July 9, 1961 - "Ben-Hur," which opened at New York's Loew's State in November, 1959, and ended its record run there last April, will open in 16 New York theatres July 26, it was announced by MGM, producers of the three-and-a-half hour religious epic. It has grossed more than $50 million in the U.S. and Canada thus far, the company stated. Ben-Hur had the largest budget ($15.175 million), as well as the largest sets built, of any film ever produced.
