Difference between revisions of "Charlton Heston"
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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 even once picketed outside a movie theater in 1961 that was showing a film of his that had just come out, but would not allow blacks into the theater. Heston did not like the form that ongoing [[affirmative action]] took in later years believing that removed the equality that was being sought. Political pundits bring up the idea that Heston changed his political views, but Heston himself spoke admiringly about his early civil rights support throughout his life and even after his political positions were categorized by others as turning conservative. The difficulty was in the pundits who could not grasp that having a deep desire to see black people treated as equals wasn't the same as believing in the ongoing entitlement programs in affirmative action. | 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 even once picketed outside a movie theater in 1961 that was showing a film of his that had just come out, but would not allow blacks into the theater. Heston did not like the form that ongoing [[affirmative action]] took in later years believing that removed the equality that was being sought. Political pundits bring up the idea that Heston changed his political views, but Heston himself spoke admiringly about his early civil rights support throughout his life and even after his political positions were categorized by others as turning conservative. The difficulty was in the pundits who could not grasp that having a deep desire to see black people treated as equals wasn't the same as believing in the ongoing entitlement programs in affirmative action. | ||
| − | 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. When George Clooney heard of it, he took the opportunity to make a public joke at Heston's expense. When called to task for his statement, | + | 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. When George Clooney heard of it, he took the opportunity to make a public joke at Heston's expense. When called to task for his statement, Clooney defended it because he said Charlton Heston deserved it. Heston, ever the gentlemen, did not respond in kind, but simply said that George should be careful since he had just as much chance to come down with the disease as anyone else.<ref> http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/dpatton/2008/dp_04072.shtml |Charlton Heston Made History</ref> |
Married to Lydia Clarke (born 1923) for 64 years, he died of [[pneumonia]] in Los Angeles, aged 84. Heston is survived by her, their son and their adopted daughter. | Married to Lydia Clarke (born 1923) for 64 years, he died of [[pneumonia]] in Los Angeles, aged 84. Heston is survived by her, their son and their adopted daughter. | ||
Revision as of 18:20, April 9, 2009
Charlton Heston (October 4, 1923 - 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, even serving as its president from 1998 to 2001.
He was born John Charlton Carter in Illinois. Following his parents' divorce and his mother's subsequent marriage to a Mr. Heston, Charlton's surname was changed.
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 even once picketed outside a movie theater in 1961 that was showing a film of his that had just come out, but would not allow blacks into the theater. Heston did not like the form that ongoing affirmative action took in later years believing that removed the equality that was being sought. Political pundits bring up the idea that Heston changed his political views, but Heston himself spoke admiringly about his early civil rights support throughout his life and even after his political positions were categorized by others as turning conservative. The difficulty was in the pundits who could not grasp that having a deep desire to see black people treated as equals wasn't the same as believing in the ongoing entitlement programs in affirmative action.
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. When George Clooney heard of it, he took the opportunity to make a public joke at Heston's expense. When called to task for his statement, Clooney defended it because he said Charlton Heston deserved it. Heston, ever the gentlemen, did not respond in kind, but simply said that George should be careful since he had just as much chance to come down with the disease as anyone else.[1]
Married to Lydia Clarke (born 1923) for 64 years, he died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, aged 84. Heston is survived by her, their son and their adopted daughter.
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 Charlton Heston was award the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush, the highest award available to a civilian.
Selected Films
- The Ten Commandments (1956)
- Touch of Evil (1958)
- Ben-Hur (1959)
- El Cid (1961)
- The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
- Planet of the Apes (1968)
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes
- The Omega Man (1971)
- Antony and Cleopatra (1972)
- Soylent Green (1973)
- Tombstone (1993)
- Armageddon (1998)
- Any Given Sunday (1999)
- Planet of the Apes (2001)
External Links
References
- ↑ http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/dpatton/2008/dp_04072.shtml |Charlton Heston Made History
