• Bible Films Blog

    Looking at film interpretations of the stories in the Bible - past, present and future, as well as preparation for a future work on Straub/Huillet's Moses und Aron and a few bits and pieces on biblical studies.


    Name:
    Matt Page

    Location:
    U.K.












    Monday, December 17, 2007

    Paul of Tarsus and Jesus of Nazareth

    NT Gateway's Mark Goodacre has been finding out some more information on the 1960 BBC TV series Paul of Tarsus. On Thursday he discussed the various bits of information he had gleaned from the associated novelisation. These included the book's ten chapter headings which, it's assumed, match up to the titles of the ten episodes. Interestingly, WitlessD left a comment on my earlier post which gave this and some additional information, from 2 different sources - the BFI Library and old copies of the Radio Times. Mark also describes the photos as the highlights of the book and notes how it relies more on Acts than on Paul's letters.

    Mark's second post deals with his discovery that Paul of Tarsus was actually a sequel to a series called Jesus of Nazareth which aired in 1956. Various productions have gone by this name - in addition to Zeffirelli's famous 1977 TV series, there were silent film versions in 1916 (a theologically modified release of From the Manger to the Cross and 1928 as well as a Mexican version in 1942 - but this one was unknown to me. According to the IMDb it starred Tom Flemming in the lead role. Flemming went on to commentate on the 1972 Eurovision Song contest.

    I'll not reproduce Mark's comments here, but would encourage those interested in these films to read his original posts for themselves.

    I've also checked both Campbell and Pitts and Kinnard and Davis, and neither book mentions either series.

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    3 Comments:

    • At 4:33 pm, December 21, 2007, Blogger Witlessd said…

      Here are the details, from the Radio Times - 1956

      Jesus of Nazareth (BBC Children's Film Unit)
      Producer: Joy Harington;
      Script: Joy Harington;
      Film Cameraman: Peter Sargent;
      Designer: Richard Henry;
      Film Editor: John Pullen;
      Consultants: Rev. Robert Walton, Rev. Roy McKay, Rev. Prof. T W Manson;

      Cast: Tom Fleming (Jesus)
      Powys Thomas (Simon bar Jonah)
      Gwendolyn Watford (Mary)
      George Woodbridge (Joseph)
      Peter Wyngarde (John the Baptist)
      Anthony Jacobs (Judas)
      Michael Bryant (John bar Zebedee)
      John Glen (Andrew bar Jonah)
      Richard Grant (James bar Zebedee)
      Robert Gillespie (Matthew)
      John Dunbar (Thomas)
      Philip Guard (Philip)
      John Baker (James Alphaus)
      Alan Rolfe (Thaddeus)
      Ewen Solon (Pontius Pilate)
      Barbara Lott (Mary Magdalene)
      Hugh Dickson (Nathaniel Bartholomew)
      Jack Stewart (Simon Zealot)
      Maurice Colbourne (Zacharias)
      Susan Richmond (Elizabeth)
      Peter Smallwood (Jairus)
      Julia Puccini (Jairus' daughter)
      Richard Palmer (Jesus aged 12)
      Christopher Sandford (Boy John the Baptist)
      Blanche Fothergill (Simon's mother-in-law)
      Derek Birch (Pharisee)
      Charles Lloyd Pack (Sadducee)
      Owen Barry & Robert Rietty (Scribes)
      Howell Davies (Man by the Road)
      Richard Walter (Roman Centurion)
      John Franklin (Blind man)
      Donald Cashfield (Greek Man & Jairus' servant)
      Gertan Klauber (Wood cutter)
      Mercia Mansfield (Jairus' wife)
      Victor Maddern (Stonemason)
      Jefferson Clifford (Temple Elder)
      Eric Dodson (Rabbi)
      Patrick Westwood, David Spenser (Soldiers)
      Robert Mooney (Paralyzed man)
      Philip Latham (Roman Soldier)
      John Franklin (A Father)
      Kevin Kelly (Little boy)
      Rajani Anand (Girl)
      Michael Malnik, John Paul (Synagogue Elders)
      Jonathan Swift (boy)
      with:
      Nigel Sharpe, Douglas Jones, David Ritch, George Howell, Christopher Warbey, Doreen Metcalfe, Darren Mendham, John Scott, Kim Grant, Rachelle Cohane, Mercia Mansfield, Geraldine Gwyther, Kara Aldridge;

      John Glen (Narrator),

      1. 12 February 1956
      2. (Preparing the Way) 19 February
      3. 26 February
      4. 4 March
      5. 11 March
      6. 18 March
      7. 25 March
      8. 1 April

      There were no episode titles published in RT apart from episode 2.

       
    • At 11:08 pm, December 22, 2007, Blogger Matt Page said…

      Brilliant - Thanks Witless.

      Matt

       
    • At 12:08 pm, December 08, 2016, Anonymous Anonymous said…

      I have a copy of the book which I received in hospital in 1957. The book and the TV series were great and I never missed one.

       

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