Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925 film) his body. Gertrude Olmstead was cast as Esther. While on location in Italy, Walsh was fired and replaced by Ramon Novarro. The role of Esther went to May McAvoy. Shooting began in Rome, Italy in October 1923 under the direction of Charles Brabin who was replaced shortly after filming began. Additional recastings (including Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur) and a change of director caused the production's budget to skyrocket. After two years of difficulties and accidents, the production was eventually moved back to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Culver City, California and production resumed in the spring of 1925. B. Reeves Eason and Christy
Eddy Novarro Leo Castelli, who familiarized him with the Pop art scene. He soon came into contact with Pop art artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Novarro's friends and clients included heads of state, presidents, actors as well as artists. In the course of several decades he made portraits of Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, King Hussein of Jordan, Evita Peron and his good friend the Dalai Lama. Eddy Novarro Eddy Novarro (c. 1925–2003) was a photographer, a collector and a cosmopolitan. He dedicated his work to the great artists of the 20th century. Important painters and sculptors such