History Trivia / TheGreatestStoryEverTold

* CreatorChosenCasting: Creator/DavidLean, who directed the prologue, cast Creator/ClaudeRains as Herod, having worked with him on ''Film/ThePassionateFriends'' and ''Film/LawrenceOfArabia''. It turned out to be his final role before his death in 1967.

** And even more stars in {{Cameo}}s.

** Creator/DonaldPleasence as "The Dark Hermit" ({{Satan}}). Yes, this means that Jesus has ''two'' future [[Film/JamesBond Blofelds]] as antagonists in this movie. As well as playing one (non-canon) one himself.

* DyeingForYourArt: Creator/TellySavalas shaved his head bald for his role as Pontius Pilate. He kept his head shaved for the rest of his life.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/MaxVonSydow, though playing Jesus was actually an avowed atheist.

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** Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas

* TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment: Filming began in 1962 and was completed in 1963, but the movie went unreleased for another two years.

** Creator/GeorgeStevens originally offered Creator/ElizabethTaylor the part of Mary Magdalene but she declined due to scheduling difficulties. He also considered Creator/AudreyHepburn.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Creator/MaxVonSydow, though playing Jesus was actually an avowed atheist

* CaliforniaDoubling: Shot in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah. The area standing in for the Jordan River is now a reservoir.

* TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment: Filming began in 1962 and was completed in 1963, but the movie went unreleased for another two years.

** Creator/DonaldPleasence as "The Dark Hermit" ({{Satan}}). Yes, this means that Jesus has ''two'' future [[Film/JamesBond Blofelds]] as antagonists in this movie.

* ActorAllusion: According to the Medved Brothers' ''The Hollywood Hall of Shame'' (a book on expensive [[BoxOfficeBomb box-office disappointments,]] which this film was), when the project was announced Creator/CharltonHeston's fans clamored for him to be cast as Jesus, given his [[Film/TheTenCommandments Biblical]] [[Film/BenHur epic]] reputation — he was cast as John the Baptist instead.

** George Stevens originally offered Creator/ElizabethTaylor the part of Mary Magdalene but she declined due to scheduling difficulties. He also considered Creator/AudreyHepburn.
** Speaking of, Creator/RichardBurton was offered the role of Jesus. Really.

* HideYourPregnancy: Joanna Dunham, who played Mary Magdalene, became pregnant during filming. The director worked around this by shooting her from the chest up as much as possible, making her later scenes markedly unlike the earlier ones.

** Telly Savalas as Pilate

* DyeingForYourArt: Telly Savalas shaved his head bald for his role as Pontius Pilate. He kept his head shaved for the rest of his life.

** George Stevens originally offered Creator/ElizabethTaylor the part of Mary Magdalene but she declined due to scheduling difficulties.

** Creator/DonaldPleasence as "The Dark Hermit" ({{Satan}})

** Creator/AlecGuinness was sought for a cameo.

* ActorAllusion: According to the Medved Brothers' ''The Hollywood Hall of Shame'' (a book on expensive [[BoxOfficeBomb box-office disappointments,]] which this film was), when the project was announced Heston fans clamored for him to be cast as Jesus, given his [[Film/TheTenCommandments Biblical]] [[Film/BenHur epic]] reputation — he was cast as John the Baptist instead.

** Charlton Heston as John the Baptist

** Martin Landau as Caiaphas
** Claude Rains as Herod the Great

** Donald Pleasence as "The Dark Hermit" ({{Satan}})

* ReCut: Several versions of the film were officially released at one point or another, with the longest-known version running three hours and forty-five minutes and the shortest running a little over two hours. The most common version seen today runs three hours and fifteen minutes. There was reportedly a four-hour, twenty-minute version, but it is unknown whether or not that it ever was released at that length.

* HeyItsThatGuy - [[Series/{{Mash}} Corporal Klinger]] as one of the Apostles.
** Also, [[Series/{{NCIS}} Ducky]] as Judas.
** [[Film/FlashGordon Ming The Merciless]] is merciful Jesus.
** [[Film/BenHur Judah Ben-Hur]] is John The Baptist.
** [[Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService Blofeld]] is Pontius Pilate.
** [[Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice Blofeld]] is also the Devil.
** [[Film/InTheHeatOfTheNight They call me MR. TIBBS!!!]], and I'll gladly bear that cross.
** John The Apostle is also known as Phillip Nordstrom, [[Series/KnightRider who had KITT destroyed.]]
** And [[JohnWayne The Duke]] as...[[WTHCastingAgency the Centurion]]?

** And [[JohnWayne The Duke]] as...[[WTHCastingAgency the Centurion]]?

** Also, [[{{NCIS}} Ducky]] as Judas.

** John The Apostle is also known as Phillip Nordstrom, [[KnightRider who had KITT destroyed.]]

** [[InTheHeatOfTheNight They call me MR. TIBBS!!!]], and I'll gladly bear that cross.