Charlton Heston: American actor and political activist (1923–2008)
Charlton Heston (October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist.
He had many big roles, such as playing Moses in the movie The Ten Commandments, astronaut Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes (1968) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), the dystopian The Omega Man (1971), and Soylent Green (1973). Heston played Judah Ben-Hur in the Academy Award-winning Ben-Hur.
Charlton Heston | |
|---|---|
 Heston at the March on Washington in 1963 | |
| Born | John Charles Carter October 4, 1923 Wilmette, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 5, 2008 (aged 84) |
| Resting place | Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church Columbarium Pacific Palisades, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Northwestern University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1941–2003 |
| Works | Filmography |
| Political party |
|
| Spouse | Lydia Clarke (m. 1944) |
| Children | 2, including Fraser Clarke Heston |
| 56th President of the National Rifle Association | |
| In office 1998–2003 | |
| Preceded by | Marion P. Hammer |
| Succeeded by | Kayne Robinson |
| 16th President of the Screen Actors Guild | |
| In office 1965–1971 | |
| Preceded by | Dana Andrews |
| Succeeded by | John Gavin |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/branch |  United States Army Air Corps |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
| Rank |  Staff Sergeant |
| Unit | 77th Bombardment Squadron |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Early life
He was born in Wilmette, Illinois on October 4, 1923. He was raised in St. Helen, Michigan. Heston studied at New Trier High School and at Northwestern University.
Political views
Heston was also known for his politics. When he was young he held liberal views and marched with people such as Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil rights in the 1960s.
It was rare for a Hollywood actor to be for such causes at that time. Later in his life, he was for conservative causes such as gun rights. He was president of the National Rifle Association of America, a group that is for the rights of gun owners, from 1998 to 2003.
In July 2003, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House from President George W. Bush.
Death
Late in his life, Heston had Alzheimer's disease. He died of pneumonia, aged 84, in Beverly Hills, California.
References
Other websites
Media related to Charlton Heston at Wiki Commons
- Charlton Heston at the Internet Broadway Database
- Charlton Heston on IMDb
- Hollywood.com entry
- Reel Classics
- BBC News Obituary
- Obituary and public tribute Archived 2009-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
- 'From Our Files: An Interview with Charlton Heston' by Phil Elderkin, The Christian Science Monitor, November 4, 1959[permanent dead link]
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