page_title: The Story of Ruth
section_title: Casting
hierarchical_section_title: The Story of Ruth / Production / Casting
caption_attribution_description: English: Cropped screenshot of Elana Eden in the preview of The Story of Ruth.
context_page_description: The Story of Ruth is a 1960 American historical romance film directed by Henry Koster, shot in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, and released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay, written by Norman Corwin, is an adaptation of the biblical Book of Ruth. The film stars Stuart Whitman as Boaz, Tom Tryon as Mahlon, Peggy Wood as Naomi, Viveca Lindfors as Eleilat, Jeff Morrow as Tob, and introduces 19-year old Elana Eden as Ruth.
context_section_description: Susan Strasberg, a contender for the role Ruth, was tested in September 1959. Other actresses who tested for the role were Susan Kohner, Tina Louise, Diane Baker, and Millie Perkins. Israeli actress Elana Cooper and Swedish actress Ulla Jacobsson arrived in Los Angeles in September 1959 to test for the role. Myrna Fahey, who had recently signed a contract with 20th-Century Fox, was also tested. In October 1959, Cooper was cast as Ruth, changed her name from "Elana Cooper" to "Elana Eden," and signed a "term pact" with the studio.
  This is Elana Eden, whom Buddy Adler, Henry Koster, and I have selected to portray the coveted title role in The Story of Ruth. Elana Eden comes to us from the Holy Land following worldwide search in which literally over a score of young, talented actresses were tested. Elana is a graduate from the renowned Habima Theatre. She was chosen by us because we feel she possesses the necessary qualifications for this exacting role and because of her natural qualities, which most faithfully exemplify this beloved biblical heroine.
  — Samuel G. Engel, in a 7-minute preview of the film
  Stephen Boyd was first cast as Boaz but later turned down the role and said: "I think the picture would be much better without me." Boyd later played Nimrod in John Huston's The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966), another biblical epic released by 20th-Century Fox. Stuart Whitman replaced Boyd as Boaz in December 1959.
  Helen Hayes and Irene Dunne were offered the role of Naomi before Peggy Wood was cast.
caption: Elana Eden as Ruth
exif: {"Image Tag 0x000B": "Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image Software": "Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384", "Image DateTime": "2018:01:29 16:52:13", "Image ExifOffset": "2242", "Image Padding": "[]", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "96", "Thumbnail YResolution": "96", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "4516", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "10418", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2018:01:29 16:49:26", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2018:01:29 16:49:26", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "91", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "91", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF Padding": "[]"}