''Slaves of Babylon'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by
William Castle
William Castle (born William Schloss Jr.; April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.
Orphaned at 11, Castle dropped out of high school at 15 to work in the theater. He came to the attenti ...
and starring
Richard Conte
Nicholas Peter Conte (March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975), known professionally as Richard Conte, was an American actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from the 1940s through 1970s, including '' I'll Cry Tomorrow'', ''Ocean's 11'', and ''Th ...
and
Linda Christian
Linda Christian (born Blanca Rosa Henrietta Stella Welter Vorhauer; November 13, 1923 – July 22, 2011) was a Mexican film actress, who appeared in Mexican and Hollywood films. Her career reached its peak in the 1940s and 1950s. She played Mara ...
William Castle
William Castle (born William Schloss Jr.; April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.
Orphaned at 11, Castle dropped out of high school at 15 to work in the theater. He came to the attenti ...
called it a "low budget extravaganza".
Plot
In 586 BC the city of
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
was destroyed by the armies of king Nebuchadnezzar and its people were brought captive into Babylon. After decades of subjugation by their Babylonian masters the Jews are crying out for a saviour.
The prophet Daniel dispatches Nahum, one of his faithful servants, to search the faraway empire of
Media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...
for a young shepherd named Cyrus, who unknowingly is destined to become
Cyrus
Cyrus ( Persian: کوروش) is a male given name. It is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to Cyrus the Great ( BC). Cyrus is also the name of Cyrus I of Anshan ( BC), King of Persia and the grandfather of Cyrus ...
, king of the Persians, who holds the key to the freedom of the Jewish people.
Cast
*
Richard Conte
Nicholas Peter Conte (March 24, 1910 – April 15, 1975), known professionally as Richard Conte, was an American actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from the 1940s through 1970s, including '' I'll Cry Tomorrow'', ''Ocean's 11'', and ''Th ...
as
Nahum
Nahum ( or ; he, נַחוּם ''Naḥūm'') was a minor prophet whose prophecy is recorded in the ''Tanakh'', also called the Hebrew Bible and The Old Testament. His book comes in chronological order between Micah and Habakkuk in the Bible. ...
*
Linda Christian
Linda Christian (born Blanca Rosa Henrietta Stella Welter Vorhauer; November 13, 1923 – July 22, 2011) was a Mexican film actress, who appeared in Mexican and Hollywood films. Her career reached its peak in the 1940s and 1950s. She played Mara ...
as
Panthea
''Panthea'' is a genus of the owlet moth family, Noctuidae. The word ''Panthea'' is from Greek, meaning "all of gods" .''Panthea''
Cyrus
Cyrus ( Persian: کوروش) is a male given name. It is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to Cyrus the Great ( BC). Cyrus is also the name of Cyrus I of Anshan ( BC), King of Persia and the grandfather of Cyrus ...
*
Michael Ansara
Michael George Ansara (April 15, 1922 – July 31, 2013) was an American actor. He portrayed Cochise in the television series '' Broken Arrow'', Kane in the 1979–1981 series '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'', Commander Kang in '' Star Tr ...
as
Belshazzar
Belshazzar (Babylonian cuneiform: ''Bēl-šar-uṣur'', meaning "Bel, protect the king"; ''Bēlšaʾṣṣar'') was the son and crown prince of Nabonidus (556–539 BC), the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Through his mother he might h ...
*
Leslie Bradley
Leslie Ernest Bradley (1 September 1907 – 20 July 1974) was an English actor. He died in Desert Hot Springs, California.
Filmography
* ''The Way of Youth'' (1934) as Lieut. Burton (film debut)
* ''Play Up the Band'' (1935) as Jack Heckd ...
Ric Roman
Ric R. Roman (September 29, 1916 – August 11, 2000) was an American actor. He was perhaps best known for his roles in the films '' Lone Star'' (1952), ''Shadows of Tombstone'' (1953), '' Lizzie'' (1957) and '' The Wayward Girl'' (1957). He also ...
Beatrice Maude
Beatrice Maude (July 22, 1892 – October 14, 1984) was an American actress and theatrical director.
Early life
Beatrice Maude was born in California. Her mother and grandmother were both actresses; her mother Maud Madison was also a dancer.
...
as Cyrus' Foster Mother
*
Wheaton Chambers
James Wheaton Chambers (October 13, 1887 – January 31, 1958) was an American actor during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He appeared in more than 200 films and television series during his career.
Early years
Chambers was born on October 13, 18 ...
as Cyrus' Foster Father
* Paul Purcell as Overseer
*
Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar (born Julia Chalene Newmeyer, August 16, 1933) is an American actress, dancer, and singer, known for a variety of stage, screen, and television roles. She is also a writer, lingerie designer, and real-estate mogul. She won the Tony ...
as Dancer-Assassin (as Julie Newmeyer)
Production
The film was announced by Katzman in November 1951. It was part of an eight-film slate he was making at Columbia, others including ''Prince of Pirates'' with Paul Henreid, ''
Serpent of the Nile
''Serpent of the Nile'' is a 1953 Technicolor historical adventure film produced by Sam Katzman and directed by William Castle. The film starred Rhonda Fleming, Raymond Burr, William Lundigan and Michael Ansara. In an early role, actress Julie Ne ...
'', ''Cairo to Suez'', ''Jack McCall, Desperado'', ''The Pathfinder'', ''Siren of Bagdad'' and ''Flame of Calcutta''.
In January 1952 the film was formally put on the schedule. It was part of the early 50s boom in Biblical era pictures. In May Kaztman said the film would start in November.
In July Richard Conte was announced as Nahum.
In October 1952 it was announced Richard Conte's wife Ruth would make her film debut in the movie under the name "Ruth Storey" and that Linda Christian would also appear. The same month Katzman said William Castle would direct following ''
Conquest of Cochise
''Conquest of Cochise'' is a 1953 American Western film set in 1853 at the time of the Gadsen Purchase. Produced by Sam Katzman and directed by William Castle, it stars John Hodiak, Robert Stack and Joy Page.
Plot
Army Major Tom Burke is assi ...