Rev. H. K. Rasbach; Minister, Adviser to Movie Industry

The Rev. H. K. Rasbach, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church of Hollywood for 35 years and a pioneer in producing religious films, has died. He was 81.

He died Monday after a long illness, church officials announced Thursday.

Rasbach began his career in 1941 when he built the First Lutheran Church of Fullerton. He moved to the Hollywood church in 1947, and when he retired in 1982 turned over that ministry to his son, Mark.

He also became a scholar and a figure in the film industry. He produced “The Good Samaritan” in 1937, which won the Ohio Picture Council award, and “The Way of Peace” in 1947, which warned of nuclear holocaust.

Rasbach served as an adviser to Cecil B. DeMille on “The Ten Commandments” and George Stevens on “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Stevens rewarded the minister by donating the central cross from the film set to Hope Church.

Always interested in promoting better understanding between Christians and Jews, Rasbach made a continuing study of DeMille’s 1927 silent film “King of Kings” and wrote an unpublished book about it.

“He was the first movie maker to attempt to dramatize the last days of Jesus of Nazareth with the Jews in mind,” Rasbach once told The Times.

The pastor said one of DeMille’s Jewish contemporaries, Sam Goldwyn, wrote to DeMille: “You have done more to eliminate race hatred than all the sermons and all the books.”

Rasbach served on the National Council of Churches West Coast Commission on film and broadcasting, reviewing scripts to make sure they conformed to the Hollywood Motion Picture Code.

When the landmark Hope Church burned in 1983, Rasbach helped his son plan the new church and raise funds to rebuild.

In addition to his son, Rasbach is survived by his wife, Esther, three daughters, Sharon Goldsmith, Judy Swenson and Pat Rasbach, and five grandchildren.

The family has asked that any memorial donations be made to Hope Lutheran Church.