The Last Days of Pompeii (miniseries)

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The Last Days of Pompeii
The Last Days of Pompeii Miniseries.jpg
Written by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton
Carmen Culver
Directed by Peter R. Hunt
Starring Ned Beatty
Brian Blessed
Ernest Borgnine
Olivia Hussey
Music by Trevor Jones
Country of originItaly
United Kingdom
United States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer David Gerber
Producers William Hill
Richard Irving
Cinematography Jack Cardiff
Editors Michael Ellis
Richard Marden
Running time310 minutes
Production companies RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana
David Gerber Productions
Centerpoint
Columbia Pictures Television
Release
Original network ABC
Original releaseMay 6 (1984-05-06) 
May 8, 1984 (1984-05-08)

The Last Days of Pompeii is an Italian-American 1984 television miniseries filmed at Pinewood Studios and broadcast on ABC-TV and Rai, adapting the 1834 novel of the same name by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It was the second English-language adaptation of the book for film or television (previously adapted mainly in Italian; the 1935 RKO film was unrelated to the novel and the 1900 adaptation by Walter R. Booth, while the first cinematic adaptation in English was a short film).

Contents

On June 5, 2012, Sony released the mini-series on DVD. [1]

Cast

ActorNameDescription
Tony Anholt LepidusA Roman noble; friend of Glaucus, Clodius and Sallust.
Ned Beatty DiomedA wealthy merchant; married to Lucretia and the father of Julia.
Joyce Blair LucretiaA wealthy Roman; married to Diomed and mother to Julia.
Brian Blessed OlinthusA blacksmith and devout Christian.
Ernest Borgnine MarcusA slave owner.
Peter Cellier CalenusA priest of Isis; brother to Burbo.
Nicholas Clay GlaucusA Greek noble; love interest to Ione.
George Claydon PhilosA Greek dwarf artist.
Brian Coburn BurboA tavern owner; brother of Calenus and married to Stratonice.
Francesca Romana Coluzzi StratoniceA brothel owner; married to Burbo
Brian Croucher MeliorA gladiator.
Lesley-Anne Down ChloeA prostitute with a young son; in love with Petrus.
Christopher Ellison DrususA Roman soldier.
Howard Goorney JosephA Christian missionary.
Stephen Greif SporusA gladiator.
Olivia Hussey IoneA soon to be priestess of Isis; sister of Antonius, and love interest to Glaucus.
Malcolm JamiesonPetrusA slave to Diomed; in love with Chloe.
Howard Lang MedonA slave to Diomed; father of Lydon.
Jill Melford LucindaA Roman Noble.
Catriona MacColl JuliaA wealthy Roman; the daughter of Diomed and Lucretia and love interest to Clodius.
Siobhán McKenna FortunataA Roman noble; married to Gaius.
Franco Nero ArbacesThe Egyptian High Priest of the Cult of Isis.
Laurence Olivier GaiusA former senator from Rome; married to Fortunata.
Linda Purl NydiaA blind slave; love interest to Lydon.
Anthony Quayle QuintusThe head Magistrate of Pompeii.
Michael QuillCatusAn assistant to Olinthus; a child
Duncan Regehr LydonA gladiator and former slave; love interest to Nydia.
David Robb SallustA Roman noble; friend of Glaucus, Clodius and Lepidus.
Barry Stokes GarA Germanic gladiator.
Gerry Sundquist ClodiusA poor Roman noble and poet; love interest to Julia.
Benedict Taylor AntoniusA priest of Isis; brother of Ione.
Marilu Tolo XeniaA prostitute; Calenus is a regular client of hers.

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References

  1. Lambert, David (June 1, 2012). "The Last Days of Pompeii (mini-series) - Release Date for 1984's Three-Part Production on DVD". TVShowsOnDVD.com . Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.