Jesus of Nazareth is an epic television historical drama serial of 1956 which dramatizes the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus.
Broadcast on Sunday afternoons, and aimed largely at children, it was directed by Joy Harington and stars Tom Fleming as Jesus. The open-air parts of the serial were filmed on location in the Holy Land.
Contents
Background
This production is believed to be the first in which an actor played Jesus Christ on screen in the United Kingdom. Fleming, who was not a leading actor, was organist, lay preacher, and reader at the Canonmills Baptist church in Edinburgh.
First broadcast in eight parts in February and March 1956, the serial was shown again all through Holy Week of 1957.
Episodes
Prologue: Preparing the Way (12 February 1956)
The Beloved Son (19 February 1956)
Jesus the Healer (26 February 1956)
Jesus the Teacher (4 March 1956)
Jesus the King (11 March 1956)
The Road to Jerusalem (18 March 1956)
Behold the Man (25 March 1956)
I Am Always With You (1 April 1956)
Cast
Tom Fleming as Jesus
Richard Palmer as Boy Jesus
Barbara Lott as Mary Magdalene
Michael Bryant as John the Apostle, son of Zebedee
Robert Gillespie as Matthew the Apostle
Powys Thomas as Simon Peter
Philip Guard as Philip the Apostle
Peter Wyngarde as John the Baptist
Alan Wheatley as Pontius Pilate
Philip Latham as Nicodemus
Anthony Jacobs as Judas Iscariot
Hugh Dickson as Nathaniel Bartholomew
Jack Stewart as Simon Zealot
Gwen Watford as Mary, Mother of Jesus
George Woodbridge as Joseph
Ewen Solon as Caiaphas
John Glen as Andrew and Narrator
John Dunbar as Thomas
Richard Grant as James
John Baker as James, son of Alphaeus
Alan Rolfe as Thaddeus
Christopher Sandford as the Boy John
Charles Lloyd Pack as Sadducee