Stephen Boyd
ActingAbout Stephen Boyd
Stephen Boyd (born William Millar; July 4, 193 – June 2, 1977) was a Northern Irish/American stage and screen actor. As a teenager he joined the Ulster Group Theatre where he learned the tasks of the theatre. In 1956 he toured North America performing "A Streetcar Named Desire" in the lead role as Stanley Kowalski. Boyd who appeared in around 60 feature films, most notably in the role of Messala in the 1959 film "Ben-Hur".
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Stephen Boyd reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Stephen Boyd's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 22% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Stephen Boyd remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Ben-Hur, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Stephen Boyd Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Stephen Boyd's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Stephen Boyd.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood | Self (archive footage) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1994 | The Bible According to Hollywood | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 1977 | Women in Hospital | Prof. Overhoff, Chefarzt | Flop | Similar → |
| 1977 | The Squeeze | Vic | Flop | Similar → |
| 1977 | Lady Dracula | Dracula | Flop | Similar → |
| 1976 | Montana Trap | Bill Ardisson | Flop | Similar → |
| 1975 | One Man Against the Organization | Inspector Stephen McCormick | Flop | Similar → |
| 1975 | The Left Hand of the Law | Lanza | Average | Similar → |
| 1975 | Carter's Army | Capt. Beau Carter | Flop | Similar → |
| 1975 | The Treasure of Jamaica Reef | Hugo Graham | Flop | Similar → |
| 1973 | Key West | Steve Cutler | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Man Called Noon | Rimes | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Big Game | Leyton van Dyk | Flop | Similar → |
| 1973 | Those Dirty Dogs! | Cpt. Chadwood Willer | Average | Similar → |
| 1972 | The Hands of Cormac Joyce | Cormac Joyce | Flop | Similar → |
| 1972 | One Billion for a Blonde | León Urrutía, joyero | Flop | Similar → |
| 1971 | Kill! | Brad Killian | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Devil with Seven Faces | Dave Barton | Flop | Similar → |
| 1971 | Hannie Caulder | The Preacher (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | African Story | Arnold Tiller | Flop | Similar → |
| 1971 | Marta | Miguel | Flop | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Great Swindle | Arturo | Flop | Similar → |
| 1969 | Slaves | MacKay | Average | Similar → |
| 1968 | Shalako | Bosky Fulton | Average | Similar → |
| 1968 | Assignment K | Philip Scott | Average | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Caper of the Golden Bulls | Peter Churchman | Average | Similar → |
| 1966 | The Bible: In the Beginning... | Nimrod | Hit | Similar → |
| 1966 | Fantastic Voyage | Grant | Hit | Similar → |
| 1966 | The Poppy Is Also a Flower | Benson | Average | Similar → |
| 1966 | The Oscar | Frank Fane | Flop | Similar → |
| 1965 | Genghis Khan | Yamuga | Average | Similar → |
| 1964 | The Fall of the Roman Empire | Livius | Hit | Similar → |
| 1964 | The Third Secret | Alex Stedman | Average | Similar → |
| 1962 | Imperial Venus | Jules de Canouville | Flop | Similar → |
| 1962 | Billy Rose's Jumbo | Sam Rawlins | Average | Similar → |
| 1962 | The Inspector | Peter Jongman | Hit | Similar → |
| 1961 | The Big Gamble | Vic Brennan | Average | Similar → |
| 1959 | Ben-Hur | Messala | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | The Best of Everything | Mike Rice | Average | Similar → |
| 1959 | Woman Obsessed | Fred Carter | Average | Similar → |
| 1958 | The Bravados | Bill Zachary | Hit | Similar → |
| 1958 | The Night Heaven Fell | Lambert | Flop | Similar → |
| 1957 | Seven Thunders | Dave | Flop | Similar → |
| 1957 | Island in the Sun | Euan Templeton | Hit | Similar → |
| 1957 | Seven Waves Away | Will McKinley | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | A Hill in Korea | Pvt. Sims | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | The Man Who Never Was | Patrick O'Reilly | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | An Alligator Named Daisy | Albert O'Shannon | Average | Similar → |
| 1954 | Lilacs in the Spring | Beaumont's Poolside Companion (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1953 | The Limping Man | Airport Traveller (Uncredited) | Flop | Similar → |
Stephen Boyd - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Stephen Boyd?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Stephen Boyd is "Ben-Hur" with a rating of 7.9/10.
How many movies has Stephen Boyd acted in?
Stephen Boyd has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Stephen Boyd?
Other notable films include "Seven Waves Away", "The Bible: In the Beginning...", and "Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood".