From the Manger to the Cross or Jesus of Nazareth (often shortened to simply From the Manger to the Cross) is a 1912 American drama film directed by Sidney Olcott, written by Gene Gauntier (who also portrays Virgin Mary), and stars Robert Henderson-Bland as Jesus of Nazareth. Filmed on location in Egypt and in Palestine, it tells the story of Jesus' life, interspersed with verses from The Bible. Kalem released the film in October 1912 to critical acclaim. It saw a re-release in February 1919 following Vitagraph Studios' acquisition of Kalem. Cast Robert Henderson-Bland as Jesus Percy Dyer as Boy Jesus Gene Gauntier as the Virgin Mary Alice Hollister as Mary Magdalene Sidney Olcott as Blind Man Samuel Morgan as Pontius Pilate James D. Ainsley as John the Baptist Robert G. Vignola as Judas Iscariot Helen Lindroth as Martha George Kellog as Herod Jack J. Clark as John the Apostle J. P. McGowan as a Wise Man Montague Sidney as Joseph F. Owen Sterling as Unknown Thos J. Wentworth as a Wise Man G. Howard Barton as a Wise Man Frederic Bryson as Unknown Leslie D. Thomas as Peter (Saint-Pierre) Frank T. Gregory as Andrew Harry Lennox as James H. H. Kerr as Bartholomew Jack Melville as James Denton Harcourt as Matthew J. M. Baber as Thaddeus Ralph T. Duncan as Simon William Smiley as Lazarus F. R. Payne as a leper Huntley Roma as a palsied man James H. Wilson as the son of the widow Ruth Middelton as the widow G. W. Martin as Thomas Carl Vincent as Simon of Cyrene Lydia Gardebeau as Salome H. L. Lumt as Penitent Thief F. T. Bostock as Impenitent thief Production background Herbert Reynolds has shown how Olcott used James Tissot's illustrations for his The Life of our Saviour Jesus Christ (1896-1897) as the basis for numerous shots in the film. The head of Kalem, Frank J. Marion, presented a copy to the troupe as they departed for the Middle East. According to Turner Classic Movies, the film cost $35,000 to produce (roughly between $690,000 and $19,400,000 adjusted to 2020 dollars); another source says that Olcott spent $100,000 of his own money on the project. Although the film's profits eventually amounted to almost $1 million (roughly $19,700,000 to $554,000,000), the Kalem directors refused to increase Olcott's basic salary and he resigned. In later years, Louis B. Mayer, head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, would