Jesus of Nazareth (1977) [1 of 4]

Episode 1 (3 Apr. 1977) : After Joseph and Mary's betrothal, Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel, who tells her she will bear the Son of God. Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem to take part in Herod's census, where Jesus is born.

Jesus of Nazareth (Italian: Gesù di Nazareth) is a 1977 British-Italian epic film and television drama serial directed by Franco Zeffirelli and co-written by Zeffirelli, Anthony Burgess and Suso Cecchi d'Amico, which dramatizes the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It stars Robert Powell as Jesus, and features an all-star ensemble cast of renowned actors, including eight who had won or would go on to win Academy Awards: Anne Bancroft, Ernest Borgnine, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Quinn, Rod Steiger, James Earl Jones and Peter Ustinov.

The series was directed by Directed byFranco Zeffirelli and stars, Robert Powell as Jesus, Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene, Ernest Borgnine as the Roman Centurion, Claudia Cardinale as the Adulteress, Valentina Cortese as Herodias, James Farentino as Peter, James Earl Jones as Balthazar, Stacy Keach as Barabbas, Tony Lo Bianco as Quintillius, James Mason as Joseph of Arimathea, Ian McShane as Judas Iscariot, Laurence Olivier as Nicodemus, Donald Pleasence as Melchior, Christopher Plummer as Herod Antipas, Anthony Quinn as Caiaphas, Fernando Rey as Gaspar, Ralph Richardson as Simeon, Rod Steiger as Pontius Pilate, Peter Ustinov as Herod the Great, and Michael York as John the Baptist. The theme music composer is Maurice Jarre.