Testament: The Bible in Animation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Testament: The Bible in Animation |
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| Genre | Animation, Drama |
| Created by | Naomi Jones |
| Developed by | Derek W. Hayes |
| Written by | Richard Everett |
| Creative director(s) | Martin Lamb |
| Country of origin | UK/Russia |
| Original language(s) | English Welsh |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Gary Hurst |
| Production company(s) | Christmas Films, S4C and Right angle |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC2 (UK) S4C (Wales) HBO (US) |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 11 October (Welsh) 16 October 1996 (English) – 6 December 1996 (Welsh) 11 December 1996 (English) |
Testament: The Bible in Animation is a Christian animated TV series from 1996. It was made in Wales and Russia. The show was first broadcast on S4C in Wales and later on BBC in the UK.
This series brings famous stories from the Bible to life. Each story uses a different and special animation style. These styles include stop-motion animation, where objects are moved slightly between each photo to create movement.
The show had one season with nine episodes. It won an Emmy Award in the United States and was nominated for three others. The well-known song "Adiemus" is used as its opening theme.
The companies Christmas Films and S4C produced this series. They also worked together on other animated projects. These include Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992-1994) and the movie The Miracle Maker (2000). Many of the same voice actors and animation styles were used across these productions.
About Testament: The Bible in Animation
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 9 | October 11, 1996 (S4C Version) October 16, 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
December 6, 1996 (S4C Version) December 11, 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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The series tells nine different stories from the Bible. Each episode is a separate story. The show first aired in October 1996.
Episode Guide
| No. | Title | Animation type | Based on | Original air date | |
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| 1 | "Creation and the Flood" | Cel animation and Paint on glass | Genesis | 11 October 1996 (S4C Version) 16 October 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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| 2 | "Abraham" | Stop motion | Genesis | 18 October 1996 (S4C Version) 23 October 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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| 3 | "Joseph" | Stop motion | Genesis | 25 October 1996 (S4C Version) 30 October 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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| 4 | "Moses" | Cel animation | Exodus | 1 November 1996 (S4C Version) 6 November 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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After a difficult event with an Egyptian overseer, Moses fled to the land of Midian. One day, God spoke to him from a burning bush. God told Moses to go back to Egypt. With his brother Aaron and ten powerful events, Moses helped free the Israelites from the control of the pharaoh Merneptah.
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| 5 | "Ruth" | Stop motion | Ruth | 8 November 1996 (S4C Version) 13 November 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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This is a story about a woman named Ruth, known for her love and loyalty. After her husband and her mother-in-law Naomi's husband both passed away, Ruth went with Naomi back to her hometown of Bethlehem. Ruth worked hard in the fields to support them. She developed feelings for Boaz, a kind relative who helped them. Ruth's loyalty deeply touched Boaz.
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| 6 | "David and Saul" | Cel animation | 1 Samuel | 15 November 1996 (S4C Version) 20 November 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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| 7 | "Elijah" | Cel animation | 1 Kings | 22 November 1996 (S4C Version) 27 November 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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Elijah, a prophet of God, tries to help Israel. He wants to save them from the corrupt King Ahab and his bad Queen Jezabel. The music in this episode comes from Mendelssohn's famous work Elijah. Welsh singer Bryn Terfel sings the part of the Prophet Elijah.
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| 8 | "Daniel" | Oil painting | Daniel | 29 November 1996 (S4C Version) 4 December 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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This is the story of Daniel, who was held captive for many years by the Babylonian Kings. He was loved and respected by King Darius, who made him a governor. This made other court advisors very jealous. With God's help and his strong faith, Daniel survived the lions' den.
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| 9 | "Jonah" | Oil painting | Jonah | 6 December 1996 (S4C Version) 11 December 1996 (BBC Wales Version) |
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The prophet Jonah did not want to follow God's command to go to Nineveh. But a special event, involving a great fish, brought him to the city. He warned the people that their city would face consequences in forty days.
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Meet the Voices
Many talented actors lent their voices to the characters in Testament: The Bible in Animation. Here are some of them:
- Joss Ackland − Noah, Samuel
- John Alderton − Jonah
- Adjoa Andoh − Ruth
- Oona Beeson − Ishmael
- Deborah Berlin − Isaac
- Patrick Brennan − Narrator, Lot, Japhet
- David Burke − God
- Simon Callow − Merneptah
- Anna Carteret − Miriam
- Terry Dauncey − Shaphat
- Alan Dobie − Saul
- Rebecca Egan − Lady Potiphar
- Philip Franks − Daniel
- Hannah Gordon − Narrator
- Emma Gregory − Atarah
- Christopher Guard − Jonathan
- Helen Gwyn − Hagar
- Robert Hardy − Abraham
- Robert Harper − Adam, Young Joseph
- Simon Harris − Shem
- Ciarán Hinds − Satan (Lucifer)
- Steve Hodson − Nebuchadnezzar
- David Holt − Michael
- Kelly Hunter − Eve
- Gerald James − Jacob
- Martin Jarvis − Moses
- Siriol Jenkins − Orpah
- Iestyn Jones − Elisha
- Hakeem Kae-Kazim − Ham
- Polly Kemp − Michal
- Rob Lane − Reuben
- Jane Lapotaire − Sarah
- Tony Leader − Aaron, Rameses, Eliab
- Anton Lesser − Joseph
- Simon Ludders − Simeon
- Doreen Mantle − Naomi
- John McAndrew − Benjamin
- Colin McFarlane − God, Goliath
- Paul McGann − David
- T. P. McKenna − God
- Ian McNeice − Ahab
- Clive Merrison − Darius
- Bill Nighy − Belshazzar
- Richard O'Callaghan − Judah
- Carolyn Pickles − Narrator
- Christine Pritchard − Witch of Endor
- Sue Roderick − Naamah
- Ivor Roberts − Jethro
- Clive Russell − Boaz
- David Schofield − Elijah
- Bryn Terfel - Elijah (vocal soloist)
- Mark Straker − Angel
- Jonathan Tafler − Levi, Pharaoh
- Stephen Thorne − King of Nineveh
- Philip Voss − Lord Potiphar
- Victoria Wicks − Jezebel
Where the Show Aired
The series was shown in the UK on these channels:
- BBC2 (October 16, 1996 – December 11, 1996, and again from January 6, 1997 – May 13, 1997). It was also repeated from 1998-2006 as part of BBC2's BBC Schools daytime programs. Sometimes it was shown on BBC Learning Zone in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2006.
- S4C (October 11, 1996 – December 6, 1996). This was the Welsh version, called Testament: Y Beibl Wedi'i Animeiddio.
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