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[[Image:Charlton Heston Civil Rights March 1963.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Charlton Heston at the 1963 Civil Rights March.]]

[[Image:Charlton Heston Civil Rights March 1963.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Charlton Heston at the 1963 Civil Rights March.]]

'''Charlton Heston''' (October 4, 1924 - April 5, 2008) was a famous [[Hollywood]] actor known for playing larger than life roles including [[Moses]], [[Michaelangelo]], [[Marc Antony]], [[John the Baptist]], and [[Andrew Jackson]] and, most of all, his [[Academy Award]]-winning performance in the [[Christian]] tale of ''Ben Hur''. Later in life he became an influential political activist, and an ardent supporter of the [[National Rifle Association]].

'''Charlton Heston''' (October 4, 1924 - April 5, 2008) was a famous [[Hollywood]] actor known for playing larger than life roles including [[Moses]], [[Michaelangelo]], [[Marc Antony]], [[John the Baptist]], and [[Andrew Jackson]] and, most of all, his [[Academy Award]]-winning performance in the [[Christian]] tale of ''Ben Hur''. Later in life he channeled his passion for the [[Second Amendment]] of the [[Constitution]] and became an ardent supporter of the [[National Rifle Association]], evening serving as its president from 1998 to 2001.

He was President of the [[Screen Actors' Guild]] from 1966 to 1971 and the president of the [[National Rifle Association]] from 1998 to 2001.  A strapping man with chiseled features, he is best remembered for his portrayals of [[Moses]] in ''The Ten Commandments'', Taylor in the 1968 version of ''Planet of the Apes'', and Rodrigo in ''El Cid''. His movie ''Ben Hur'' is also a classic. He was a very passionate man, and rigorously defended the [[Second Amendment]] right to bear arms and was an early supporter of the [[civil rights movement]] where he walked with [[Martin Luther King]].  He did not like the form that ongoing [[affirmative action]] took believing that removed the equality that was being sought.  Making a moving public speech to America in 2002 that he had been diagnosed with symptoms related to [[Alzheimer's disease]], he was seldom seen in public after that. Married to the same wife for 64 years, his entire adult life, he is survived by his wife and two children.

A strapping man with chiseled features, he is best remembered for his portrayals of [[Moses]] in ''The Ten Commandments'', Taylor in the 1968 version of ''Planet of the Apes'', and Rodrigo in ''El Cid''. His movie ''Ben Hur'' is also a classic. Heston used the influence he had developed as a well known actor to help others and champion causes for American liberty.  He was President of the [[Screen Actors' Guild]] from 1966 to 1971 and the president of the [[National Rifle Association]] from 1998 to 2001 as well as being an early supporter of the [[civil rights movement]] where he walked with [[Martin Luther King]].  He did not like the form that ongoing [[affirmative action]] took in later years believing that removed the equality that was being sought.

His autobiography ''In the Arena'' was written in 1995 in which he discussed his views on all of his major movies as well as stances he took on issues throughout his life.   

 

His autobiography ''In the Arena'' was written in 1995 in which he discussed his views on all of his major movies as well as stances he took on issues important to him throughout his life.   

In 2003 Charleton Heston was award the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by [[George W. Bush|President Bush]], the highest award available to a civilian.

In 2003 Charleton Heston was award the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by [[George W. Bush|President Bush]], the highest award available to a civilian.