The 1950s were a really great time for the movies. With televisions entering people's homes, film studios and production companies were trying new techniques to get those bottoms back in the theater seats — and it worked.
Famed directors, like Alfred Hitchcock and the animated film genius Walt Disney, put out many successful films during this decade. Moviegoers were shocked and delighted alike. Cinephiles also basked in the glory of some great actors, such as Charlton Heston and Juanita Hall, in their truly iconic films and roles.
But behind every great film is the story of how it was made. The movie industry is a finicky one, and there is always fascinating trivia surrounding each film production.
These 10 blockbusters from the 1950s captivated audiences (as evidenced by their high box office numbers), but they all have some very intriguing stories behind them, too.
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1. Lady And The Tramp (1955)
The surprising inspiration first arose in 1939, when Joe Grant, a Disney story man, noticed his own spaniel getting pushed aside in favor of his new baby. But it would be years before the movie came out in 1955, after many twists and turns in its development.
2. The Ten Commandments (1956)
The parting of the seas was considered the most complicated effect to date. It took six months filming on location and in the studio to get the desired effect, including an in-studio waterfall.
3. Ben-Hur (1959)
Paul Newman turned down the role of Judah Ben-Hur because he claimed he didn't have the legs to wear a tunic. Charlton Heston was officially offered the role after many other actors, such as Marlon Brando, Rock Hudson, Geoffrey Horne, and Leslie Nielsen, turned it down.
4. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Mary Costa, the voice of Aurora, got the audition for the part after singing "When I Fall in Love." Walter Schumann approached her afterwards and told her he'd been looking for his Aurora for three years.
5. Around The World In 80 Days (1956)
This film made history with its cameo appearances. Producer Mike Todd cast dozens of film stars in extra's roles, such as Frank Sinatra as the Saloon Pianist.
6. The Greatest Show On Earth (1952)
Lucille Ball was originally offered the role of Angel, but had to drop out when she found out that she was pregnant with her first child, Lucie Arnaz.
7. Peter Pan (1953)
Many people think that Tinkerbell was modeled after Marilyn Monroe, but her actual inspiration was Margaret Kerry, who posed for reference shots on the studio's soundstage.
8. Rear Window (1954)
Grace Kelly never smoked on screen, but found a loophole to please Hitchcock in this film. In one frame, she's seen with an unlit cigarette in her mouth. When it cuts back to her, she's holding a lit cigarette between her fingers, which she quickly puts out. She didn't technically have to smoke, but Hitchcock still got the shot he needed.
9. South Pacific (1958)
Director Joshua Logan wanted the color filter changes from scene to scene to be very subtle, yet the production company made them very extreme. There wasn't enough time to make the changes before the movie was released, so the highly-filtered film is what audiences were exposed to, and it has become one of the film's greatest criticisms.
10. Cinderella (1950)
Walt Disney was a pioneer of overdubbing vocal tracks, even before the Beatles did it in their studio. During production, Disney asked that Ilene Woods sing her own harmonies for the song "Sing Sweet Nightingale." She was apprehensive at first, as it had never been done before, but her own harmonies are the ones that made it into the film.
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