''A Story of David'' is a 1961 British-Israeli

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by Bob McNaught and starring

Jeff Chandler Jeff Chandler (born Ira Grossel; yi, יראַ גראָססעל; December 15, 1918 – June 17, 1961) was an American actor, film producer, and singer, best remembered for playing Cochise in '' Broken Arrow'' (1950), for which he was no ...

Basil Sydney Basil Sydney (23 April 1894 – 10 January 1968) was an English stage and screen actor. Career Sydney made his name in 1915 in the London stage hit ''Romance'' by Edward Sheldon, with Broadway star Doris Keane, and he costarred with Keane in ...

and

Peter Arne Peter Arne (born Peter Randolph Michael Albrecht; 29 September 19241 August 1983) was a British character actor. He made more than 50 film appearances including roles in ''Ice Cold in Alex'', ''The Moonraker'', '' Conspiracy of Hearts'' and ''V ...

. It depicts the life of the Biblical King

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

and his conflicted relationship with King

Saul Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tri ...

. It was one of the first films made for television.

Plot

Saul becomes jealous of the popularity of his protege David and tries to kill him. David goes into hiding.

Cast

King Saul Saul (; he, , ; , ; ) was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tr ...

- Doeg *

David Knight David or Dave Knight may refer to: *David Knight (American football) (born 1951), former American football player *David Knight (CND), chair for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament 1996–2001 *David Knight (cricketer) (born 1956), Australian cric ...

- Jonathan *

Barbara Shelley Barbara Shelley (born Barbara Teresa Kowin; 13 February 1932 – 3 January 2021) was an English film and television actress. She appeared in more than a hundred films and television series. She was particularly known for her work in horror film ...

- Abigail *

Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...

- Nabal *

Richard O'Sullivan Richard O'Sullivan (born 7 May 1944) is an English comedy actor, who is known for his role as Robin Tripp in the 1970s sitcoms ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and ''Robin's Nest (TV series), Robin's Nest'' (1977–1981) and as the title c ...

Abiathar Abiathar ( ''ʾEḇyāṯār'', "father (of) abundance"/"abundant father"), in the Hebrew Bible, is a son of Ahimelech or Ahijah, High Priest at Nob, the fourth in descent from Eli and the last of Eli's House to be a High Priest. Bible account ...

* Robert Brown - Jashobeam * David Davies -

Abner In the Hebrew Bible, Abner ( he, אַבְנֵר ) was the cousin of King Saul and the commander-in-chief of his army. His name also appears as "Abiner son of Ner", where the longer form Abiner means "my father is Ner". Biblical narrative Ab ...

Angela Browne Angela Browne (14 June 1938 – 20 June 2001) was a British actress. She had a recurring role in the early 1960s crime series '' Ghost Squad''. She also appeared in episodes of shows such as ''Danger Man'', ''No Hiding Place'', '' The Saint'', ...

- Michal *

John Van Eyssen John Van Eyssen (born Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen, 19 March 1922 – 13 November 1995) was a South African born actor, agent and film production executive. He moved to Britain following the Second World War, attending the Central School of ...

- Joab *

Martin Wyldeck Martin Wyldeck (11 January 1914 – 29 April 1988) was an English actor who played a wide range of parts over many years on stage, screen and TV. He also appeared in the first episode of the TV series '' Fawlty Towers'', as Sir Richard Morri ...

- Hezro * Charles Carson - Ahimilech *

Zena Marshall Zena Moyra Marshall (1 January 1926 – 10 July 2009) was a British actress of film and television, who was born in Kenya. Early years Marshall was of English, Irish and (on her mother's side) French descent. Though born in Kenya, after her ...

- Naomi *

Alec Mango Alec Mango (16 March 1911 – 7 November 1989) was an English actor. He is best known for portraying El Supremo in the 1951 ''Captain Horatio Hornblower'', he also appeared in ''South of Algiers'' (1953), ''The Strange World of Planet X'' (1958 ...

- Kudruh * Peter Madden - Chief Herder

Production

The film was a co-production between ABC-TV and

William Goetz William B. Goetz (March 24, 1903 – August 15, 1969) was an American film producer and studio executive. Goetz was one of the founders of Twentieth Century Pictures, and later served as vice president of 20th Century Fox after the merger with ...

. It was shot in Israel and London. It was intended that the film be released as two one-hour episodes for TV in the US and as a feature in other countries.Renewal at Allied for Jeff Chandler: 'Plunderers' Pleases Studio; Star Urges Subsidy for Films Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 4 October 1960: A9. Part one was to be called ''David the Outlaw''; part two ''David the Hunted''. "It's a simple story," said Chandler "only half a dozen people in it. There'll be no chariot race." Filming took place in Israel in August and September 1960; Israel troops guarded them near the Jordan border. The unit then shifted to Elstree studios in London. Filming had completed by October. During filming Chandler met

David Ben Gurion David Ben-Gurion ( ; he, דָּוִד בֶּן-גּוּרִיּוֹן ; born David Grün; 16 October 1886 – 1 December 1973) was the primary national founder of the State of Israel and the first prime minister of Israel. Adopting the nam ...

Release

ABC could not find a sponsor for the program. It eventually screened on ABC as a Sunday night movie in 1962. The film drew record high ratings and prompted ABC to commission a series ''

Great Bible Stories Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

''.NEWS OF TV AND RADIO: Perennial Best Seller Will Be Source Of New A.B.C. Series Other Items By RICHARD F. SHEPARD. New York Times 30 June 1963: 75.

References

External links

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A Story of David
at Letterbox DVD 1961 drama films 1961 films British drama films Films shot at Associated British Studios Israeli drama films Films about David Films set in the 11th century BC Films set in Jerusalem 1960s English-language films 1960s British films {{Israel-film-stub