The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
Synopsis of The Greatest Story Ever Told
Filmmaker George Stevens chose Monument Valley, Utah for his exterior sequences in The Greatest Story Ever Told, this ($20 million) adaptation of Fulton Oursler's best-selling book. The "Greatest Story" is, of course, the life of Jesus Christ, played herein by Max Von Sydow. The large supporting cast includes Dorothy McGuire as Mary, Claude Rains as Herod the Great, Jose Ferrer as Herod Antipas, Charlton Heston as John the Baptist, Donald Pleasence as Satan (identified only as "The Dark Hermit"), David McCallum as Judas Iscariot, Sidney Poitier as Simon of Cyrene, Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate and Martin Landau as Caiaphas. Even Robert Blake as Simon the Zealot, Jamie Farr as Thaddaeus, and motorcyle-flick veteran Richard Bakalyan as Dismas, the repentant thief, are well-suited to their roles. Originally roadshown at 260 minutes, Greatest Story Ever Told was later available in a 195-minute version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 199 mins
Complete Cast of The Greatest Story Ever Told
- Max von Sydow - Jesus Christ
- Robert Loggia - Joseph
- José Ferrer - Herod Antipas
- Charlton Heston - John the Baptist
- Rodopho (Rudy) Acosta - Captain of Lancers
- Michael Ansara - Herod's commander
- David McCallum - Judas Iscariot
- Michael Anderson, Jr. - James the Younger
- Gary Raymond - Peter
- John Considine - John
- David Hedison - Philip
- Tom Reese - Thomas
- Angela Lansbury - Claudia
- Paul Stewart - Questor
- Mark Lenard - Balthazar
- Joanna Dunham - Mary Magdalene
- Michael Tolan - Lazarus
- Pat Boone - Young Man at the Tomb
- Van Heflin - Bar Armand
- Shelley Winters - Woman of No Name
- Ron Whelan - Annas
- Abraham Sofaer - Joseph of Arimathaea
- Nehemiah Persoff - Shemiah
- Victor Buono - Sorak
- John Crawford - Alexander
- Sidney Poitier - Simon of Cyrene
- Frank de Kova - The Tormentor
- Marc Cavell - Bad Thief on Cross
- Richard Bakalyan - Good Thief on Cross
- Cyril Delevanti - Melchior
- Robert Blake - Simon the Zealot
- Mickey Simpson - Rabble rouser
- Dorothy McGuire - Virgin Mary
- Claude Rains - King Herod
- Marian Seldes - Herodias
- John Abbott - Aben
- Philip Coolidge - Chuza
- Donald Pleasence - The Dark Hermit
- Roddy McDowall - Matthew
- David Sheiner - James the Elder
- Burt Brinckerhoff - Andrew
- Jamie Farr - Thaddaeus
- Peter Mann - Nathaniel
- Telly Savalas - Pontius Pilate
- Johnny Seven - Pilate's aide
- Harold J. Stone - Gen. Varus
- Frank Silvera - Caspar
- Janet Margolin - Mary of Bethany
- Carroll Baker - Veronica
- Sal Mineo - Uriah
- Ed Wynn - Old Aram
- Chet Stratton - Theophilius
- John Lupton - Speaker of Capernaum
- Martin Landau - Caiaphas
- Joseph Schildkraut - Nicodemus
- Robert Busch - Emissary
- John Wayne - The Centurion
- Richard Conte - Barabbas
- Joseph Sirola - Dumah
- Renata Vanni - Weeping woman
- Daniel Jenkins - Philip
- John M. Pickard - Peter's 2nd accuser
- Russell Johnson - Scribe
- Celia Lovsky - Woman behind railings
- Director(s):
- George Stevens
- Writer(s):
- George Stevens, James Lee Barrett
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