Citing the notion that “A stuntman was killed during the filming of the chariot race scene in the 1959 version of ‘Ben-Hur’ and that his death was left in the final cut,” fact-checking website Snopes rated the claim “false.” And the only death was apparently totally unrelated to filming.

100 horses
“Ben-Hur” (1959) Upon its release, “Ben-Hur” was a massive blockbuster that won 11 Oscars, which still stands as the highest tally in history. But according to film historians, as many as 100 horses were killed during the production of the iconic film.

Filming. Marton and Canutt filmed the entire chariot sequence with stunt doubles in long shot, edited the footage together, and showed the footage to Zimbalist, Wyler, and Heston to show them what the race should look like and to indicate where close-up shots with Heston and Boyd should go.

These white horses were to be driven by the picture’s star, Charlton Heston, and had to be instructed to rear while hooked to the chariot for the added realism of horses in a frenzy during the race. At the end of the race in the film they perform a jumping stunt that is quite spectacular.

This was a change from the original novel and the 1925 silent film, both of which placed the chariot race in Antioch (which is outside present-day Israel’s borders) and which did have a famous circus. Roman warship rowers were not slaves but a paid part of the ship’s crew.

Ben-Hur (1925). An early filming attempt of the chariot race was done on location at the Circus Maximus in Rome. It brought about the death of one stuntman when a wheel of his chariot broke.

Most of what you are seeing on screen is stunt doubles, but both Boyd and Heston learned how to drive the chariots, and they pulled off some pretty impressive stunts of their own, including Heston clambering over a chariot and Boyd being dragged by a team of horses.

Nearly two hundred horses were used during the filming of the chariot race scene in the 1925 Fred Niblo film, Ben-Hur. Fortunately, it was reported that not a single horse was injured (“Forty-two” 405). This would probably relate more to luck than a deliberate attempt by anyone to ensure the safety of the animals.

Jerusalem
Through fate and good fortune, Judah survives the galleys and manages to return to Jerusalem in the hopes of finding his mother and sister, who were also imprisoned, and to seek revenge against his one-time friend. Charlton Heston plays a Jew who is battling the Roman empire at the time of Christ.

In the 1959 movie version of Ben Hur the character of Jesus Christ was played by the late American actor Claude Heater. All the shots of Heater in the film showed him facing away from the camera as it was decided not to show his face in the film.

Four animal wranglers involved in the making of The Hobbit movie trilogy told the Associated Press that as many as 27 animals—horses, goats, chickens, and sheep—died during the production of the Lord of the Rings prequel.

1.91 m
Charlton Heston/Height