Matthew Best

Animated Hero Classics is an educational Animated television series of programs co-produced by Nest Family Entertainment and Warner Bros. The series, geared toward elementary school aged children, includes twenty biographies of both female and male scientists, inventors, explorers, and social champions from around Europe, North America and the Middle East, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Florence Nightingale, Harriet Tubman, Joan of Arc, Benjamin Franklin, Helen Keller, Marco Polo, Marie Curie and Louis Pasteur. The Children's Television Act of 1990 required terrestrial television networks to devote time to Educational and Informative programming for children. Even though Warner Bros' cable networks were not directly affected by these requirements, these programs were debuted on their HBO network's Saturday morning children's block as a show of good faith that the network was committed to quality educational programming for children. The dramatic biographies were meticulously researched by the producers and written to engage both children and adults, providing an entertaining and accessible way to learn about the positive impact that these women and men have had on our world.

A 14 year old boy named Gunther moves to a small town with his parents and little brother. He meets up with a group of overly charitable paper boys who want him to sub for their friend while he's out of town. Gunther agrees so he can get enough money for concert tickets to take his blonde and beautiful crush too, all the while dealing with Chad, her wannabe boyfriend and his bully friends. All in all, Gunther learns to respect himself and other people and to have fun during it all.

Ahab, a great king of the Israelites, has fallen under the spell of Jezebel, a daughter of the King of the Sidonians. He has rejected the Israelites' God and embraced Jezebel's religion: the worship of the idol Baal. At Jezebel's command, Ahab has ordered the execution of the prophets of Israel, replacing them with Baal's false prophets. But one man, Elijah, filled with power of the true God, directly challenges Ahab and Jezebel.

Elisha, even though he has self-doubts, accepts God’s commands. Through his obedience and faith, he becomes one of God’s greatest prophets, doing his work and bringing him praise among his people.

Forgive Us Our Debts combines a classic parable with the teachings of Jesus to His disciples. Jesus teaches that forgiveness comes from God as He instructs Peter to catch a fish that contains a coin to pay Peter's debt. Jesus also teaches about a man who is forgiven by his king of an enormous debt. Yet, the forgiven man leaves and immediately casts a man, who owes him almost nothing, into prison. The king then rescinds his forgiveness. To receive forgiveness we must also forgive.

When the Israelite Naomi and her two Gentile daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, are left as widows, Naomi begs them to return to their own people. Orpah agrees, but Ruth declares she will never forsake Naomi and accompanies her mother-in-law back to Israel. Her faithfulness is rewarded when Naomi’s kinsman, Boaz, falls in love with Ruth and marries her.

Solomon’s wisdom comes from God. Solomon puts his faith in God, and God gives the great King the power to understand human nature, the power to make judgments with great wisdom and the courage to stand up for his belief in God’s will.

A 1985 performance of Luchino Visconti's 1958 staging for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Bernard Haitink memorably directs a superb cast that includes Ileana Cotrubas at the height of her powers and Luis Lima, unequalled in his tortured introspection, in the title role. (5-act version, sung in Italian)

A marvelous animated retelling of the Scriptural story about Abraham and his son Isaac.

Mahonri, the brother of Jared, is a righteous man in wicked Babel. After the tower of Babel is destroyed and the language of the people is confused, the Lord shows Mahonri how to build barges to carry the righteous across the sea to the Promised Land. When the brother of Jared asks the Lord to touch stones to light the barges, his faith is so strong that he receives a great revelation.