Landau, Bisset, Sharif there in the 'Beginning'

BYLINE: Nellie Andreeva -- Oscar winner Martin Landau, Jacqueline Bisset and Omar Sharif will topline NBC's four-hour miniseries "In the Beginning," produced by Hallmark Entertainment.

The project, a compilation of the Bible's most enduring stories, is tentatively scheduled to air in November.

Emmy winners Diana Rigg and David Warner also star along with Eddie Cibrian (related story on page 6), Christopher Lee and Art Malik.

Director Kevin Connor (NBC's "Mary, Mother of Jesus") is directing from a script by John Goldsmith ("David Copperfield"). Shooting began Monday in Morocco and will move to Budapest, Hungary. Paul Lowin ("Animal Farm") is the producer.

The movie begins with the story of Creation and ends with Moses delivering the Ten Commandments.

Landau stars as Abraham and Bisset stars as his wife, Sarah. Sharif stars as Jethro, the father of Moses' wife, Zipporah. Cibrian portrays Joseph.

Rigg plays Isaac's wife, Rebecca, and Werner plays Abraham's chief servant, Eliezer. Lee and Malik play Egyptian pharaohs.

"In the Beginning" is the latest in a multitude of religion-based telefilms and miniseries in the past few years.

CBS will air "Jesus," which also stars Bisset, on May 14 and 17.

Zorianna Kit contributed to this report.__Hollywood Reporter (April 11, 2000)