Finlay Currie, who portrays Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites, had previously played prominent roles in other biblical epics: Peter in Quo Vadis (1951), King David in Solomon and Sheba (1959), and Balthasar (one of the wise men) in Ben-Hur (1959).
Final film of Belinda Lee.
This was a dream project for Columbia head honcho Harry Cohn. He bought the rights from former MGM boss Louis B. Mayer and there even exists photos of his intended star Rita Hayworth in Egyptian makeup. When Hayworth turned down the role, Cohn opted for his other major Columbia contract player, Kim Novak, but she too rejected the offer. Tony Curtis and amazingly Jack Lemmon were also considered but eventually and with over one million dollars spent, the Columbia production was cancelled.