Beauty Beyond The Senses: Heston in the White House
- Thread starter Gorrister
- Start date
Getting Ready
Statement by Charlton Heston on the Joey Bishop Show - 6/19/1968 (OTL)
"This bill is no mystery. Let’s be clear about it. Its purpose is simple and direct. It is not to deprive the sportsman of his hunting gun, the marksman of his target rifle, nor would it deny to any responsible citizen his constitutional right to own a firearm. It is to prevent the murder of Americans."
Excerpt from Riding the Chariot by Charlton Heston - released 1996
1968 was a turbulent year for many American citizens. Leaving aside the riots at that year's Democratic convention, spurred by the anti-war movement - the assassinations of men like Martin Luther King Junior and Robert F. Kennedy showed just how damn fractured our country was becoming. Action was desired, not only by those in Hollywood and D.C., but also by those on the streets who simply wanted a return to calm. As for me, I was taking time to campaign with my colleagues Jimmy Stewart and Kirk Douglas for the passage of an essential Gun Control Act. In the process, I had become acquaintances with Tom Laughlin, chairman of the TTARGC (Ten Thousand Americans for Responsible Gun Control) group. He knew he could count on me as an ally, even as others let the issue fall by the wayside.
One day in particular I still remember vividly. I had been resting at home, when the phone rang. It was Laughlin. "Chuck, we've got a little TV spot for the bill coming up, and we'd love to have you there." I had to ponder the meaning of this for a short while. I have not been a stranger to activist causes by any means, but it was not in such a direct way. My consideration took a week before I got back to Laughlin. I suppose I did it out of a sense of obligation - I wanted to show that I had meant something through my words, and that I could contribute to the cause in some way. Laughlin was exceedingly happy to have me on board, and the filming would commence shortly. It wasn't very long - clocking in at a mere 60 seconds - and I would be reading from the same simple lines that I had read before, about how the bill was to prevent the murder of Americans on city streets. Nonetheless, the group had appreciated it. It was not to be my last foray into politics.
Entertainment Weekly Article - 3/3/2002
DID YOU KNOW?
A sequel to the famed 1968 Franklin Schafer production Planet of the Apes, starring Roddy McDowall and future president Charlton Heston, was mooted to arrive in the year 1970, having been in development following the release of the original under the working title Planet of the Apes Revisited. 20th Century Fox were more than willing to make another in order to cash in on the success of its predecessor, and numerous script treatments were tested during the short development period. One from Rod Serling had been submitted, which featured Heston's character George Taylor gunned down by a gorilla sniper at the Statue of Liberty's base. Another, from the author of the source novel Pierre Bouille, was rejected. Instead, Paul Dehn, the co-writer of the Bond flick Goldfinger, was brought onboard to write the script. Heston himself was still unwilling to reappear as Taylor.
February '69 would bring bad news that would eventually finish the film's prospects for good. An electrical fire broke out in Dehn's Manchester home, destroying the copy of the screenplay before it was handed out to Fox. Dehn's notes had also been wrecked in the fire, and as he was busy repairing his abode, he had little time to write another screenplay before executives got nervous, which they most certainly did. Chief Richard Zanuck, who was keen on the film, was fired in March as he presided over what was seen as a money sink by the board. With McDowell and Heston rejected calls for them to take roles in the film, with the former filming a drama in Scotland, and the latter simply being uninterested. The plug was pulled, and it would be years until Apes enthusiasts saw another entry in the franchise.
Interview with Former Senator George Murphy (R-CA) - Released 1988
MURPHY: "It was all rather odd. As far as I know, Chuck's acting career around that time had been...drying up. All the political folks were speaking, and they were speaking about how I was supposedly 'at-risk' - which is the term - around that time. The party wanted to get someone out of the blue to go up against me and to...win.
(TED) GUP: They turned to...Heston?
MURPHY: Well, there were always alternatives, it wasn't pure - *cough* solely him. They had this guy, John Tunney, sort of a JFK wannabe - you know, one of those sorts. There were others beyond him too, of course, but as I hope you can understand, I can't recall every candidate. Tunney was one they liked, nothing against him.
GUP: So, why Heston?
MURPHY: They wanted to mimic my own rise and that of Ronnie in 1966. I can't really think if it's any more complex than that. See in 1964 they went with Plucky Salinger - JFK's secretary - and he lost fairly badly. So this time, they thought they would take a risk. It - uhh - worked out, as you could probably tell. *laughter*
"This bill is no mystery. Let’s be clear about it. Its purpose is simple and direct. It is not to deprive the sportsman of his hunting gun, the marksman of his target rifle, nor would it deny to any responsible citizen his constitutional right to own a firearm. It is to prevent the murder of Americans."
Excerpt from Riding the Chariot by Charlton Heston - released 1996
1968 was a turbulent year for many American citizens. Leaving aside the riots at that year's Democratic convention, spurred by the anti-war movement - the assassinations of men like Martin Luther King Junior and Robert F. Kennedy showed just how damn fractured our country was becoming. Action was desired, not only by those in Hollywood and D.C., but also by those on the streets who simply wanted a return to calm. As for me, I was taking time to campaign with my colleagues Jimmy Stewart and Kirk Douglas for the passage of an essential Gun Control Act. In the process, I had become acquaintances with Tom Laughlin, chairman of the TTARGC (Ten Thousand Americans for Responsible Gun Control) group. He knew he could count on me as an ally, even as others let the issue fall by the wayside.
One day in particular I still remember vividly. I had been resting at home, when the phone rang. It was Laughlin. "Chuck, we've got a little TV spot for the bill coming up, and we'd love to have you there." I had to ponder the meaning of this for a short while. I have not been a stranger to activist causes by any means, but it was not in such a direct way. My consideration took a week before I got back to Laughlin. I suppose I did it out of a sense of obligation - I wanted to show that I had meant something through my words, and that I could contribute to the cause in some way. Laughlin was exceedingly happy to have me on board, and the filming would commence shortly. It wasn't very long - clocking in at a mere 60 seconds - and I would be reading from the same simple lines that I had read before, about how the bill was to prevent the murder of Americans on city streets. Nonetheless, the group had appreciated it. It was not to be my last foray into politics.
Entertainment Weekly Article - 3/3/2002
DID YOU KNOW?
A sequel to the famed 1968 Franklin Schafer production Planet of the Apes, starring Roddy McDowall and future president Charlton Heston, was mooted to arrive in the year 1970, having been in development following the release of the original under the working title Planet of the Apes Revisited. 20th Century Fox were more than willing to make another in order to cash in on the success of its predecessor, and numerous script treatments were tested during the short development period. One from Rod Serling had been submitted, which featured Heston's character George Taylor gunned down by a gorilla sniper at the Statue of Liberty's base. Another, from the author of the source novel Pierre Bouille, was rejected. Instead, Paul Dehn, the co-writer of the Bond flick Goldfinger, was brought onboard to write the script. Heston himself was still unwilling to reappear as Taylor.
February '69 would bring bad news that would eventually finish the film's prospects for good. An electrical fire broke out in Dehn's Manchester home, destroying the copy of the screenplay before it was handed out to Fox. Dehn's notes had also been wrecked in the fire, and as he was busy repairing his abode, he had little time to write another screenplay before executives got nervous, which they most certainly did. Chief Richard Zanuck, who was keen on the film, was fired in March as he presided over what was seen as a money sink by the board. With McDowell and Heston rejected calls for them to take roles in the film, with the former filming a drama in Scotland, and the latter simply being uninterested. The plug was pulled, and it would be years until Apes enthusiasts saw another entry in the franchise.
Interview with Former Senator George Murphy (R-CA) - Released 1988
MURPHY: "It was all rather odd. As far as I know, Chuck's acting career around that time had been...drying up. All the political folks were speaking, and they were speaking about how I was supposedly 'at-risk' - which is the term - around that time. The party wanted to get someone out of the blue to go up against me and to...win.
(TED) GUP: They turned to...Heston?
MURPHY: Well, there were always alternatives, it wasn't pure - *cough* solely him. They had this guy, John Tunney, sort of a JFK wannabe - you know, one of those sorts. There were others beyond him too, of course, but as I hope you can understand, I can't recall every candidate. Tunney was one they liked, nothing against him.
GUP: So, why Heston?
MURPHY: They wanted to mimic my own rise and that of Ronnie in 1966. I can't really think if it's any more complex than that. See in 1964 they went with Plucky Salinger - JFK's secretary - and he lost fairly badly. So this time, they thought they would take a risk. It - uhh - worked out, as you could probably tell. *laughter*
Nick P
Donor
Can't see that one working in any way. Make him the greatest American chef?
I believe we may be seeing the beginning of a trend between this and the Newman TL...
OK best prospects evarrrrr for this TL: HHH's second round of bladder cancer hits sooner but the treatment is more aggressive, so he's forced to sit out '72 (which damaged his brand more than '68) but also emerges thinking he's cured. So he runs and carries the field in '76 and instead of a Southerner picks Senator Heston as his VP. Then the fatal third round sets in around 78-79 and goodbye Humphrey. By this time Heston is continuing his ideologically complex drift to the right -- he's at least a Scoop Jackson Democrat by this point and if he signs on to Volckernomics along with the foreign policy and lawnorder, life gets interesting. You could have a 1980 three-way election between Ronald Reagan, a rightward-drifting Heston, and some paleoliberal champion (Teddy? Would go with someone else but probably only he has the name recognition to battle the two Californians). That would be some tasty crazysauce...
OK best prospects evarrrrr for this TL: HHH's second round of bladder cancer hits sooner but the treatment is more aggressive, so he's forced to sit out '72 (which damaged his brand more than '68) but also emerges thinking he's cured. So he runs and carries the field in '76 and instead of a Southerner picks Senator Heston as his VP. Then the fatal third round sets in around 78-79 and goodbye Humphrey. By this time Heston is continuing his ideologically complex drift to the right -- he's at least a Scoop Jackson Democrat by this point and if he signs on to Volckernomics along with the foreign policy and lawnorder, life gets interesting. You could have a 1980 three-way election between Ronald Reagan, a rightward-drifting Heston, and some paleoliberal champion (Teddy? Would go with someone else but probably only he has the name recognition to battle the two Californians). That would be some tasty crazysauce...
Hello, we're from the law firm of Dewey, Cheatum & Howe to serve you papers for a copyright infringement case from one Jesse James...
...seriously, good luck!
...seriously, good luck!
I'll do you one better.
"President Heston has announced that John 'Jack' Carter, son of the former Georgia Governor, will be piloting a manned mission to the Red Planet..."
I bow before you, sensei.
Running
The Actor's Life; 1956-1970 - Entry for 12/8/1969
Received calls from party officials again. Practically begging for me to declare my candidacy against Murphy [Senator from 1964 - Ed]. It's a conflicting little business, politics. Many say that the 'scene' is full of rats and I wouldn't be one to disagree, but it also appears to me that mindsets such as that often cloud perception and encourage non-participation. A very tough decision awaits - do I jump in or do I stay out? This may be my first (and last) opportunity to do this sort of thing, so I've got to be firm. Even if I do go in, by no means will the red carpet be rolled out.
Must speak to Jack [Valenti] and Lydia [Clarke] in the morning. The party folks won't take kindly to a lengthy wait.
Excerpt from Life of Honor by Fraser Heston - released 2002
Unlike Ronald Reagan, my father's political activism was not explicitly partisan in nature. It's true that he supported candidates out forward by the Democrats - but that was in a different league from speaking at the convention and somesuch. He had marched with MLK, and lent his support to Gun Control causes over the course of the 1960's, both issues having great importance to him. Thus, when we were visited by individuals from the California Democrats who asked him to consider a candidacy for the senate seat up in 1970, my father was faced with a question of whether he should run. The incumbent at that time was George Murphy, someone with an acting history himself, and one with a strongly conservative voting record. My dad had his own conservative inclinations on a number of issues for sure, but the two men differed greatly, especially on the matter of gun regulation and the War in Vietnam. Amusingly enough, both men had served as President of the Screen Actors Guild, as had Governor Reagan in years prior. This did not stretch to personal matters, as my dad and Murphy got on well during the campaign.
He consulted both my mother and his very good friend Jack Valenti on the matter. I sat in on one meeting about two weeks before the Christmas of 1969. Dad was particularly auspicious on the matter of running, while Valenti was willing to support him whatever he did. However, he made no mistake in judgement and knew that it would be no easy ride no matter what movie dad was in. "Chuck," he said, "the voters might like you as Moses who parted the Red Sea or as George Taylor who fought the apes, but there's no guarantee that they'll like you when you're out on the stump. You gotta be careful." Dad took the words in, and they stuck with him, as it was a very valid point. But he wasn't willing to underestimate himself. In spite of Valenti's words, he knew that to many voters, he represented the on-screen masculinity as set out by Ben Hur. And, as others took to pointing out, he was much more successful in the acting field than Reagan had been. Dad wasn't fond of that line, having liked Reagan on a personal level and viewed it as 'boasting'.
A decision had to be reached while speculation was at its height, or else there was a risk of any prospective bid falling by the wayside.
Sacramento Bee Article - 1/10/1970
HESTON IN FOR SENATE, HOPES TO RUN POSITIVE CAMPAIGN
Hollywood Actor Charlton Heston announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate seat currently held by Republican George Murphy, in a surprising move. Heston has starred in such successful movies as Ben-Hur and most recently, Planet of the Apes. He has also served as President of the Screen Actors Guild, a position which he is to resign from within the coming days.
"Here, in California, the Republicans wish to speak of success on the domestic level, that we are facing brighter times ahead. Now, had they not whittled our services, that would be true. Had they not worn down federal help to those most in need, that would be true. But, alas, we find it not to be. However, do not fall under the impression that I wish to run my campaign based on the Republican party. I do not, and I only seek to prove to you the people what I can do as your senator," Heston said in his announcement speech. He said upon his election that he would work to pass comprehensive economic reform, adding: "If in Congress, I will undertake steps to address the vital planks of wages and housing." There was little mention of the issue of gun control within the announcement.
Heston enters the race for senate with a strong opponent in Congressman John V. Tunney, who welcomed the actor into the race shortly after getting news of his announcement. Tunney seeks to establish Heston as a relic of the conservative past and himself as a man for the present. Rep. George Brown of Monterey is also in the running...
John V. Tunney speaking about the 1970 senate race - circa 1994
"No, I was not at all a fan of that race. It was tough, certainly, and yeah, I'd do it all again differently. See, Heston was a heavyweight - not at all a pushover, and to his credit, I thought he was a lot smarter than Ronald Reagan was. You know, we saw what happened - he outflanked me. That was it. That guy Hahn didn't run and lent his support, that was a real hurdle. It really was a pain, and some of us didn't realize just how strong he was and thought that his position in the polls that they did - he lead them, and we thought that was just because people knew who he was. Big mistake on our part. The Washington Outsider image played well for him, I think. He got a lot of black voters out for him, which helped him to really win that thing. One thing that troubled us was that the primary seemed a lot like a resucitation of old troubles within the party, with Heston representing something new and fresh. He said he was against Vietnam, even against Cambodia, while the image of me was of someone who wavered on that, which was unfortunate."
Anti-Tunney Ad Aired by Valenti - Roughly February 1970
[FOOTAGE OF TUNNEY ON THE HOUSE FLOOR]
Voice/Over: "While serving in congress, John Tunney voiced his support for the military draft." [SHOTS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINED BACKING THIS UP]
[CUT TO STILL GRAINY IMAGE OF TUNNEY ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL]
V/O: "Now he says that he's opposed to it. How convenient."
[CUT TO AIR RAIDS INTERCUT WITH MORE FOOTAGE OF TUNNEY]
V/O: Previously, Tunney said that he was in support of administration policy on the Vietnam war.
[CUT TO REPEAT OF AFOREMENTIONED IMAGE]
V/O: Guess what? He opposes it now.
[CUT TO FOOTAGE OF CHARLTON HESTON SPEAKING AT DEMOCRATIC PARTY EVENT]
HESTON: If California is to elect a Senator, it must be one whose convictions are firm and whose reasoning is sound.
[CUT TO FOOTAGE OF REP. GEORGE BROWN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL]
BROWN: Y'know, I don't buy a single thing John Tunney says.
[CUT TO REPEAT OF AFOREMENTIONED IMAGE]
V/O: John Tunney, just what kind of man is he?
Excerpt from California Republicans: A History by Dr. Condoleeza Rice, PHD
The 1970 Senate race pitted two giants of the acting world against each other, meaning that it was certainly a fight for the ages. Senator George Murphy, the conservative stalwart who was nearing the age of sixty-nine, faced the stoic Charlton Heston for representation of the twenty million that lived in California at the time. It also represented a battle between two major industries of film; as Technicolor tactically supported Murphy (who they hired as a public relations officer following his election to the senate in 1964, resulting in a $24,000 salary and company travel card that would become issues on the campaign trail) and Jack Valenti's Motion Picture Organization of America threw their support behind Valenti's long time friend Heston. Heston was able to strike a populist tone against the entrenched Murphy, who could not deliver an eloquent response on account of the raspy tone on his voice (likely as a result of surgery on the throat). Heston, for his part, used his wife Lydia sparingly on the campaign, knowing that she had even less interest in the political scene than him (as well as holding a desire not to be known as merely Mrs. Heston).
Heston was openly in favour of equal rights for the minority communities, having previously participated on the March on Washington. The busing question was one he avoided speaking about. His conservative thoughts on the topic of affirmative action took years to come out in full, as well. His other political stance, which was that of gun control, was also 'hushed up' during the course of the campaign. Not due to a shift in political viewpoints, but simply due to Heston's team recognizing it as an issue not to put into the foreground. In private, Heston had expressed his willingness to pass a successor to the 1968 Gun Control bill.
***
Heston picked up a large lead towards the conclusion of the campaign, partially due to Murphy's declining campaigning skill, his own personal popularity, and his ability to outmatch Murphy on the matter of 'Law and Order', forever the bugbear of the Wallaces and Reagans of the world (no matter which way they squared it, Murphy's team had no way of painting Heston as an agent of the campus violence that had plagued the state). Heston had the advantage going in, especially when the Democratic edge in registration had been factored in (of course, the same had been true in 1966, the year of Ronald Reagan's triumph). Heston could also count on a small groundswell of support from traditional Republican voters, as seen when he carried 27% of voters who had previously supported Richard Nixon.
On election day, Heston romped home in a landslide, carrying 55.1% of the vote to Murphy's 42.3%. It was a blowout of terrible proportions for the GOP, who were hoping to salvage the seat. It was obvious in electoral analysis that some level of what was known as 'vote-splitting' occurred, as Governor Reagan won re-election by a seven point margin against the legendary Jesse Unruh. Indeed, Heston showed an usual amount of strength for a Democratic candidate in the more conservative southern California...
Received calls from party officials again. Practically begging for me to declare my candidacy against Murphy [Senator from 1964 - Ed]. It's a conflicting little business, politics. Many say that the 'scene' is full of rats and I wouldn't be one to disagree, but it also appears to me that mindsets such as that often cloud perception and encourage non-participation. A very tough decision awaits - do I jump in or do I stay out? This may be my first (and last) opportunity to do this sort of thing, so I've got to be firm. Even if I do go in, by no means will the red carpet be rolled out.
Must speak to Jack [Valenti] and Lydia [Clarke] in the morning. The party folks won't take kindly to a lengthy wait.
Excerpt from Life of Honor by Fraser Heston - released 2002
Unlike Ronald Reagan, my father's political activism was not explicitly partisan in nature. It's true that he supported candidates out forward by the Democrats - but that was in a different league from speaking at the convention and somesuch. He had marched with MLK, and lent his support to Gun Control causes over the course of the 1960's, both issues having great importance to him. Thus, when we were visited by individuals from the California Democrats who asked him to consider a candidacy for the senate seat up in 1970, my father was faced with a question of whether he should run. The incumbent at that time was George Murphy, someone with an acting history himself, and one with a strongly conservative voting record. My dad had his own conservative inclinations on a number of issues for sure, but the two men differed greatly, especially on the matter of gun regulation and the War in Vietnam. Amusingly enough, both men had served as President of the Screen Actors Guild, as had Governor Reagan in years prior. This did not stretch to personal matters, as my dad and Murphy got on well during the campaign.
He consulted both my mother and his very good friend Jack Valenti on the matter. I sat in on one meeting about two weeks before the Christmas of 1969. Dad was particularly auspicious on the matter of running, while Valenti was willing to support him whatever he did. However, he made no mistake in judgement and knew that it would be no easy ride no matter what movie dad was in. "Chuck," he said, "the voters might like you as Moses who parted the Red Sea or as George Taylor who fought the apes, but there's no guarantee that they'll like you when you're out on the stump. You gotta be careful." Dad took the words in, and they stuck with him, as it was a very valid point. But he wasn't willing to underestimate himself. In spite of Valenti's words, he knew that to many voters, he represented the on-screen masculinity as set out by Ben Hur. And, as others took to pointing out, he was much more successful in the acting field than Reagan had been. Dad wasn't fond of that line, having liked Reagan on a personal level and viewed it as 'boasting'.
A decision had to be reached while speculation was at its height, or else there was a risk of any prospective bid falling by the wayside.
Sacramento Bee Article - 1/10/1970
HESTON IN FOR SENATE, HOPES TO RUN POSITIVE CAMPAIGN
Hollywood Actor Charlton Heston announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate seat currently held by Republican George Murphy, in a surprising move. Heston has starred in such successful movies as Ben-Hur and most recently, Planet of the Apes. He has also served as President of the Screen Actors Guild, a position which he is to resign from within the coming days.
"Here, in California, the Republicans wish to speak of success on the domestic level, that we are facing brighter times ahead. Now, had they not whittled our services, that would be true. Had they not worn down federal help to those most in need, that would be true. But, alas, we find it not to be. However, do not fall under the impression that I wish to run my campaign based on the Republican party. I do not, and I only seek to prove to you the people what I can do as your senator," Heston said in his announcement speech. He said upon his election that he would work to pass comprehensive economic reform, adding: "If in Congress, I will undertake steps to address the vital planks of wages and housing." There was little mention of the issue of gun control within the announcement.
Heston enters the race for senate with a strong opponent in Congressman John V. Tunney, who welcomed the actor into the race shortly after getting news of his announcement. Tunney seeks to establish Heston as a relic of the conservative past and himself as a man for the present. Rep. George Brown of Monterey is also in the running...
John V. Tunney speaking about the 1970 senate race - circa 1994
"No, I was not at all a fan of that race. It was tough, certainly, and yeah, I'd do it all again differently. See, Heston was a heavyweight - not at all a pushover, and to his credit, I thought he was a lot smarter than Ronald Reagan was. You know, we saw what happened - he outflanked me. That was it. That guy Hahn didn't run and lent his support, that was a real hurdle. It really was a pain, and some of us didn't realize just how strong he was and thought that his position in the polls that they did - he lead them, and we thought that was just because people knew who he was. Big mistake on our part. The Washington Outsider image played well for him, I think. He got a lot of black voters out for him, which helped him to really win that thing. One thing that troubled us was that the primary seemed a lot like a resucitation of old troubles within the party, with Heston representing something new and fresh. He said he was against Vietnam, even against Cambodia, while the image of me was of someone who wavered on that, which was unfortunate."
Anti-Tunney Ad Aired by Valenti - Roughly February 1970
[FOOTAGE OF TUNNEY ON THE HOUSE FLOOR]
Voice/Over: "While serving in congress, John Tunney voiced his support for the military draft." [SHOTS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINED BACKING THIS UP]
[CUT TO STILL GRAINY IMAGE OF TUNNEY ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL]
V/O: "Now he says that he's opposed to it. How convenient."
[CUT TO AIR RAIDS INTERCUT WITH MORE FOOTAGE OF TUNNEY]
V/O: Previously, Tunney said that he was in support of administration policy on the Vietnam war.
[CUT TO REPEAT OF AFOREMENTIONED IMAGE]
V/O: Guess what? He opposes it now.
[CUT TO FOOTAGE OF CHARLTON HESTON SPEAKING AT DEMOCRATIC PARTY EVENT]
HESTON: If California is to elect a Senator, it must be one whose convictions are firm and whose reasoning is sound.
[CUT TO FOOTAGE OF REP. GEORGE BROWN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL]
BROWN: Y'know, I don't buy a single thing John Tunney says.
[CUT TO REPEAT OF AFOREMENTIONED IMAGE]
V/O: John Tunney, just what kind of man is he?
Excerpt from California Republicans: A History by Dr. Condoleeza Rice, PHD
The 1970 Senate race pitted two giants of the acting world against each other, meaning that it was certainly a fight for the ages. Senator George Murphy, the conservative stalwart who was nearing the age of sixty-nine, faced the stoic Charlton Heston for representation of the twenty million that lived in California at the time. It also represented a battle between two major industries of film; as Technicolor tactically supported Murphy (who they hired as a public relations officer following his election to the senate in 1964, resulting in a $24,000 salary and company travel card that would become issues on the campaign trail) and Jack Valenti's Motion Picture Organization of America threw their support behind Valenti's long time friend Heston. Heston was able to strike a populist tone against the entrenched Murphy, who could not deliver an eloquent response on account of the raspy tone on his voice (likely as a result of surgery on the throat). Heston, for his part, used his wife Lydia sparingly on the campaign, knowing that she had even less interest in the political scene than him (as well as holding a desire not to be known as merely Mrs. Heston).
Heston was openly in favour of equal rights for the minority communities, having previously participated on the March on Washington. The busing question was one he avoided speaking about. His conservative thoughts on the topic of affirmative action took years to come out in full, as well. His other political stance, which was that of gun control, was also 'hushed up' during the course of the campaign. Not due to a shift in political viewpoints, but simply due to Heston's team recognizing it as an issue not to put into the foreground. In private, Heston had expressed his willingness to pass a successor to the 1968 Gun Control bill.
***
Heston picked up a large lead towards the conclusion of the campaign, partially due to Murphy's declining campaigning skill, his own personal popularity, and his ability to outmatch Murphy on the matter of 'Law and Order', forever the bugbear of the Wallaces and Reagans of the world (no matter which way they squared it, Murphy's team had no way of painting Heston as an agent of the campus violence that had plagued the state). Heston had the advantage going in, especially when the Democratic edge in registration had been factored in (of course, the same had been true in 1966, the year of Ronald Reagan's triumph). Heston could also count on a small groundswell of support from traditional Republican voters, as seen when he carried 27% of voters who had previously supported Richard Nixon.
On election day, Heston romped home in a landslide, carrying 55.1% of the vote to Murphy's 42.3%. It was a blowout of terrible proportions for the GOP, who were hoping to salvage the seat. It was obvious in electoral analysis that some level of what was known as 'vote-splitting' occurred, as Governor Reagan won re-election by a seven point margin against the legendary Jesse Unruh. Indeed, Heston showed an usual amount of strength for a Democratic candidate in the more conservative southern California...
Wait, Heston was a Democrat?
I always thought he was like Clint Eastwood - classic Western state Republican, left on most of the social issues with a strong libertarian streak.
I always thought he was like Clint Eastwood - classic Western state Republican, left on most of the social issues with a strong libertarian streak.
He had been a Democrat since the mid 50's, at least. Voted for Stevenson and Kennedy (Humphrey too. He was always fairly vague on 64). Then he voted for Nixon when McGovern was nominated and began becoming very conservative very rapidly, culminating in his ardent support for his pal Reagan and his eventual election as NRA president.
Interesting thoughts as always. Heston's rightward drift may occur TTL, but with the influence of other Democrats, it might be slowed down.
Would I interest you in a drink courtesy of my lawyer from the island of Samoa?