Omnibus The Conqueror (Entry 264.LK1255)
Jun 12, 2018
An absurd Hollywood casting choice and the story behind a notorious historical film. The billionaire producer's lavish decisions and on-set oddities get unpacked. Filming locations, imported sets, and production lore take center stage. Reports of a cancer cluster and debates over radioactive fallout are explored. Personal anecdotes and the broader legacy of nuclear testing round out the conversation.
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Howard Hughes Obsession With The Conqueror
- Howard Hughes poured millions into a Genghis Khan epic and repeatedly watched the finished film despite its poor reputation.
- Ken Jennings and John Roderick describe Hughes owning every print and obsessively viewing The Conqueror and Ice Station Zebra in his later years.
Finding Howard Hughes' Custom Airstream In A Gas Station
- John Roderick recounts finding an Art Deco gas station where a collector owned Howard Hughes' custom Airstream for Jane Russell.
- The collector's trove included Rolex cases and Hollywood artifacts, giving Roderick a vivid brush with Hughesian excess.
Authentic Dirt Became A Potential Hazard
- The Conqueror was filmed near St. George, Utah and transported 60 tons of local red soil to Los Angeles for interior authenticity.
- That production choice later fed concerns about radioactive fallout exposure after 1950s Nevada nuclear tests.