Ben-Hur Trivia Questions

Filming took about five weeks with 15,000 extras, 80 cameras, and 18 chariots, making it one of the most expensive scenes ever at the time.

It won 11 Oscars, a record later tied by 'Titanic' (1997) and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003).

The set was built at Cinecittà Studios in Rome, but it was not a replica of the Circus Maximus; it was an original design over 18 acres.

No horses were injured; the American Humane Association closely monitored the race and no animals were harmed. It's a common myth that stunt work caused injuries.

Heston trained for months with expert stunt drivers and actually broke his wrist during practice, which was hidden from the studio to keep his role.

The stage play featured a mechanical treadmill with real horses running in place, thrilling audiences decades before the film version existed.

In Lew Wallace's 1880 novel, Messala does not die in the chariot crash; he is injured but lives, differing from the film's version.

Hugh Griffith, who played Ilderim, was a Welsh actor with no horse expertise; he won an Oscar for the role despite his lack of riding skills.