Ben-Hur (1959 film) and the 2nd best American epic film in the AFI's 10 Top 10. In 2004, the National Film Preservation Board selected "Ben-Hur" for preservation by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for being a "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" motion picture. In AD 26, Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is a wealthy prince and merchant in Jerusalem, who lives with his mother, Miriam (Martha Scott); his sister, Tirzah (Cathy O'Donnell); and their female servant Amrah (Stella Vitelleschi). The family's loyal slave, the merchant Simonides (Sam Jaffe), pays a visit with his daughter, Esther (Haya Harareet). Judah and Esther
Ben-Hur (play) Wallace's novel. The character of Ben-Hur was initially cast with Walker Whiteside, but he was replaced by Edward J. Morgan at the last minute. William Farnum replaced Morgan after the show's first season. William S. Hart played Messala. Hart would go on to leading roles in silent films such as "The Aryan" (1916), and became a silent screen cowboy hero. Farnum also appeared in several films, including "The Spoilers" (1914). The character of Christ was "represented as a 25,000-candlepower beam of light" and not portrayed by an actor. The resulting production of "Ben-Hur" opened at the Broadway Theater in New