Ben-Hur (1959 film) New York City on November 18, 1959. Present at the premiere were William Wyler, Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Martha Scott, Ramon Novarro (who played Judah Ben-Hur in the 1925 silent film version), Spyros Skouras (president of the 20th Century Fox), Barney Balaban (president of Paramount Pictures), Jack L. Warner (president of Warner Bros.), Leonard Goldenson (president of the American Broadcasting Company), Moss Hart (playwright), Robert Kintner (an ABC Television executive), Sidney Kingsley (playwright), and Adolph Zukor (founder of Paramount Pictures). During its initial release the film earned $33.6 million in North American theater rentals (the distributor's share of
The White Cliffs of Dover (film) gliders to land - a premonition of the airborne attacks launched by Nazi Germany. According to MGM records, the film was a big hit and earned $6,294,000 (equivalent to $ million in ) at the box office, resulting in a profit of $1,784,000 (equivalent to $ million in ). The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography in Black and White. "White Cliffs of Dover" was adapted as a radio play on the September 18, 1946, episode of "Academy Award Theater", starring Irene Dunne in her original film role. The White Cliffs of Dover (film) The White