comandments, the 1923 black and white version of the film by Cecil B. DeMille filmed in the Guadalupe Dunes. He was part of a team working on an archeological investigation of the fragile site Nov. 19, 1990.
Legendary movie director Cecil B. DeMille. Cecil B. DeMille filmed his first version of the epic “The Ten Commandments” in 1923 at the Guadalupe Dunes.
Legendary movie director Cecil B. DeMille. Cecil B. DeMille filmed his first version of the epic “The Ten Commandments” in 1923 at the Guadalupe Dunes.