 Remember a Hallmark card when you carry enough to send the very best. Hallmark reading cards bring you Jeff Chandler and Ben Hurr on the Hallmark Playhouse. Week Hallmark brings you Hollywood's greatest stars in outstanding stories chosen by one of the world's best known authors. They distinguish novelist Mr. James Hilton. This is James Hilton. Tonight on our Hallmark Playhouse we dramatize a story which is not only one of the classics to fiction and especially appropriate to Easter week, but was written by a man who, unlike most novelists, would have been quite famous even apart from his writings. Trained for the law he switched to the army, served in the Mexican War of 1846, served again in the Civil War where he became a major general, fought at the Battle of Shiloh, and could probably be said to have saved the city of Washington from capture by the Confederates. Later he was a member of the court which tried the alleged conspirators against President Lincoln. Later still he became governor of New Mexico and American minister to Turkey. All of this you would think made up a pretty considerable career, but when we add authorship of a world famous novel, we know we are dealing with a very remarkable man indeed. His name was Louis Wallace, and he lived until 1905. And our story tonight is his unforgettable Ben Hur. To star in it we are fortunate indeed to have that notable actor and one of our old Hallmark friends, Jeff Chandler. And now here is Frank Goss from the makers of Hallmark cards. When you want to remember your friends there is one way to be sure the card you send receives an extra welcome. Look for that identifying Hallmark on the back when you select it. For words to express your feelings and designs to express your good taste, that Hallmark on the back is your guide. Like the sterling on silver it's a mark of distinction that all quickly recognized. And it tells your friends you cared enough to send the very best. And now Hallmark Playhouse presenting Louis Wallace's Ben Hur starring Jeff Chandler. Three figures climbed the hillside in the land of Judea. One was an old woman, a grandmother, staring through the half-dark toward the summit of the hill. Another was a man, his head raised, looking eagerly toward the east, waiting for the first thin line of gold in the sky. And the third was a boy, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Why did we get up so early, grandmother? Well, it's still dark. Your father will tell you that, David. As soon as we reach the top of the hill, son. In a little while the sun will rise over the walls of Jerusalem, the holy city. This hilltop will be radiantly golden, David. You will see. How the wind seems to sing. You are old enough now, David, to understand what we wish to tell you. Your grandmother and I will try to tell you the whole story just as it happened. Hold my hand, David. Yes, grandmother. We saw him, David. Your grandmother and I. He walked the earth in our lifetimes. He touched our lives. He touched our lives, David. You will read about him, my son, and hear about him in sermons. But we saw him, David. We saw him. What we say here, you can tell your children someday. And they will tell theirs. We will go back many years before I first saw him. My best friend, my boyhood companion, was returning to Judea after five years in Rome. I remember I ran down the street to meet him toward the Roman garrison. How I ran that day. Miss Salah! Miss Salah! Who calls me? Oh, welcome home, Miss Salah. Ah, it's Judah Benher. How's the student? I'm well. It's been a very long time, five years. Yes, so it has. Well, you look in your uniform. This is a special parade uniform designed by the best artisans of Rome. We march today with a new procurator. Valerius Gratis? Yes, he arrives today. And there's a man who will teach the weaklings of Judea real Roman discipline. Miss Salah. How do you stand there gaping like a child? For you, you're so changed. Changed? Miss soldier? I'll never forget the day you left for Rome. You were my closest friend. Now you've come back almost like a prince and yet... Yes. Yet I wish you were the Miss Salah who went away. Oh, how provincial you are. I pity you, Judah. You have the weakness and sentimentality of a scholarly man which makes you a typical Judean. I... Yours is a life with no opportunities. But I? The world lies before me. I bid you goodbye, Miss Salah. I wish I had not come. I sought a friend and I find a... Roman. Goodbye, Miss Salah. Well, he has changed, mother. Very changed. You mean he has come back a Roman? Yes. Is sentiment a sin? Is reading a sign of weakness? Do you remember the glory that is ours? Against brutalism, our father's erected... Yes, dead sir. The soldiers... But be careful, the tiles on the roof may be slippery. If my brother's strong right, I'm the homie, I could never... Yes. Who? Procurator of Judea. You must have slipped off the roof. I've killed the Roman governor. This is mother, this is sister. You have the whole family. It was an act. It was a life in the gallows. Oh, father. I tied a thong around my wrists and fastened it to a chariot. Just flying up in my... Gently, like a caress or a face I have never forgotten. It was a young man about my own age. His face was lighted by dark blue eyes. So good, so full of loving kindness. All my thoughts, my dreams had been of revenge, only revenge. I looked at him and my heart became as a child. He placed a pitcher of cool water to my lips and I drank. He spoke not a word, but placed a tender hand on my forehead and his lips moved in a silent, wonderful blessing. Years in the gallows, there was gentleness in the world, there was kindness. There was a man who had holiness, tenderness and compassion. I knew that if one man could be like that, someday many men, perhaps all men. Well, now your children can enjoy this traditional Maytime custom because Maybaskets are back. Yes, this year at fine stores that feature hallmark cards, you'll find the new Hallmark Maybaskets. Here's all the charm of the old time Maybaskets brought to you in a modern way. You see, Hallmark Maybaskets are all cut out and ready for small fingers to put together. No scissors, no paste needed. And they're so inexpensive that children can give one to everyone they like. Since the Hallmark Maybasket package costs only 50 cents and contains five different baskets. Children enjoy giving Maybaskets they made themselves, love to fill them with wild flowers, pieces of candy, popcorn. And with the new Hallmark Maybaskets, you'll find it's easy to teach children thoughtfulness, to teach them the real customs and traditions of Mayday, that day of flowers and friends and fun. So tomorrow, stop in at the store where you buy all your Hallmark cards and ask to see the new Hallmark Maybaskets. Remember, a package of five baskets is only 50 cents. You'll know it by that famous Hallmark and Crown on the outside of the package. The same familiar Hallmark you always look for on the back of a card when you carry enough to send the very best. Now back to James Hilton and the second actor, Ben Hur starring Jeff Chandler. I'd overlooking the holy city of Jerusalem 1900 years ago in the century of Caesar Augustus. A child of ten looks up into the faces of his father and his grandmother as they wait for the sun to fire the distant horizon with gold. Father, the sky is getting grey. Yes, David. Grandmother, what did they do to you and to Anteertha? They were quite a man nowadays, and you may know. Hold my hand very tightly. Yes, grandmother. For eight years, we sat as dead ones in a black dungeon. They threw us a crust of bread, a cup of water. All that kept us alive was the love we had in our hearts. And love is God, David. In the darkness, we reached for the light on some distant sea today, on some island of the seas tomorrow. But he is alive. I know this. A mother knows this. My hand! The shadow of death. Of the shadow of death. You know, I made room for his own prisoners. I was wandering a sea battle. And I started back on the long journey to Judea. And on the way I met a pilgrim, an old Egyptian whose name was Balthazar. Peace to you, my friend. And God be with you on your journey. And with you, good stranger. Can you tell me how far it is to Judea? I come from there. It is two days' journey. You come from Judea? Tell me, do you know of a family named Herb? Those of them knows. A great tragedy. Tragedy? No women were set free. But in the vileness of the dungeon, they became lepers. Oh, no. They are friends of yours. My mother and my sister. I am Judea Benher. Do not despise vengeance. I shall hurt with wolves if need be. I shall grind every Roman into the dust, to the flames everything Roman, to the sword every Roman born. My boy, listen to me and believe what I say. December Eve, 27 years ago, two companions and I walked across a desert, following a bright star. I do not wish to hear your story. Go to Judea. I urge you to listen. On that night we found a child, new born, in a manger in Bethlehem. We saw and worshiped him and gave him gifts. Melchior gave him gold, Gaspar frankincense, and I gave him myrrh. Why do you tell me this? I alone of the three whom they called wives. I alone have lived to know that this child has grown to a man, and the message he has brought the world fills the air of Judea. Love, he says, is greater than force. Love thy neighbor as thyself. And where is this man who preaches such hopeless optimism? In the hamlets and villages, on the slopes of the mountains of Judea and Galilee, only this evening he saw the sun set one day nearer the time when he himself shall become the light of the world. Look, my son, I did not believe because of the bitterness in my heart. An Antioch, the Circus Maximus. He was a hero, a chariot racer. If I could defeat Rossella, justice would be done. For months I trained a team of horses, and then the day of the contest arrived. My chariot was white, his scarlet and gold. I managed to get into position just to the right of him. He stood in his chariot, proud, defiant, beaming at the spectators, and then he turned and looked at me. I have heard that someone known charioteer is dead challenged me today. I have heard that... been heard. Yes, Miss Ella, you did not expect an old friend. But you are... Dead? No. Very alive, thank you. Sir, a wiggling from Judea dares to challenge me. Miss Ella, look to your horses, Roman. You have given me strong arms and a back of steel in your Roman galleys. The horses singing in the wind. The rains were taut in my hands. The arena, a sea of faces faded, blurry. Miss Ella's face a mask of fierce resolve. Side-by-side his chariot mind. A mighty pull on the rain and the iron-shot point of my axel caught Miss Ella's wheel and crushed it, etched headlong into the yellow dust. Like a dead dog. It was the revenge I had prayed for. The Lord God had delivered my enemy into my hands. But there was no joy in my victory. My soul was empty. I came back to Judea and everywhere I heard whisperings on the wind. A voice they said of one who was called the son of man. And everywhere his words. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Suddenly I remembered. And they were familiar to me, the voice, the face, the tender hand in the village called Nazareth. I searched everywhere for my mother and my sister and I finally found them, cringing in the darkness of a cave. Mother, dear sir. Go away, unclean, unclean mother. I've come back. Judea, for the love of God, come no closer. Go away and forget you ever saw us. Think of us as you think of the dead. Mother. Judea, touch me, no, no, no. Mother. Oh, my poor Judea. Now you are one of us who must live in darkness. There is a wonderful man who has the power to cure you. He speaks a word and a second made well. Evil and the dead come to life again. I have come to take you to him. My poor Judea. No, no, as the Lord lives I speak the truth. This morning he will pass by here on his way to the city. Come, take my hand. Dear sir, my sister, I give you my other hand. He looked by the road and he stopped and touched all of us. Lightly on the foreheads. We believe, David. And we were made well again. We saw him, David. He walked the earth in our lifetimes. And on this day ten years ago the stone was rolled away from the sepulchre. And we heard as if it was sung on the wind. I am the resurrection and the life. It's the new day, David. A new day. When there is faith in your heart, my son, and kindness toward your fellow man, then every sunrise brings us renewal. And we live again. We are resurrected as he was. Remember this, David. Where there is love there, you will find God. Some beautiful sunrise, father. Now I know what it means. Good morning. Good morning, father. Good morning, my son. And James Hilton will return in a moment. Ards for all the folks you want to remember, you still have time to do so between now and Sunday. At the finest stores across the country, you'll find hallmark Easter cards that say what you want to say, the way you want to say it. Cards with words so expressive of your feelings your friends will imagine have had a personal chat with you. Cards with colors and designs as fresh as springtime itself. Cards that express the deep spiritual joy of Easter. Ones that tell your friends and loved ones you remembered and wanted to share the happiness of Easter Sunday with them. Tomorrow when you're looking for Easter cards, remember to look for that distinctive hallmark on the back of the cards you select. Because on Easter, as always, you'll want your friends to know you cared enough to send the very best. Here again is James Hilton. It was a pleasure to have you with us on the hallmark playhouse tonight, Jeff Chandler. Thanks for a first-rate performance. Thank you for inviting me, Mr. Hilton. You know, I have a very warm spot in my heart for the hallmark playhouse. And we all have the same for you, Jeff. You know, ladies and gentlemen, back a few years ago, Jeff was one of our most regular and valued actors on the hallmark playhouse. We have watched his success with pleasure and pride, and tonight we welcome him back as our star. I'm particularly glad it was tonight, Mr. Hilton, because, well, I've been so busy, I'd forgotten that Easter's right here. So when Frank Goss reminded us of hallmark Easter cards, I said to myself, that's for me. Fine, and here's another reminder for you and all our listeners from the makers of hallmark cards. Your cards, in fact, all of your mail look even better when you use Easter seals. We know that by buying Easter seals, you help to support crippled and physically handicapped children. I think that's a grand idea, Mr. Hilton. And what are you having on the hallmark playhouse next week? Next week we shall present our adaptation of an adventure story of this great southwest called Doubtful Valley by George Garland. And our star will be Richard Widmark. Our hallmark playhouse is every Thursday. Our producer-director is Bill Gay. Our music is composed and conducted by David Rose, and our story tonight was dramatized by Lawrence and Lee. Until next Thursday then, this is James Hilton saying, good night. Have been carefully selected to give you expert and friendly service. Remember a hallmark card when you will carry enough to send the very best. Jeff Chandler can currently be seen in Battle at Apache Pass, a universal international technicolor picture also starring John Lund. The role of then-her's mother was played by Virginia Gregg and tips her was Lorraine Tuttle. Bill Conrad was Missala, Herbert Butterfield Balthauser and Dick Beals-David. You are invited to the Hallmark Hall of Fame every Sunday afternoon on television. Consult your paper for time and station. This is Frank Goss saying good night to you all until next week at this same time. When Hallmark Playhouse returns to present Richard Widmark in George Garland's Doubtful Valley. And the week following, Charlotte Bronte is the professor starring Joan Fontaine. And the week after that, R.D. Blackmore's Lorna Dew on the Hallmark Playhouse.