The Ten Commandments Classic ABC Broadcast

Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Hardcastle and McCormick will not be seen tonight…but they’ll be back next week! Right now, stay tuned for a special ABC movie presentation. TONIGHT. A story so great…a film so magnificent…an experience for the entire family…Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner…in Cecil B. DeMille’s masterpiece: The Ten Commandments.

If you’re a member of Generation X, you more than likely have a memory of watching the epic 1956 film The Ten Commandments around this time of year on the ABC network. Now for over 50 years, ABC has aired this biblical Cecil B. DeMille classic on or around Easter, becoming a (nearly) annual television tradition, much like The Wizard of Oz or It’s a Wonderful Life. This grand retelling of the book of Exodus out of the “Old Testament” Hebrew Scriptures which chronicled the life of Moses (Charlton Heston) and the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery under Egyptian pharaoh Rameses II (Yul Brynner) was an American collective experience in the days before home video began to enable people to program their own evening television viewing.

DeMille’s 1956 masterpiece is not just a movie; it’s an experience that was never fully realized on the square, low resolution TV tubes of yesteryear. Accompanied by Elmer Bernstein’s rich, sweeping score, it was a lavish, richly colored melodramatic epic that feels more akin to an opera than mere cinema. Coming from an era when biblical epics were somewhat common in Hollywood, this Charlton Heston-led production is one that particularly has stood the test of time, remaining highly watched and beloved. The timing of the broadcast around Easter is no coincidence, as the story of the Exodus and the Israelites’ liberation from slavery directly aligns with the themes of Passover. The narrative of a people’s journey from bondage to freedom resonates deeply during this time of year, holding significance for Jewish, Christian, and even Islamic traditions (the Quran mentions Moses more than any other character). The inherent themes of freedom, courage, and the hope for liberation found in the Exodus story have inspired political rhetoric and fueled movements like the abolition of slavery and the civil rights movement. But, as Jeff Pfeiffer noted in TV Insider, it’s a film that remains thoroughly enjoyable regardless of one’s religious beliefs.

“This seems to be a case where it’s not only the film itself but the tradition of watching it on television, most likely with family, that combines to make it a special event for many viewers, perhaps made stronger set against the backdrop of various spring holidays. Television times may have changed, but ABC’s annual Easter airing of The Ten Commandments can still give (particularly older) viewers some sense of that comfort and familiarity.”

You may be surprised to know that the film is essentially a remake of DeMille’s earlier 1923 silent version with Theodore Roberts and Charles de Rochefort. But for the three hour and 40-minute 1956 version, Paramount pulled out all the stops with an estimated budget of $13 million and a legitimate ‘cast of thousands.’ IMDB lists 378 identified cast members, but reportedly at least 14,000 extras and 15,000 animals were used. Along with Heston’s iconic portrayal of Moses and Brynner’s compelling Pharaoh, the film boasted a ‘who’s who of old Hollywood,’ including Anne Baxter as Nefretiri, Edward G. Robinson as Dathan, Yvonne De Carlo as Sephora, Debra Paget as Lilia, John Derek as Joshua, Vincent Price as Baka, and John Carradine as Aaron. DeMille was able to wrangle this vast ensemble into a captivating, albeit melodramatic, presentation, with narration given by DeMille himself. In the original theatrical release, following an overture, DeMille even stepped out from behind stage curtains to directly address the audience, explaining that the Bible omits roughly 30 years of Moses’ life and that the filmmakers drew upon historical works by figures like Philo and Josephus, as well as the Hebrew Midrash, to flesh out the narrative.

Beyond the story and cast, The Ten Commandments was a technical marvel of its time, earning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. The parting of the Red Sea remains a legendary cinematic achievement, considered the most expensive special effect ever made for a film at the time. Reports from 1955 highlight the immense undertaking, with the New York Times detailing the construction of a 200,000 cubic-foot swimming pool and the use of hydraulic equipment capable of unleashing 360,000 gallons of water in two minutes. While estimates varied, the cost of this single sequence was reported to be between $500,000 by the Hollywood Reporter and over a million dollars by the New York Times, with an astounding 18 months dedicated to its filming. These spectacular set designs and massive live crowd shots, featuring both people and animals, are a testament to a bygone era of filmmaking, one where such grandiosity would be prohibitively expensive today, only accomplished with CGI. Billed as “The Greatest Event in Motion Picture History”, it is no wonder the film was a staple for theatrical moviegoers well into the 1970s.

In 1973, ABC obtained the broadcast rights to the film, airing it on Sunday, February 18, 1973. It was aired in its entirety, taking up four and a half hours of the evening’s schedule from 8/7pm Central running until 12:30/11:30pm Central. Viewers who opted out could watch William Shatner hire Mannix to perform oppo research on himself before running for governor, or Hec Ramsey on the NBC Mystery Movie. The broadcast placed 2nd in the weekly Nielsen ratings. The following year, the broadcast was split into two parts, airing on a Sunday and Monday. Although most articles state ABC has aired it annually with the exception of 1999, I find no such airings in 1976, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990 or the commonly cited 1999 and some years even found ‘letters to the editor’ complaining about the missing broadcast. Still, they seem to have aired it 45 out of the last 52 years.

Of course, broadcast TV no longer has anywhere near the hold it did in the late 20th century, but in an age of the DVR and on-demand, the 2024 broadcast still averaged more than 4 million viewers. This stands as a testament to the power of storytelling, the enduring appeal of epic cinema, and the unifying nature of shared viewing experiences. If it’s been a while, and especially if you’ve never watched it in widescreen, thou shalt watch The Ten Commandments whether it be on DVD, streaming, Bluray, or 4K. “So let it be written, so let it be done.”

Watch The Ten Commandments free in HD on ABC streaming

The Ten Commandments (1923 and 1956) Digibook [Blu-ray]