kids encyclopedia robot

The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (1980 film) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
The Curse of King Tut's Tomb
The Curse of King Tut's Tomb film Theatrical release poster (1980-2).jpg
Genre Mystery-Adventure
Written by Herb Meadow
Directed by Philip Leacock
Starring Eva Marie Saint
Harry Andrews
Music by Gil Mellé
Country of origin United Kingdom
United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Executive producer(s) Stoddard W. Kerby
Hunt Stromberg Jr.
Producer(s) Peter Graham Scott
Production location(s) Egypt
England
Cinematography Bob Edwards
Editor(s) Adrian Brenard
Running time 98 minutes
Production company(s) Columbia Pictures Television
Stromberg-Kerby Productions
Release
Original network NBC
Original release 8 May (1980-05-08) – 9 May 1980 (1980-05-09)

The Curse of King Tut's Tomb is an exciting adventure film from 1980. It tells a fictional story inspired by the real discovery of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh's tomb. The movie features famous actors like Eva Marie Saint, Harry Andrews, Raymond Burr, and Tom Baker. Paul Scofield helps narrate the mysterious events.

Discovering the Story

What's the Movie About?

The film takes us back to ancient Egypt. It follows the famous English archaeologist, Howard Carter. With his supporter, Lord Carnarvon, Carter finally finds the hidden tomb of Tutankhamun. This amazing discovery happens after many years of searching.

But their incredible find soon brings trouble. A greedy art collector named Sebastian wants the valuable sarcophagus from inside the tomb. People also whisper about an old curse. This curse is said to affect anyone who dares to disturb the pharaoh's resting place. As the story unfolds, strange and unexplained events begin to happen. It makes everyone wonder if the ancient curse is truly real.

Meet the Cast

Many talented actors brought this mysterious story to life. Here are some of the main stars:

Behind the Scenes: Making the Film

This movie was specially made for television by Columbia Pictures Television. The story was inspired by a book called Behind the Mask of Tutankhamen by Barry Wynne. It mixes real historical facts about Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb with exciting fictional elements. The filmmakers added myths and legends to make the story even more thrilling.

Filming took place in two interesting locations: Egypt, where the real tomb was found, and England. An interesting fact from production is that Ian McShane was first chosen to play Howard Carter. However, he had an accident before filming began and broke his leg. So, another actor had to take on the role.

Music and Release

The music for the film was created by an American jazz musician named Gil Mellé. His score helped set the mood for the mysterious adventure.

The movie first aired on television in two parts. Viewers could watch the first part on May 8, 1980, and the second part on May 9, 1980.

Finding the Film Today

For those who wanted to watch the film again, a DVD version became available. It was released in 2011 by a company called Network. This DVD was for "Region 2," which includes countries like Europe and Japan.

kids search engine
The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (1980 film) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.