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Caesar and Cleopatra UK/USA, 1946 Claude Rains, Vivien Leigh, Stewart Granger Directed by Gabriel Pascal    In George Bernard Shaw's lavish epic, the venerable Julius Caesar meets Cleopatra under the Sphinx in ancient Egypt. Although the Roman Emperor finds her childishly innocent, she is capable of seizing the throne from her brother, King Ptolemy, and cold-bloodedly committing murder. Captivated by her youthful beauty, Caesar sets out to refine Cleopatra's rough edges into a more royal demeanor, befitting a Queen. Even in the midst of his campaign to conquer Egypt, he finds the time to teach her about life and politics. But the temptress truly longs for another lover -- the virile Marc Antony in distant Rome. (source: rottentomatoes.com)

Temptation USA, 1946 George Brent, Paul Lukas, Arnold Moss, Merle Oberon Directed by Irving Pichel    In a flashback, late-Victorian beauty Ruby, a divorcee with a shady past, calculatingly marries rich Egyptologist Nigel, who installs her at his Cairo estate while he digs for mummies. Bored, Ruby undertakes to recover a friend's letters from blackmailer Baroudi. But when she meets the man, mutual attraction leads to an affair. As Ruby gets in deeper, she finds Baroudi is even more unscrupulous than she dreamed.

La Vida íntima de Marco Antonio y Cleopatra Mexico, 1946 Luis Sandrini, Maria Antonieta Pons Directed by Roberto Gavaldón    Mexican musical (!) version of the popular story of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra.

María Magdalena, Pecadora de Magdala Mexico, 1946 Luis Alcoriza, Medea de Novara, Tito Junco Directed by Miguel Contreras Torres    This film focuses on the actions, death, and resurrection of Jesus, with the title role character of Mary Magdalena appearing mainly as a member of Christ's entourage. It contains a short scene in Egypt at the beginning of a prince Pta-Ho-tep stealing the 'talisman of Isis' from a statue of the goddess in a temple to bring to the wealthy Galilean courtesan Maria Magdalena. Deemed one of the biggest movies in Mexican cinema history. Written by Medea de Novara, who also plays the title role and apparently spent more than 3 years to study the life of Maria Magdalena in order to be able to play this role…

Mummies Dummies USA, 1948 TV-series The Three Stooges Dee Green, Ralph Dunn, Phil Van Zandt Directed by Edward Bernds    Set in ancient Egypt, the Three Stooges run a used chariot lot where they unload defective chariots on unsuspecting customers. When they gyp the head of the palace guard, they're brought to the palace to be executed, but instead become royal chamberlains after curing the King's toothache. When they recover some tax money stolen by a corrupt official, the King rewards them with marriage to his daughter. After getting a look at the ugly crone, Moe and Larry select Shemp to be the groom. Episode 111 of The Three Stooges series.

A Wolf in Sheik's Clothing USA, 1948 Directed by Izzy Sparber    Popeye and Olive are riding a camel in Egypt when a sheik, looking a lot like Bluto, starts chasing after Olive. He wraps Popeye like a mummy and fires him with a cannon into the sphinx. Fortunately, there is a can of spinach inside and Popeye saves the day. Animated theatrical Popeye cartoon.

The Secret of Nefertiti USA, 1949 TV-series Believe it or Not Rita Gam, Ralph Bunker, Stewart Bradley    Episode from a tv-series that ran 1949-1950 and deals with incredible stories, among others that of Queen Nefertiti.

The Mummy's Foot USA, 1949 TV-series Your Show Time Peggy Dow, J. Edward Bromberg Directed by Martin Sobey A young writer stumbles across the foot of a mummy that appears to have a strange effect upon him. TV-adaptation of Théophile Gautier's 1863 novel "Contes fantastiques. Le pied de la momie" is episode 1.4 in the series "Your Show Time".

The Inspector General USA, 1949 Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates, Elsa Lanchester Directed by Henry Koster    Georgi, an illiterate member of a gypsy bogus medicine show, is mistaken for the feared and cruel Inspector General. The town's corrupt officials fear he will discover they've been pocketing tax money and they make several bungled attempts to kill him. Contains a small sequence right at the beginning where Danny Kaye portrays the severed head of ancient Egyptian "prince Ahmed, beheaded by the cruel pharaoh because of his forbidden love for the crown princess". The head has miraculously survived alive for more than 2000 years thanks to "Yakov's Golden Elixer".

King Tut's Tomb USA, 1950 TV-series The Heckle and Jeckle Show Directed by Mannie Davis    Heckle and Jeckle head for the Egyptian deserts of North Africa to find King Tut's tomb and treasures. While digging up the pharaoh's grave, the treasure-seeking magpies disturb the local spooks. They're nearly killed by evil mummies and Frankenstein's Monster... and their feathers are stripped off by a swarm of termites. In a girlie scene, a harem cat dances to a tuns from the royal jukebox. (source: The Big Cartoon Database) A TerryToon Cartoons production starring Heckle & Jeckle. Originally released theatrically.

The Space Hawk USA, 1950 TV-series Captain Video and His Video Rangers Al Hodge, Hal Conklin, Fred Scott The Captain and Video Ranger learn that the infamous Space Hawk and his assistant have set up a base on a peaceful world where the residents have legislated that violence is illegal. Dr. Pauli learns that ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs indicate the unnamed planet 1-X-7 is the location of a hugely destructive force. Meanwhile, Dr. Kodiak has nefarious plans for control of the dark side of Earth's moon, and the Captain is summoned by the ruler of Metispherous, a planet where the oceans are inexplicably beginning to rise. Captain Video faces a life-or-death battle on the ocean floor with Clysmok, the ruler of Marine City. (source: IMDb) Episode from the early 1950's television series "Captain Video and His Video Rangers". Captain Video was actually the very first of the American television sci-fi shows, of which many were to follow. The link to ancient Egypt in this particular episode is a very thin one, though, as only a reference to Egyptian hieroglyphs is made and nothing of Egypt or ancient Egypt is shown.

Souvenirs Perdus France, 1950 Yves Montand Directed by Christian-Jaque    Four lost and found objects tell their story. One of these is a statuette of Osiris who remembers how two ex-lovers, a model and a good for nothing Egyptologist, meet again one Christmas Eve.

Murder on the Nile USA, 1950 TV-series Kraft Television Theatre Lex Richards, Guy Spaull, Patricia Wheel    1950's live television version of the Agatha Christie novel 'Death on the Nile', made after the author's own stage adaptation from the early 1940's. The original title 'Death on the Nile' had been retained for the stage play when it opened at the Dundee Repertory Theatre in 1944, but was later changed to 'Murder on the Nile' for the West End and Broadway runs. This title was then also adapted for the 1950 Kraft Television Theatre version, an hour-long live NBC drama series which offered television plays with new stories and new characters each week. These also included adaptations of many classic theatre plays.

Moses and the Ten Commandments USA, 1950 Half-hour film by marionette puppeteers Mabel and Les Beaton about the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. One from a series of 13 short films with bible stories produced by The Religious Film Association on behalf of the (US) National Council of Churches.

The Egyptian Mummy Case USA, 1951 TV-series Dick Tracy Ralph Byrd, Charles Evans, Noel Cravat Directed by Duke Goldstone    Dick Tracy hides in an Egyptian mummy case in order to trap museum thieves, but faces death when the mummy case in which he's hiding is about to be thrown into an incinerator. Episode from the 1950-1951 adventure television series "Dick Tracy" (39 episodes), based on the famous comic strip and starring Ralph Byrd. This series closed a whole range of Dick Tracy movie appearances with Byrd, which had started back in 1937.

Prehistoric Perils USA, 1951 TV-series Mighty Mouse    Episode from the popular 1940's and 1950's animated cartoon series "Mighty Mouse" about a superhero mouse, created by Terrytoons for 20th Century Fox. It contains a very brief --3 seconds-- stop in ancient Egypt around 1600 B.C. when Mighty Mouse travels back in time to the prehistoric age of dinosaurs to rescue Pearl Pureheart from the clutches of the evil oily-villain, Oil Can Harry.

The Medea Cup USA, 1952 TV-series Goodyear Television Playhouse Stella Andrew, Edmund Purdom, Harry Andrews    Goodyear Television Playhouse presented full hour live television dramas between 1951 and 1957. One of them is called "The Medea Cup". Though the exact contents of this episode is not known, the character list features the historical persons 'Juba' (ruler of Numidia and Mauretania and son of Juba I who fought Julius Caesar in the African wars) and his later wife 'Cleopatra Selene' (daughter of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra VII).

Nefretiti, Queen of Egypt USA, 1952 TV-series Hallmark Hall of Fame Sarah Churchill, Kem Dibbs, Clem Fowler    Dramatized biography of Queen Nefertiti, illustrating her life with pharaoh Akhenaten and her influence on Egyptian history and culture. It is part of the long running "Hallmark Hall of Fame" series, an anthology program on American television that began in 1951 and is still continuing today. The Early productions were highly classical in nature and included various Shakespeare productions, operas and historical biographical subjects.

The Tomb of King Tarus USA, 1952 TV-series Tales of Tomorrow Walter Abel, Charles Nolte, Richard Purdy Directed by Don Medford    When three archaeologists open an ancient Egyptian tomb, they find an ancient king mummified but still alive after 4,000 years. In a panic one of the team shoots the mummy in the sarcophagus -- dead. Next to the body they find bottle with a fluid that they believe made it possible for the king to survive for so long. A fight erupts over who is to have this fluid, during which two get killed and only one archaeologist remains. However, by touching the bottle they have activated a curse that reseals the tomb... Episode from the anthology science fiction series "Tales of Tomorrow" that ran ABC from 1951 to 1953 for 85 episodes. The episodes featured guest performances by manous famous stars, among others horror and mummy legends Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr.

The Mystery of Ancient Egypt USA, 1952 TV-series Space Patrol Ed Kemmer, Lyn Osborn Directed by Dick Darley    3000 AD. While on a dig in Egypt, archaeology professor Cartwright has found a strange piece of metal. He asks Space Patrol to travel back in time 6000 years to 2700 BC to find out more about its origins. As soon as they arrive in ancient Egypt, they set out in search of the temple of Amun where the metal was found. There, in the ‘House of Kemet’, they find an underground chamber containing more such pieces of metal that appear to belong to a spacecraft from an even older lost civilization. From the ship’s log they learn that the spacecraft survivors used their technology to control the Egyptians, which also accounts for the building of the great pyramids. While studying the log they are captured by the Egyptians and put in sarcophagi in a sealed tomb. With some difficulty they manage to break out, hurry back to their spacecraft and travel back to their own time. In the meantime, prof. Carwright has found a new object in between the remains of the temple: a raygun that one of the crewmembers lost during a fight with the Egyptians! Episode from the early television sci-fi series "Space Patrol" that ran from 1950 until 1955 for a total of 210 half-hour episodes. The stories follows the 30th-century adventures of Commander Buzz Corry of the United Planets Space Patrol and his team.

My Wife's Best Friend USA, 1952 Anne Baxter, Cecil Kellaway, Macdonald Carey Directed by Richard Sale    After a man confesses to his wife that he has been unfaithful, she imagines all kinds of ways that historical figures such as Cleopatra and Joan of Arc might handle the situation. Cleopatra, she imagines, was able to literally walk over men to achieve her goals.

Due Notti con Cleopatra Italy, 1953 Sophia Loren, Alberto Sordi Directed by Mario Mattoli    Lusty Queen Cleopatra has executed all guards she previously made love to. The newest guard finds life more appealing than love and escapes with the queen's double. English title: "Two Nights with Cleopatra".

Aida USA, 1953 Sophia Loren, Lois Maxwell, Luciano Della Marra Directed by Clemente Fracassi    Luscious film version of the famous Verdi opera with Sophia Loren as Aida and the famous soprano Renata Tebaldi as her singing voice. This film is one of the earliest and best international color releases of cinematic opera made with the intent to make opera more accessible to the masses.

Serpent of the Nile USA, 1953 Raymond Burr, Rhonda Fleming Directed by William Castle    Yet another Marc Anthony and Cleopatra romance. Filmed on sets left over from the Columbia superfeature Salome, also using generous chunks of stock footage from that film.

Egypt By Three USA, 1953 Paul Campbell, Eddie Constantine, Joseph Cotten Directed by Victor Stoloff    A trilogy of tales about a philandering knife thrower, a cholera epidemic and American jewel smugglers in Egypt.

The Copper Ring USA, 1953 TV-series Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Charles Bickford, Ann Loos, Colin Campbell Directed by Roy Kellino    Old and crotchety Dr. Gunther has a dream about an ancient Egyptian ring that brings happiness to anyone who puts it on. Episode 84 from the anthology series "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" that was broadcast from 1951 until 1959, offering both comedy and drama based on various literary works.

The Valley of the Kings USA, 1953 TV-series Suspense    An archeological expedition discover the undisturbed tomb of Egyptian King Tuimose filled with incredible treasures. However, it comes with a curse promising ill to anyone disturbing it. Episode from one of American television earliest series "Suspense" which was adapted from a long-running radio program. In each episode characters encounter dangerous or threatening situations that build to a suspenseful climax.

The Death of Cleopatra USA, 1953 TV-series You Are There Kim Stanley    The story of Cleopatra's death presented in a 30-minute episode from the American historical drama series "You Are There". This high profile series with reenactments of many key historical events was hosted by Walter Cronkite and ran for 90 episodes between 1953 and 1957. In some episodes, CBS News reporters in modern-day suits would report on the action and interview the protagonists on the spot. At the end of each program, Cronkite ended with the words "what sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times... and you were there."

The Egyptian USA, 1954 Michael Wilding, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Bella Darvi Directed by Michael Curtiz    In eighteenth-dynasty Egypt, Sinuhe, a poor orphan, becomes a brilliant physician and with his friend Horemheb is appointed to the service of the new pharaoh Akhnaten. Sinuhe's personal triumphs and tragedies are played against the larger canvas of the turbulent events of the 18th dynasty. As Sinuhe is drawn into court intrigues, and bizarre secrets are revealed to him, he learns the answers to the questions he has sought since his birth. Based on the finnish novel "Sinuhe Egyptiläinen" (Sinuhe the Egyptian) by Mika Waltari. Although Waltari employed some poetic license in combining the biographies of Sinuhe and Akhenaton, he was otherwise much concerned about the historical accurary of his detailed description of ancient Egyptian life and carried out considerable research into the subject. The result has been praised not only by readers but also by egyptologists. The film is also heralded by Christians for Akhnaten being the first monotheistic ruler in the world, who by the end of the film recognizes the Aton sun disk he worshipped is but a symbol of the wamth of the one true god. The film ends thoughtfully with the words "these things happened thirteen centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ..."

Valley of the Kings USA, 1954 Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker, Samia Gamal Directed by Robert Pirosh    Archeologist Mark Brandon is searching for ancient tombs in Egypt when he is approached by beautiful Ann Mercedes, who convinces him to help her fulfill her deceased father's life's ambition - to provide solid proof of the biblical Joseph's travels in ancient Egypt. As an ex-pupil of Ann's father Mark accepts and the two embark on a search for the tomb of the pharaoh Ra Hotep, said to have had some connection with Joseph. The trail to the tomb is fraught with intrigue, betrayal, murder and the possibility that the tomb itself has been emptied of all its artifacts by ancient looters. The film features a lot of scenes shot on location in Cairo, on the Giza plateau, in the Temple of Luxor, in the Valley of the Kings and at Abu Simbel, where a fight takes place on top of one of the statues! Noteworthy is the appearance in a small role of Egyptian actress and dancer Samia Gamal, who King Farouk had proclaimed "The National Dancer of Egypt" in 1949. In 1950 she came to the US, was shortly married to an oil millionaire and appeared in a number of western films before returning to Egypt in 1956.

Reventa de Esclavas Mexico, 1954 Silvia Pinal, Antonio Aguilar, Óscar Pulido Directed by José Díaz Morales    Musical comedy. No story details available, but it features characters named Isis de Alejandría, Ramses, el Faraon, Amon Serrano, Nefertiti and a 'vendedor de esclavos'.

The Curse of the Pharaohs USA, 1954 TV-series Captain Midnight Richard Webb    Captain Midnight is brought to Egypt by the daughter of an eminent archaeologist. He investigates the archaeologist's mysterious disappearance and the curse of the pharaohs. (source: tv.com) Episode 13 from the early television series "Captain Midnight" that follows the adventures of a World War I pilot and his secret squadron. The series was based on a popular radio show that was aired between 1938 and 1949, which was also published as a comic book series from 1942 until 1948, had a series of 15 short movies in 1942 and briefly appeared as a short newspaper strip. The television series ran for only two years and featured 39 black and white episodes.

Star of Fate USA, 1954 TV-series Adventures of Superman George Reeves, Noel Neill, Bill Kennedy Directed by Thomas Carr    A mysterious box from Egypt causes a bidding war between two men, Whitlock and Barnak. The box also is said to carry a curse and three people, including Lois Lane, are stricken opening it. Superman, in order to solve the mystery and save three lives, will fly to Egypt in search of a plant that is the basis of the antidote. He must race back to Metropolis, or else Jimmy Olsen will become a victim of the ruthless Barnak. (source: IMDb) Episode 50 from the 1950's television series "Adventures of Superman", which ran for 104 episodes from 1951 until 1957.

King Putt USA, 1954 TV-series The Red Skelton Show Red Skelton Directed by Seymour Berns King Putt has his hands full when he meets Cleopatra. She thinks he's rich and he thinks she's rich but both don't even have a piece of mummy cloth between them. Sketch from the popular "Red Skelton Show", an American variety show that was a television staple for almost two decades, from the early 1950s through the early 1970s. Skelton opened with a monologue and this was often followed by a guest-star performance by a singer in combination with comedy sketches. These were usually built around one of Red's many regular characters. See also the sketch "Of Mouth and Men" from 1963.

Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy USA, 1955 Bud Abbott, Lou Costello Directed by Charles Lamont    "It has been said that a man's best friend is his mummy... They're back--in their mummy's arms!" In Egypt Peter and Freddie find the archaeologist Dr. Zoomer murdered before they can return to America. A medallion leads them to a crypt where a revived mummy provides the terror.

Land of the Pharaohs USA, 1955 Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins Directed by Howard Hawks    "Her treachery stained every stone of the Pyramid!" King Khufu orders a captive architect to build him a pyramid with an impenetrable labyrinth in return for his people's freedom. In the meantime, Khufu's second wife Nellifer, princess of Cyprus, plans to take possession of the king's treasure after he's been assassinated with the help of her lover. Remarkably the only film ever in the entire genre featuring Old Kingdom pyramid building! This film contains great scenes showing the mass labour involved. All shown, however, is not historically correct and the elaborate labyrinth comes from the realms of pure fantasy. Nevertheless it still makes great viewing. Some outdoor scenes were actually shot near Aswan, with location shooting still exceptional in those days.

Le Masque de Toutankhamon France/Egypt, 1955 Danielle Dumont, Samia Gamal, Gil Vidal, Dalida Directed by Marco de Gastyne    Apart from the title no details about the ancient Egyptian content are known yet, but this film is at least noteworthy for the fact that it features both stars Samia Gamal and Dalida. Samia Gamal was proclaimed by King Farouk "The National Dancer of Egypt" in 1949. Dalida, born in Shoubra from Italian parents as Yolanda Christina Gigliotti, was Miss Egypt in 1954 and went on to become a famous singer.

The Case of the Laughing Mummy USA, 1955 TV-series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan Directed by Sheldon Reynolds    Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are going on a fishing trip, and while they are riding the train, they meet Watson's old friend Reggie Taunton. Taunton asks Holmes if the detective would mind helping him with an odd problem. Taunton's archaeologist uncle has sent him an authentic Egyptian mummy, and strange laughing sounds have been coming periodically from the sarcophagus. Holmes visits Taunton's home, and has dinner with Reggie, Reggie's fiancée, the fiancée's aunt, and an Egyptologist who knows Reggie's uncle. While they are dining, the mummy starts to make the noise, and Holmes quickly finds a very simple explanation for it. But in the course of examining the mummy and the sarcophagus, Holmes uncovers a more serious mystery. (source: IMDb) Episode 17 of the 1955 television series "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", based on the original character by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This was the first and only American television series of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Produced for ABC Television, the series ran one season for 39 episodes of 30 minutes each. The episodes were actually filmed in France, probably to give it a more 'European look'.

Mickey and the Mummy USA, 1955 TV-series The Mickey Rooney Show Mickey Rooney, Carla Balenda    An Egyptian mummy is an unexpected source of help as Mickey tries to apprehend jewel smugglers. Episode 22 of "The Mickey Rooney Show" about the misadventures of Mickey Mulligan, a page at the International Broadcasting Company in Los Angeles. A total of 39 episodes were made between 1954 and 1955.

Joseph and His Brethren USA, 1955 Rita Hayworth, Kerwin Mathews, Lee J. Cobb Directed by William Dieterle This biblical epic starring Rita Hayworth was in pre-production stage when it was abandoned early 1955. Lee J. Cobb had signed to play Potiphar, and Clifford Odets was employed as scriptwriter. Designer Jean Louis had already made some of the costumes, some sets had already been built and Hayworth had done screen tests for prospective actors to play Joseph. Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra were considered for the role, but the it eventally went to Kerwin Mathews. Following a dispute, Hayworth abandoned the production just days before shooting started, which resulted in a court battle between her and Columbia Pictures studio. The fact that actress Maureen O'Hara was hired by Columbia shortly thereafter resulted in newspaper speculations that she would take over the leading role, and also newcomer Kim Novak was mentioned, but this did not happen and the project was scrapped.

Topper's Egyptian Deal USA, 1955 TV-series Topper Leo G. Carroll, Lee Patrick, The bank has sent vice president Cosmo Topper to take care of a historian investment. The investment turns out to be a 6,000 year-old Egyptian mummy. Cosmo has more than he can deal with when some crooked characters decide they would kill to get procession of the artifact. (source: tv.com) Episode 28 of the second season of the television fantasy sitcom "Topper" about the life a sophisticated but stuffy vice president of a bank, based on a 1937 film of the same name. The series ran for 78 episodes from 1953 until 1955.

Robbery in the Museum UK, 1955 TV-series Fabian of the Yard Bruce Seton, Robert Raglan A thief emerges from a coffin in the Egyptian Room of the Warwick Museum, and steals some precious stones. Fabian finds a thread in the sarcophagus which proves to be from a very old green coat, and which leads him to the thief. Episode from the 1950's police detective series "Fabian of the Yard" that features a New Scotland Yard police officer and his attemps to solve crime cases. "Fabian of the Yard" was one of the earliest British television detectives. Some 30 episodes were made between 1954 and 1956.

The Ten Commandments USA, 1956 Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson Directed by Cecil B. DeMille    "The Greatest Event in Motion Picture History" To escape the edict of Egypt's pharaoh Ramses I, condemning all first-born Hebrew males, the infant Moses is set adrift on the Nile in a reed basket. Saved by the pharaoh's daughter Bithiah, he is adopted by her and brought up in the court of her brother, pharaoh Seti. Moses gains Seti's favor and the love of the throne princess Nefertiri, as well as the hatred of Seti's son, Rameses. When his Hebrew heritage is revealed, Moses is cast out of Egypt, and makes his way across the desert where he marries, has a son and is commanded my God to return to Egypt to free the Hebrews from slavery. In Egypt Moses's fiercest enemy proves to be not Rameses, but someone near to him who can 'harden his heart'. (source: IMDb) The crowning glory of director-producer Cecil B. DeMille's long and distinguished career, which includes many biblical-subject films. Short partly on location in Egypt (Deir el-Bahari, often misidentified as 'the valley of the kings') and Sinai. In keeping with this solid principles DeMille retained a research staff at Paramount Studios and engaged men of the cloth from various religions as technical advisors on the film. Credited Egyptology advisors were William Hayes and Labib Habachi. The film is often called a re-make, since DeMille had already shot a shorter version of The Ten Commandments in 1923, but for its grandiose setup, length and use of color the 1956 version is a different film altogether. Recently a 50th Anniversary Edition DVD was issued which includes both movies and exemplary commentary by Katherine Orrison, author of "Written in Stone - Making Cecil B. DeMille's epic The Ten Commandments".

Curse of Ra USA, 1956 TV-series Captain Z-Ro Roy Steffens, Bobby Trumbull, Bruce Haynes    Captain Z-Ro and Jet accompany Napoleon's troops into Egypt to keep thieves from capturing the Rosetta Stone. Episode 14 of the animated tv-series "Captain Z-Ro" that ran from 1955 to 1956 for a total of 26 half-hour Episodes.

The Great Pyramid USA, 1956 TV-series Captain Z-Ro Roy Steffens, Bobby Trumbull, Bruce Haynes Directed by David Butler    Roger the robot returns to the period of the great pyramids to prevent thieves from looting the tomb of Tut Ankh Amen. Episode 22 of the animated tv-series "Captain Z-Ro" that ran from 1955 to 1956 for a total of 26 half-hour Episodes.

Caesar and Cleopatra USA, 1956 TV-series Producers' Showcase Claire Bloom, Cedric Hardwicke, Jack Hawkins

The Mole People USA, 1956 John Agar, Cynthia Patrick, Hugh Beaumont, Alan Napier Directed by Virgil W. Vogel    "A savage civilization a million years old, raging with blood-lusting fury!" Somewhere deep in in Asia archeologists find a stone tablet and an ancient oil lamp at the base of a large mountain "below the great flood level". The fact that the oil lamp is shaped like a boat makes one of the archaeologists note that the biblical flood "has been proven to be a historical fact". A five-man expedition is organized to climb the snowy mountain to look for more artifacts. They come across a Sumerian temple carved into the mountainside. When the ground suddenly gives way, deep below the surface they discover a race of Sumerian albinos who moved there long ago to escape cataclysmic floods in ancient Mesopotamia. They have slaves they call 'mole people' who look like true 1950's sci-fi monsters. The Sumerians believe the archaeologists to be messengers of their goddess Ishtar, but when one of the archaeologists is killed the High Priest realizes they are not gods and trouble starts. The civilization discovered by the archaeologists is supposed to be Sumerian, yet the decorations on all the walls and columns are definitely Egyptian, the reason why this film is listed here. As Dr. Bentley tells his fellow excavators, "in archaeology all things are possible!".

Yousef o Zoleikha یوسف و زلیخا Iran, 1956 Foroozan, Fakhredin Directed by Siamak Yasami    Iranian version of the Biblical story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife, based on a long tradition of Persian and Arabic storytelling about 'Yussef and Zoleikha' going back to the tenth century and --much older-- the 12th Surah (or chapter) of the Quran. Scenes from the film show extensive use of Egyptian props and costumes of various quality.

Pharaoh's Curse USA, 1957 Mark Dana, Diane Brewster, Ziva Rodann Directed by Lee Sholem    "A blood-lusting mummy that kills for a cat goddess!" Archaeologists in Egypt find one of their crew has been turned into a blood sucking mummy after they have unleashed a three thousand year curse by entering a pharaoh's tomb. In this film the mummy of the Pharaoh does not come to life, but its spirit takes over the body of a young Egyptian man and uses him to get revenge on those who have desecrated the tomb.

Queen Nefertiti USA, 1957 TV-series The Loretta Young Show Loretta Young, Lawrence Dobkin, Robert Fortier, Robert Warwick    Episode 18 from season 4 of the long running NBC tv-series "The Loretta Young Show", of which 257 episodes of 30 minutes each were broadcast between 1953 and 1961. The series presents dramatized issues from history and the present day life of the 1950's. In the episode "Queen Nefertiti" Loretta Young herself plays the queen in the story of the dramatic events that took place at the court of Akhenaten.

The Story of Mankind USA, 1957 Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Virginia Mayo, John Carradine    Scientists have developed a weapon, called the Super H-bomb, which if detonated will wipe out the human race entirely. A High Tribunal in The Great Court of Outer Space is called upon to decide whether divine intervention should be allowed to stop the bomb's detonation. The Devil prosecutes mankind while the Spirit of Man defends it. Both are allowed to take the tribunal to any period of time to present evidence for mankind's salvation or damnation. They take the tribunal from prehistory through ancient Egyptian, Greco-Roman, medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment and modern times, looking at historical figures played by a host of guest stars. The ancient Egyptian evidence takes us to the times of pharaoh Khufu, the great builder, but also to Cleopatra, who is portrayed as a petulantly girlish blond dame, the example of guilty pleasure! Based on Hendrik Van Loon’s children’s novel, The Story of Mankind, the first winner of the prestigious Newberry Award for outstanding children’s literature. Director Irwin Allen latched onto Van Loon's novel to produce this rather wonderful gimmicky camp version of the story for a more adult audience. The film re-uses mass-scene footage from Howard Hawks' 1954 movie "Land of the Pharaohs" that equally features king Kheops, and some costumes from 1954 "The Egyptian".

One Mummy Too Many USA, 1957 TV-series Matinee Theatre Tony Randall, Eva Gabor Directed by Sidney Lumet Young salesman Ernest Winkler travels to Egypt to deliver an air conditioner to a wealthy Egyptian. He arrives at his client's home and discovers two suspicious men, Ibrahim and Zaghul, standing in front of a crate, which Winkler thinks contains his wares, but which actually holds his client. The two murderers plan to switch the fresh corpse with a priceless mummy which has recently been discovered by archaeologists. Winkler finds himself caught in the middle when the evildoers threaten to kill him unless he helps them carry out their plan. In desperation, Winkler enlists the help of a seemingly innocent woman named Melanie Winters, who claims that she is in Cairo to guard the sarcophagus. (source: paleycenter.org) Episode from a series of live tv-programs presented by Goodyear and made for the NBC Network. This particular episode, starring Tony Randall and Eva Gabor, was directed by Sidney Lumet, who in the same year won the Golden Berlin Bear and was Oscar nonimated for Twelve Angry Men (1957).

The Pill Of Smartness USA, 1958 TV-series Tom Terrific Directed by Gene Deitch    Tom and his dog Manfred must race villainous Crabby Appleton to retrieve the 'Pill of Smartness' that once belonged to Cleopatra and makes whoever swallows it the smartest person in the world. Episode from the animated series "Tom Terrific", a series of five-minute cartoons created specifically for the Captain Kangaroo show from 1957 to 1959. It features a gee-whiz boy hero, called Tom Terrific, who can transform himself into anything he wants thanks to his magic thinking cap. The series ran for 26 episodes.

The Mummy UK, 1959 Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing Directed by Terence Fisher    "Egypt, 4000 years ago, a land of strange rituals and savage cruelty..." British archeologists discover the grave of ancient Egyptian princess Ananka. But when they open it a bad curse falls on them for having woken up the mighty guard Kharis who was sworn to protect her. Soon they find themselves haunted by the unstoppable living mummy in Victorian England. Egyptologists beware, for a priest in the film solemnly swears "He who robs the graves of Egypt... dies"... This is the fifth film featuring the mummy Kharis, following "The Mummy's Hand" (1940), "The Mummy's Tomb" (1942), "The Mummy's Curse" (1944) and "The Mummy's Ghost" (1944). In between there was a less serious Kharis appearance in "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy" (1955). The whole story concept for these films actually goes back to the original mummy film with Boris Karloff from 1932.

Le Legioni di Cleopatra France/Italy/Egypt, 1959 Linda Cristal, Ettore Manni, Georges Marchal Directed by Vittorio Cottafavi    Roman envoy Curridius travels to Egypt to warn Marc Antony that Rome is not thrilled with his behavior. After many dangers on the road he finally encounters beautiful queen Cleopatra. English title: "Legions of the Nile".

Solomon and Sheba USA, 1959 Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders Directed by King Vidor    Shortly before his death in ancient Israel King David has a vision from God telling him that his younger son Solomon should succeed him as king. His other son Adonijah is unhappy and vows to attain the throne. Meanwhile the Egyptian pharaoh agrees to cede a Red Sea port to the Queen of Sheba is she can find a way to destroy Solomon, whose wisdom and benevolent rule is seen as a threat to more tyrannical monarchs in the region. Sheba, pharaoh, Adonijah, the leaders of the Twelve Tribes and his own God make life difficult for Solomon who is tempted by Sheba to stray. (source: IMDb)

The Mask USA, 1959 TV-series Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond Wesley Lau, Stephen Bekassy, Joan Elan    During World War II, Lt. Wilenski bails out of a crippled plane over the Sahara Desert, but the harsh and unrelenting conditions in the desert almost result in his death. After his rescue, however, he and his rescuers are stunned to discover that he not only has somehow acquired the memory of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, but also has the monarch's facial features! (source: IMDb) Episode from the highly praised classic cult series "Alcoa Presents - One Step Beyond" about paranormal and supernatural phenomena, all accepted as fact (or at least based on fact) by acknowledged experts in the field. Narrator John Newland directed all of the episodes and appeared as himself in a number of stories. A total of 96 episodes were made between 1959 and 1961. Often compared with the contemporary series "The Twilight Zone" that dealt with the different topic of science fiction and fantasy.

Caesar and Cleopatra USA, 1959 TV-series General Electric Theater Piper Laurie, Maurice Evans, Belle Mitchell    Episode 198 of the television series "General Electric Theater" which ran for a total of 302 episodes between 1953 and 1962, hosted from 1954 onwards by Ronald Reagan. The series presented adaptations of short stories, novels, plays, films and other works of fiction. "Caesar and Cleopatra" is based on the George Bernard Shaw play by the same name.

Felix in Egypt USA, 1959 TV-series Felix the Cat After surviving a shipwreck, Felix and his bag of tricks wash up on the shore of the Sahara desert. His nemesis, the professor, is still after his bag of tricks, kidnaps him and brings him to Egypt. With a special device he turns Felix into a flat painting on the wall of a pyramid "for a million years", so he can finally own the bag. The bag, however, plays a trick on the professor and follows him around barking like a dog. Felix manages to pump himself from the wall with the help of a bicycle pump from the bag, and manages to retrieve the bag from the professor. In the subsequent chase the professor slides down the side of the pyramid and ends up on the mouth of the sphinx. Episode 11 from the first animated series "Felix the Cat" by Trans-Lux Television (1958-1961), about a clever cat and his magic bag of tricks, based on the Felix daily newspaper strips by Otto Messmer.

Ben-Hur USA, 1959 Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Finlay Currie Directed by William Wyler    This legendary movie features one Egyptian character in the person of 'Balthasar of Alexandria' who is seen in the opening scene as one of the 'Wise Men' bringing gifts to the newborn child Jesus. He reappears later when at an oasis he confronts Judah Ben Hur thinking that he may be the grown man whom he saw as a baby in the stable in Bethlehem. Balthasar soon realizes that Judah is not that man, but the two strike up a friendship. Interestingly, Balthasar is solely identified as an Egyptian by his rather impressive collar which he wears over his heavy cloak!

Il Sepolchro dei Rei Italy/France, 1960 Debra Paget, Robert Alda, Erno Crisa Directed by Fernando Cerchio    After the civil war that followed the assassination of Caesar, Cleopatra meets with Marc Antony in Assyria to plan the defense of Egypt against the Romans. Before the fight she entrusts her young daughter Shila to the rulers of Assyria, to be brought up as their own. After Marc Antony's defeat and Cleopatra's death, Egypt is ruled by the youthful pharaoh Nemorat. His despot mother Tegi desires to unite both kingdoms and strengthen her son's rule by conquering Assyria and make Shila his wife. Shila, however, plans to bail herself out with the help of her lover, the physician Reti. English title: "Cleopatra's Daughter".

Giuseppe Venduto dai Fratelli Italy, 1960 Geoffrey Horne, Robert Morley, Terence Hill Directed by Irving Rapper, Luciano Ricci    The bible story of Joseph and his brothers. Also known as "Joseph and His Brethren" and "Sold Into Egypt".

Maciste nella Valle dei Re Italy, 1960 Mark Forest, Chelo Alonso Directed by Carlo Campogalliani    Maciste travels to Egypt, where he leads a revolt against evil queen Smedes. English title: "Maciste the Mighty".

Egypt Us USA, 1960 TV-series Popeye    Popeye, Olive and Wimpy are in the Egyptian desert. When the auto overheats and collapses, Wimpy characteristically suggests they should take advantage of this catastrophe and eat lunch. While the food is being prepared Olive wanders off and gets trapped inside a pyramid. Popeye has to save her from some mean looking Egyptians, while at the same time keeping an eye on Wimpy so he doesn't eat all the hamburgers.

The Temple of the Crocodiles France, 1960 TV-series Bob Morane Bob Morane discovers a lost Egyptian temple. Episode from the adventure television series "Bob Morane" based on the Belgian comic series by the same name about a retired French air force major and WWII air force hero who fights evil throughout the world, sometimes in space and even through time itself.

Matinee Idol Popeye USA, 1960 TV-series Popeye the Sailor    Brutus is an egotistical French director making a film about Antony and Cleopatra, starring Popeye and Olive Oyl. Episode 75 from the 1960's animated series "Popeye the Sailor", a televised follow-up of the original Popeye theatrical shorts that were produced from 1933 to 1957.

The Egyptian Treasure USA, 1960 TV-series Felix the Cat In Egypt, the mad professor has found a scroll giving a clue to hidden treasure inside a pyramid. Searching for the right pyramid, the professor blows up all the pyramid tops to look inside. The Keeper of the Pyramids calls Felix to help stop him. Using his bag of tricks, Felix is transported to Egypt. His first attempt to stop the professor fails. The professor continues to blow up more pyramids and eventually finds the right one containing the treasure. While he and his companion are celebrating their find, Felix finally manages to capture them. As punishment he orders them to rebuild all the pyramids.

La Donna dei Faraoni Italy, 1961 Pierre Brice, Linda Cristal, John Drew Barrymore Directed by Victor Tourjansky    A beautiful girl and a young physician fall in love in the midst of a family and power struggle between rival princes of Upper and Lower Egypt. When all seems to turn for the better, a dejected woman gets her revenge and the couple's destruction.(source: IMDb) English title: "The Pharaoh's Woman"

Nefertiti, Regina del Nilo Italy, 1961 Jeanne Crain, Vincent Price, Amedeo Nazzari Directed by Fernando Cerchio    A young girl is forced by her father, a powerful priest, to marry the mentally ill prince Amenophis despite her love for a sculptor. Her father hands down a death sentence for the sculptor, but he is pardoned by the prince who happens to be his friend. The prince becomes pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife's name is changed to Nefertiti. The sculptor is commissioned to craft a bust of the queen, his true love, and they find each other again, but they cannot be together for the sake of the mental stability of the king. Her father seeks the chance to use the king's instability to take complete power. The king is pushed to suicide, Nefertiti becomes queen, while in the struggle her father is killed, and she is finally reunited with her lover. English titles: "Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile" and "Queen of the Nile".

Tut Tut Magoo USA, 1961 TV-series Mister Magoo Mr. Magoo travels to Egypt to visit the ancient monuments. Het is unaware of a local who steals from naïve tourists, but somehow the thief can't seem to get Mr Magoo's money. Episode 111 from the Hanna-Barbera animated tv-series "Mister Magoo", which ran for 126 episodes from 1961 to 1962. The episode was later retitled "King Tut Magoo".

Murder, She Said UK, 1961 Margaret Rutherford, Stringer Davis Directed by George Pollock    This film, loosely based on the 1957 Agatha Christie novel "4.50 from Paddington", contains a scene in which the body of a murdered woman is found in an ancient Egyptian coffin.

Clyde Crashcup Invents Egypt USA, 1961 TV-series The Alvin Show Clyde Crashcup and Leonardo invent the camel and take a trek to Egypt. During an investigation of one of the pyramids, Crashcup angers an evil Egyptian god who puts a curse on the bragging scientist. (source: BCDB) Episode from the animated series "The Alvin Show" that deals with the animated adventures of Dave Seville, a song-writing bachelor, and his three musically inclined chipmunk charges. Each episode includes a Chipmunk song, a sing-a-long segment, and the misadventures of the great inventor, Clyde Crashcup and his assistant Leonardo.

The Ancient Art Of Murder USA, 1961 TV-series Michael Shayne Richard Denning, Patricia Donahue Directed by Robert B. Sinclair    Dr. Manx is an archaeologist and expert in Egyptian artifacts. A prize statuette that was in his possession has just been stolen and replaced with a valueless replica. It is up to detective Michael Shayne to find out what happened. Episode 21 from the 1960's television series "Michael Shayne" based on the private detective character created in the 1930s by writer Brett Halliday. The series ran for 32 episodes between 1961 and 1962.

Rafeefleas USA, 1961 TV-series Top Cat    After spending the night in a museum case, Benny leaves the Modern Museum of Ancient Art with a priceless Egyptian scarab pinned to his jacket. Thinking it's a bauble, Top Cat offers it to Fancy-Fancy to use in impressing the lady cats. But soon the gang realizes the jewel is genuine, and they sneak back into the museum to return it. They are caught by Dibble, who charges them with stealing the entire collection. While the cats try to straighten the situation out, an real jewel thief appears and is apprehended. Episode from the Hanna-Barbera prime time animated television series "Top Cat" which ran from 1961 to 1962 for 30 episodes.

Peek-A Boo Pyramids USA, 1961 TV-series The Hunter Kenny Delmar The world's citizens are shocked to learn that the Great Pyramids have disappeared. The Hunter flies his private plane to Egypt to investigate but makes a crash landing in the desert and has to rent a camel from the locals to make it the rest of the way. While conversing with the locals (and making fun of their accents), the Hunter learns of the Sphinx, the "one who knows all". The Hunter decides that this Sphinx fellow would be a good person to question regarding the missing pyramids, so he goes off in search of him. The Hunter is initially angered when the statue refuses to talk; he threatens to arrest it and even gives it a kick, hurting his foot in the process. The kick summons the Fox from a trapdoor at the base of the Sphinx. He is disguised as an Egyptian merchant and is peddling the stolen blocks of the Pyramids as high-quality writing tablets. He encourages the Hunter to pick one up and feel its thickness, but the Hunter stumbles under its weight and drops it on the Fox's head, knocking him senseless and revealing his identity. Officer Flanagan drops in out of nowhere in a helicopter, ready to arrest the Fox. The Hunter blasts on his horn as Flanagan sings his praises to the locals. (source: BCDB) Episode from the animated television series "The Hunter" (a spin-off of the earlier "King Leonardo and his Short Subjects" series) about a southern-accented crime-fighting bloodhound.

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