An original 1961 London theatre poster for the film Ben-Hur, the 1959 American biblical epic historical drama directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and starring Charlton Heston as the title character. Ben-Hur had the largest budget ($15.175 million), as well as the largest sets built, of any film produced at the time. Filming took over 9 months. Over 100 wardrobe fabricators made the costumes, and a workshop employing 200 artists and workmen provided the hundreds of friezes and statues needed in the film. Over 200 camels and 2,500 horses were used in the shooting of the film, with some 10,000 extras. The nine-minute chariot race has become one of cinema's most famous action sequences, and the score, composed and conducted by Miklós Rózsa, is the longest ever composed for a film.
The poster advertises Ben-Hur's early showings at the Royality Kingsway, which  is now the Peakcock theatre. In 1961, MGM/Loew’s took out a lease on the theatre and transfered the run of their blockbuster film ‘“Ben Hur” into the Royalty Theatre, while the Empire Leciester ssquare was having a refurbishment.