Charlton Heston: He Made His Mark

Charlton Heston died at his home Saturday. He was 84 years old.

Charlton Heston died at his home Saturday. He was 84 years old. It was not immediately known what he died of. He is survived by his wife of 64 years and two children.

He was born Charles Carter in Chicago in 1923, but grew up in northern Michigan. He served in the army during World War II. He took his acting name from his mother’s maiden name, Charlton and Heston was his stepfather’s last name.

Heston was known for his commanding voice, and lead him to play many larger than life, historical characters. He was Michelangelo in The Agony and the Ecstasy. He played Marc Antony in Julius Caesar and in Antony and Cleopatra. He was John the Baptist in The Greatest Story Ever Told. Thanks to the annual television Easter showing of The Ten Commandments, his most memorable role is that of Moses. His final role was that of Josef Mengela in My Father, Rua Alguem 5555, 2003.

Heston was also noted for his work in science fiction and disaster films. Some became classics, Planet of the Apes, while others, Soylent Green, where humans are food, have become obscure. His role in The Omega Man was reprised by Will Smith in I am Legend. In 1974 he appeared in both Earthquake and Airport 74.

He played many famous literary characters. He was Cardinal Richelieu in the Monty Python inspired versions of The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers. He played Long John Silver in Treasure Island. He won a Best Actor Oscar for Ben-Hur. A film, whose chariot race scene is considered to be one of the greatest action sequences ever filmed.

Charlton Heston has one of the most amazing bodies of film work, yet his conservative politics often threatened to overshadow it. Whereas, many celebrities claimed to support civil rights, Heston actually marched with Martin Luther King. He was president of the NRA for 5 years. Liberal, Michael Moore ambushed him in his anti-gun Bowling for Columbine propaganda film. He got Heston to let him into his home and open up about gun laws by telling Heston that he was an NRA member as well. Heston also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.