Ben-Hur
1959 film by William Wyler · Released November 18, 1959
Ben-Hur () is a 1959 American religious epic film directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and starring Charlton Heston as the title character. A remake of the 1925 silent film with a similar title, it was adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The screenplay is credited to Karl Tunberg, but includes contributions from Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Gore Vidal, and Christopher Fry. The cast also features Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell and Sam Jaffe.
Cast ages when filming began (May 18, 1958)
- Charlton Heston, as Judah Ben-Hur: 34
- Jack Hawkins, as Quintus Arrius: 47
- Haya Harareet, as Esther: 26
- Stephen Boyd, as Messala: 26
- Hugh Griffith, as Sheik Ilderim: 45
- Martha Scott, as Miriam: 45
- Cathy O'Donnell, as Tirzah: 34
- Sam Jaffe, as Simonides: 67
- Finlay Currie, as Balthasar: 80
- Marina Berti, as Flavia: 33
- Frank Thring, as Pontius Pilate: 32
- André Morell, as Sextus: 48
- Duncan Lamont, as Marius: 39
- George Relph, as Tiberius Caesar: 70
- John Le Mesurier, as Physician: 46
- Mino Doro, as Valerius Gratus: 55
- Richard Hale, as Gaspar: 65
- Terence Longdon, as Drusus: 36
- Giuliano Gemma, as Centurion: 19
- Lando Buzzanca, as Prisoner: 22
- José Greci, as Mary: 17