Masada

Synopsis

Masada is a 1981 American historical drama television miniseries aired on ABC under the tentpole ABC Novel for Television. The screenplay by Joel Oliansky is based on Ernest Gann's 1971 novel The Antagonists. A dramatization of the historical siege of the Masada citadel in Roman Palestine by legions of the Roman Empire in AD 73. A siege that ended when the Roman armies entered the fortress, only to discover the mass suicide by the Jewish defenders when defeat became imminent.

Cast

Peter O'Toole

General Cornelius Flavius Silva

Peter Strauss

Eleazar ben Yair

Barbara Carrera

Sheva

Alan Feinstein

Aaron

Giulia Pagano

Miriam

Anthony Quayle

Rubrius Gallus

Paul L. Smith

Gideon

David Warner

Senator Pomponius Falco

Clive Francis

Attius, Head Tribune

David Opatoshu

Shimon

—

Richard Pierson

Ephraim

Joseph Wiseman

Jerahmeel, Head Essene

—

David A. Block

Reuben

Vernon Dobtcheff

Chief Priest

David Mauro

Epos

—

Alexander Peleg

Zidon

Joey Sagal

Seth

Michael Shillo

Ezra

Crew

Art

• Joseph J. Stone Set Decoration
• Jack Senter Production Design
• George Renne Art Direction
• Kuli Sander Art Direction
• Edward M. Parker Set Decoration

Camera

• Paul Lohmann Director of Photography

Costume & Make-Up

• Vittorio Nino Novarese Costume Design

Directing

• Boris Sagal Director

Editing

• Ron Rutberg Editor
• Robert L. Kimble Editor
• Peter Kirby Editor
• Edwin F. England Editor

Production

• George Eckstein Producer
• Jennings Lang Executive Producer
• Ben Bishop Production Manager
• Richard Irving Producer
• Weston Drury Jr. Casting Director
• Mark Malis Casting Director

Sound

• Jerry Goldsmith Original Music Composer
• Morton Stevens Original Music Composer

Writing

• Joel Oliansky Teleplay
• Ernest K. Gann Novel

Seasons & episodes

Photos