The Story Keepers

Storykeepers
Created by Brian D. Brown
Eric J. Danenberg
Written by David N. Weiss
Voices of Jim Cummings
Lara Jill Miller
Amos Crawley
Marvin Kaplan
Jennifer Seguin
Grey DeLisle
Tara Strong
Katherine Brown
Kurtis Felsman
Ian Tanner
Paul Sewitt
Pauline Little
Paul Hawkins
Linda Ballantyne
Katie George
George Weiss
Bruce W. Stacey
Bryce J. Williams
Alan D. Marriott
Dorothy Thuet
Arthur Holden
Sonja Ball
Frank Meschkuleit
Ashley Yaccarino
Kimberly James
Jeff Bennett
Chanda Leah
Brian Warren
Tyler Seidenberg
Robert Smith
Kristin Davis
Colin Purves
Lorelei King
Marc Wilkinson
Chris Stacey
Lorna Dueck
Edie McClurg
Sheryl Stacey
Jordan Elgie
Todd Neilson
Matthew Danner
Eric Bauza
Jamie Watson
No. of episodes 13
Production company(s) Shephard Films

The Story Keepers is an animated Christian video series produced by Zondervan from 1995 to 1997 in America and Ireland. It tells the story of a Christian leader and his family's adventures living in Ancient Rome whose mission is to keep Jesus's stories alive during the 1st century. The series consists of thirteen episodes, and features two full-length movies that are compilations of the last four episodes.

Intro

The introduction to each episode before the opening credits is as follows:

"Rome, 64 AD. The Emperor Nero has unleashed his fury against the Christians. Their crime: Proclaiming a King higher than Caesar. Setting fire to the city, Nero places the blame on the Christians, and launches a new campaign to wipe them out. Families are separated, children left homeless, as thousands are sold into slavery or thrown to the lions. Escaping the panic of the fire, and dodging the advancing soldiers, a group of children find shelter in the gentle care of Ben and Helena; a local baker, and his wife. Here the children discover an amazing secret network of daring men and women, who risk their lives to help one another, and to tell the stories of the great storyteller, the one called Jesus. And so awaiting the day when their parents will return, Anna, Cyrus, Justin, and Marcus, embark on an adventure of a lifetime, together with Ben, Helena, and their friends, in the Christian underground. Their mission: To keep the stories of Jesus alive. This is their story. They are the Storykeepers!"

Main characters

More characters

Recurring characters

Episodes

  1. Breakout - A young street juggler named Cyrus is captured during a church raid and sentenced to being thrown to the lions. Anna convinces Ben to launch a rescue operation. *Note*: "Breakout" is the pilot episode of "The Story Keepers". - (U.K. Transmission Date: 01/12/1997)
  2. Raging Waters - Zakkai and the kids must smuggle a scroll containing a story about Jesus to a church across town, and use the aqueducts to do so. Things seem to go swimmingly until Zak is captured by a Roman centurion named Tacticus. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 01/19/1997)
  3. Catacomb Rescue - Ben and the gang must help a missionary named Ephriam escape Rome, but first they need to secure travel papers for him. When Nihilus and Tacticus come searching for Ephriam, Ben and Anna lead the gang through the catacombs. When Anna and Justin are trapped in a cave-in with an injured Tacticus, they learn the value of loving their neighbor from Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 01/26/1997)
  4. Ready, Aim, Fire! - Zak's uncle Mordecai has come to visit, and Zak goes overboard trying to impress him. Meanwhile, Nihilus and Nero have plans to renovate the city via fire, and Tacticus must find a way to stall them and give Ben and his church a chance to escape. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 02/02/1997)
  5. Sink or Swim - Justin learns about a slave ship where his and Marcus' father, Joshua ben Judah, may be imprisoned, and Ben agrees to help Justin search the ship. But the gang is caught off-guard when the ship is suddenly called out to sea to do battle with a rebel slave ship. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 02/09/1997)
  6. Starlight Escape - Rome has become too dangerous to hold large meetings, so Ben, Helena, and the kids travel to Ostia with an old guide named Milo. It's no easy journey as they are hunted by Roman patrols the entire way. Ben and Helena use the long trip to tell the kids the story of Jesus' birth and the visit of the Magi. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 02/16/1997)
  7. Roar in the Night - Marcus has befriended two lion cubs who have escaped from Nero's cruel animal trainer. He is determined to find a way to keep the cubs out of Nero's clutches, but that may mean having to release them in Africa instead of keeping them. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 02/23/1997)
  8. 'Captured!' - Cyrus is captured by a patrol while showing off his acrobatic skills, only to be sold to a local merchant who is impressed by Cyrus' talent. Cyrus finds himself living the good life, and when Ben & co. try to rescue him, he refuses to go back to the bakery. Helena tells the children Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son and encourages them to pray for Cyrus. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 03/02/1997)
  9. Trapped! - Tacticus' faith is discovered when he refuses to participate in the mandatory worship of Nero at the emperor's birthday party. Ben and the gang enlist the help of Empress Sabina's servant Miriam to rescue Tacticus. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 03/09/1997)
  10. Tricked By A Traitor - The local miller reveals Ben's operation, sending him into hiding. In order to flush him out, Nihilus threatens to burn down the bakery—with Helena, Justin, Marcus and Cyrus still inside! Ben and his family are living in the catacombs, planning their escape to Shem Hadar. Meanwhile, Nero's soldiers, led by Nihilus and Capella, are searching the catacombs for them.
  11. Tried And True A soldier finds a hole lading to the catacombs where Ben and the other Christians are hiding so they plan an attack. In attempt to escape Zak triggers a barrier that traps Ben, Justin and Marcus with the soldiers and are captured and Ben awaits execution. Helena plans to free them by smuggling a group of Christians ,Cyrus parents among them.
  12. Caught At The Crossroads Cyrus is reunited with his parents, who insist on helping Helena rescue Ben and the boys. The attempt is almost successful, but when Ben is recaptured and sentenced to crucifixion, it's up to Capella to save him—even at the cost of his own life. - 10 through 12 shown as a special episode/movie (U.K. Transmission Date: 28/02/1998)
  13. To The Ends of The Earth - Ben and the gang are finally on their way to Shem Hadar. But their trek takes them across the desert to avoid a port where the Romans are still searching for Ben and Tacticus. When Nihilus shows up, bent on vengeance, Tacticus faces one last battle with the gang's most ruthless enemy. - (U.K. Transmission Date: 01/07/1998)

Movies

Collections

References

  1. 1 2 "Breakout"
  2. In "Catacomb Rescue," a plaque can be seen on Ben's wall depicting Nero bestowing his favor on Ben. An inscription reads, "By appointment of his divinity; Imperial Baker"
  3. "Starlight Escape"
  4. "Ready, Aim, Fire"
  5. "Oh Brother," Clubhouse Magazine 1995
  6. "Nabbed by Nero"
  7. 1 2 "Getaway"
  8. "Roar in the Nigh"
  9. "Oh Brother" and "Catacomb Rescue"
  10. "Trapped!"
  11. "The Final Conflict"
  12. In an attempt to free Zak from Nero's custody in "Raging Waters," Ben disguises himself with a mustache and a horned helmet, speaking with a stereotyped French accent and claiming to be from Gaul. Nero is fooled until Zak, feigning death by Ben's "secret poison torture pastry," sneezes, giving away the act.
  13. "Catacomb Rescue"; "This is a job for my Praetorian guard, not these common foot soldiers."
  14. "Trapped!" and "The Christmas Storykeepers"
  15. "Getaway"; Nero: "Mark me, your days are numbered!" Nihilus: "So are yours, Nero. So are yours."
  16. "Raging Waters"
  17. "Breakout," "Catacomb Rescue"
  18. 1 2 "Raging Waters."
  19. "Trapped!" Ben: "Don't apologize, Miriam. We're just grateful to have Christians like you working in Nero's palace."
  20. "Starlight Escape."
  21. "The Final Conflict."
  22. "Betrayed."
  23. Antonius: "Your young friend was right. I couldn't live with myself if I let this monster do this to you." Ben: "God bless you, my friend." Antonius: "No, Ben, God forgive me."
  24. "Getaway."

External links

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