Video: Ben Hur Scenes Shot In Sheepshead Bay… In 1907


by on Oct 5th, 2011

Sheepshead Bay is on Blu-ray now. Well, sort of.

Ben Hur, a film based on the book Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, is out on Blu-ray. When the film was initially released, it garnered praise from movie critics and won a total of 11 Oscars, including the Best Picture award at the 1959 Academy Awards.

But did you know the iconic Charlton Heston version was a remake? At least two film editions and a play preceded it. And parts of the 1907 version were filmed in Manhattan Beach and Sheepshead Bay – where local firefighters acted as the riders in the famed chariot race.

Directed by Sidney Olcott, a Canadian filmmaker, Frank Oakes Rose and others, it was only 15 minutes long due to it being produced without the permission of the author, Lew Wallace. He sued the film company for copyright infringement, setting the precedent that all movie studios are to get permission for adaptations of published work.

So take 15 minutes and watch the entire video, a bit of film history – and Sheepshead history.

Do you know of any other movies filmed in the Sheepshead Bay area? Let us know in the comments!

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  • Bona Weiss

    Fascinating. To name a few others: Requiem for a Dream, Two Lovers, Looking for an Echo, Brooklyn Lobster, Little Odessa, Shaft, Anything Else, and I suppose most recently – Men In Black 3.

    • BrooklynBus

      Let’s not forget Glengary Glenross with their fake Premier Properties across from Citibank and how they turned the exterior of Weisen’s Bakery into a Chinese Restaurant with a pagoda front while Weisen’s was still open and doing business. Remember walking into the pagoda to buy bread.

      • Georgia

        Yes I recall that there were a lot of films around Sheepshead Bay

  • Anonymous

    Let’s not forget – A Bronx Tale, shot on Neck Road

    • Georgia

      Yes that’s correct also the Naked City and TV serial was filmed on Neck Road I remember that also. I had trailers on my block and the bus that was in that movie for about 2 weeks they were shooting. 

      • BrooklynBus

        I remember watching two girls jumping rope for about 30 minutes on the station. Couldn’t wait until the episode aired. That jump rope sequence was edited down to about three seconds.

        • Georgia

          lol that’s something else 

  • NSF

    The Chinese Restaurant in Glengarry Glen Ross was supposed to be in midtown Manhattan. And, if you look in the background of some scenes, you can see the D train passing through the station.

  • JR

    Ben Hur is probably one of the best movies of all time… From the Sports World, I always think Vince Lombardi should have a bust or something 

  • http://twitter.com/Lostinservice Lostinservice

    Although not specifically SHB, the modern Hollywood system was developed close by in Midwood. The large smoke tower you see on the CI bound side of the Q train (near ave m) with the words “Vitagraph” remains from Vitagraph’s second, and modern film studio.

    A quick google search says the film High Speed (1920) was filmed at the SHB race track. If anyone has access to a copy, I’d be interested in seeing it.

    • Georgia

      Yes you are correct there is a studio on Ave M and East 16th St. At times they used to tape soap operas for certain afternoon shows if I am not mistaken 

      • BrooklynBus

        For years it was the home of the NBC News with Chet Huntley and David Brinckley although no one knew it at the time. I also think the first year or two of the Cosby Show was filmed there before moving I to LA. More recently As the World Turns was filmed there until a few years ago. The cast used to have lunch at the Caraville Restaurant. Don’t know what it’s used for nowadays.

        • Georgia

          Yes you are correct is was NBC News come to think of it.  Also that was the soap opera As the World Turns. I don’t know either what its used for now either. It was a nice building
          Thank you for the infomation

  • bagels

    Ben Hur is one of my favorite movies – “You have the spirit to fight back but the good sense to control it. Your eyes are full of hate, Forty One…..so row well and live.

  • Barkingspider7

    Parts of the movie Glen Gary Glen Ross (Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin) were filmed in Sheepshead Bay.  The old Weisens bakery was fitted with a false front to make it look like the China Bowl restaurant that is/was in Manhattan and the real estate office was actually the old Premier Properties office above Chase Manhattan Bank.  I remember when they were filming, Al Pacino came out of his trailer, which was parked on East 16th Street.  He was really cool – saying hello to everyone and reaching into the crowd.