 ProductLink |
|
 With features chiseled in stone, and renowned for playing a long list of historical figures, particularly in Biblical epics, the tall, well-built and ruggedly handsome Charlton Heston was one of Hollywood's greatest leading men and remained active in front of movie cameras for over sixty years. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film, The Ten Commandments (1956) , for which he received his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He also starred in Touch of Evil (1958) with Orson Welles; Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor (1959); El Cid (1961); and Planet of the Apes (1968). He also starred in the films The Greatest Show on Earth (1952); Secret of the Incas (1954); The Big Country (1958); and The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965). A supporter of Democratic politicians and civil rights in the 1960s, Heston later became a Republican, founding a conservative political action committee and supporting Ronald Reagan. Heston's most famous role in politics came as the five-term president of the National Rifle Association, from 1998 to 2003.Heston was born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1923, in No Man's Land, Illinois, to Lila (Charlton) and Russell Whitford Carter, who operated a sawmill. He had English and Scottish ancestry, with recent Canadian forebears.Heston made his feature film debut as the lead character in a 16mm production of Peer Gynt (1941), based on the Henrik Ibsen play. In 1944, Heston enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. He served for two years as a radio operator and aerial gunner aboard a B-25 Mitchell stationed in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands with the 77th Bombardment Squadron of the Eleventh Air Force. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant. Heston married Northwestern University student Lydia Marie Clarke, who was six months his senior. That same year he joined the military.Heston played 'Marc Antony' in Julius Caesar (1950), and firmly stamped himself as genuine leading man material with his performance as circus manager 'Brad Braden' in the Cecil B. DeMille spectacular The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), also starring James Stewart and Cornel Wilde. The now very popular actor remained perpetually busy during the 1950s, both on TV and on the silver screen with audience pleasing performances in the steamy thriller The Naked Jungle (1954), as a treasure hunter in Secret of the Incas (1954) and another barn storming performance for Cecil B. DeMille as "Moses" in the blockbuster The Ten Commandments (1956).Heston delivered further dynamic performances in the oily film noir thriller Touch of Evil (1958), and then alongside Gregory Peck in the western The Big Country (1958) before scoring the role for which he is arguably best known, that of the wronged Jewish prince who seeks his freedom and revenge in the William Wyler directed Ben-Hur (1959). This mammoth Biblical epic running in excess of three and a half hours became the standard by which other large scale productions would be judged, and its superb cast also including Stephen Boyd as the villainous "Massala", English actor Jack Hawkins as the Roman officer "Quintus Arrius", and Australian actor Frank Thring as "Pontius Pilate", all contributed wonderful performances. Never one to rest on his laurels, steely Heston remained the preferred choice of directors to lead the cast in major historical productions and during the 1960s he starred as Spanish legend "Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar" in El Cid (1961), as a US soldier battling hostile Chinese boxers during 55 Days at Peking (1963), played the ill-fated "John the Baptist" in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), the masterful painter "Michelangelo" battling Pope Julius II in The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), and an English general in Khartoum (1966). In 1968, Heston filmed the unusual western Will Penny (1967) about an aging and lonely cowboy befriending a lost woman and her son, which Heston has often referred to as his favorite piece of work on screen. Interestingly, Heston was on the verge of acquiring an entirely new league of fans due to his appearance in four very topical science fiction films (all based on popular novels) painting bleak futures for mankind.In 1968, Heston starred as time-traveling astronaut "George Taylor", in the terrific Planet of the Apes (1968) with its now legendary conclusion as Heston realizes the true horror of his destination. He returned to reprise the role, albeit primarily as a cameo, alongside fellow astronaut James Franciscus in the slightly inferior sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). Next up, Heston again found himself facing the apocalypse in The Omega Man (1971) as the survivor of a germ plague that has wiped out humanity leaving only bands of psychotic lunatics roaming the cities who seek to kill the uninfected Heston. And fourthly, taking its inspiration from the Harry Harrison novel "Make Room!, Make Room!", Heston starred alongside screen legend Edward G. Robinson and Chuck Connors in Soylent Green (1973). During the remainder of the 1970s, Heston appeared in two very popular "disaster movies" contributing lead roles in the far-fetched Airport 1975 (1974), plus in the star-laden Earthquake (1974), filmed in "Sensoround" (low-bass speakers were installed in selected theaters to simulate the earthquake rumblings on screen to movie audiences). He played an evil Cardinal in the lively The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974), a mythical US naval officer in the recreation of Midway (1976), also filmed in "Sensoround", an LA cop trying to stop a sniper in Two-Minute Warning (1976) and another US naval officer in the submarine thriller Gray Lady Down (1978). Heston appeared in numerous episodes of the high-rating TV series Dynasty (1981) and The Colbys (1985), before moving onto a mixed bag of projects including TV adaptations of Treasure Island (1990) and A Man for All Seasons (1988), hosting two episodes of the comedy show, Saturday Night Live (1975), starring as the "Good Actor" bringing love struck Mike Myers to tears in Wayne's World 2 (1993), and as the eye patch-wearing boss of intelligence agent Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies (1994). He also narrated numerous TV specials and lent his vocal talents to the animated movie Hercules (1997), the family comedy Cats & Dogs (2001) and an animated version of Ben Hur (2003). Heston made an uncredited appearance in the inferior remake of Planet of the Apes (2001), and his last film appearance to date was in the Holocaust-themed drama of My Father (2003).Heston narrated for highly classified military and Department of Energy instructional films, particularly relating to nuclear weapons, and "for six years Heston [held] the nation's highest security clearance" or Q clearance. The Q clearance is similar to a DoD or Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) clearance of Top Secret.Heston was married to Lydia Marie Clark Heston since March 1944, and they have two children. His highly entertaining autobiography was released in 1995, titled appropriately enough "Into The Arena". Although often criticized for his strong conservative beliefs and involvement with the NRA, Heston was a strong advocate for civil right many years before it became fashionable, and was a recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, plus the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2002, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and did appear in a film or TV production after 2003. He died in April 2008. Truly, Charlton Heston is one of the legendary figures of US cinema.
Bio:
With features chiseled in stone, and renowned for playing a long list of historical figures, particularly in Biblical epics, the tall, well-built and ruggedly handsome Charlton Heston was one of Hollywood's greatest leading men and remained active in front of movie cameras for over sixty years. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film, The Ten Commandments (1956) , for which he received his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He also starred in Touch of Evil (1958) with Orson Welles; Ben-Hur, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor (1959); El Cid (1961); and Planet of the Apes (1968). He also starred in the films The Greatest Show on Earth (1952); Secret of the Incas (1954); The Big Country (1958); and The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965). A supporter of Democratic politicians and civil rights in the 1960s, Heston later became a Republican, founding a conservative political action committee and supporting Ronald Reagan. Heston's most famous role in politics came as the five-term president of the National Rifle Association, from 1998 to 2003.Heston was born John Charles Carter on October 4, 1923, in No Man's Land, Illinois, to Lila (Charlton) and Russell Whitford Carter, who operated a sawmill. He had English and Scottish ancestry, with recent Canadian forebears.Heston made his feature film debut as the lead character in a 16mm production of Peer Gynt (1941), based on the Henrik Ibsen play. In 1944, Heston enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. He served for two years as a radio operator and aerial gunner aboard a B-25 Mitchell stationed in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands with the 77th Bombardment Squadron of the Eleventh Air Force. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant. Heston married Northwestern University student Lydia Marie Clarke, who was six months his senior. That same year he joined the military.Heston played 'Marc Antony' in Julius Caesar (1950), and firmly stamped himself as genuine leading man material with his performance as circus manager 'Brad Braden' in the Cecil B. DeMille spectacular The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), also starring James Stewart and Cornel Wilde. The now very popular actor remained perpetually busy during the 1950s, both on TV and on the silver screen with audience pleasing performances in the steamy thriller The Naked Jungle (1954), as a treasure hunter in Secret of the Incas (1954) and another barn storming performance for Cecil B. DeMille as "Moses" in the blockbuster The Ten Commandments (1956).Heston delivered further dynamic performances in the oily film noir thriller Touch of Evil (1958), and then alongside Gregory Peck in the western The Big Country (1958) before scoring the role for which he is arguably best known, that of the wronged Jewish prince who seeks his freedom and revenge in the William Wyler directed Ben-Hur (1959). This mammoth Biblical epic running in excess of three and a half hours became the standard by which other large scale productions would be judged, and its superb cast also including Stephen Boyd as the villainous "Massala", English actor Jack Hawkins as the Roman officer "Quintus Arrius", and Australian actor Frank Thring as "Pontius Pilate", all contributed wonderful performances. Never one to rest on his laurels, steely Heston remained the preferred choice of directors to lead the cast in major historical productions and during the 1960s he starred as Spanish legend "Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar" in El Cid (1961), as a US soldier battling hostile Chinese boxers during 55 Days at Peking (1963), played the ill-fated "John the Baptist" in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), the masterful painter "Michelangelo" battling Pope Julius II in The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), and an English general in Khartoum (1966). In 1968, Heston filmed the unusual western Will Penny (1967) about an aging and lonely cowboy befriending a lost woman and her son, which Heston has often referred to as his favorite piece of work on screen. Interestingly, Heston was on the verge of acquiring an entirely new league of fans due to his appearance in four very topical science fiction films (all based on popular novels) painting bleak futures for mankind.In 1968, Heston starred as time-traveling astronaut "George Taylor", in the terrific Planet of the Apes (1968) with its now legendary conclusion as Heston realizes the true horror of his destination. He returned to reprise the role, albeit primarily as a cameo, alongside fellow astronaut James Franciscus in the slightly inferior sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). Next up, Heston again found himself facing the apocalypse in The Omega Man (1971) as the survivor of a germ plague that has wiped out humanity leaving only bands of psychotic lunatics roaming the cities who seek to kill the uninfected Heston. And fourthly, taking its inspiration from the Harry Harrison novel "Make Room!, Make Room!", Heston starred alongside screen legend Edward G. Robinson and Chuck Connors in Soylent Green (1973). During the remainder of the 1970s, Heston appeared in two very popular "disaster movies" contributing lead roles in the far-fetched Airport 1975 (1974), plus in the star-laden Earthquake (1974), filmed in "Sensoround" (low-bass speakers were installed in selected theaters to simulate the earthquake rumblings on screen to movie audiences). He played an evil Cardinal in the lively The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974), a mythical US naval officer in the recreation of Midway (1976), also filmed in "Sensoround", an LA cop trying to stop a sniper in Two-Minute Warning (1976) and another US naval officer in the submarine thriller Gray Lady Down (1978). Heston appeared in numerous episodes of the high-rating TV series Dynasty (1981) and The Colbys (1985), before moving onto a mixed bag of projects including TV adaptations of Treasure Island (1990) and A Man for All Seasons (1988), hosting two episodes of the comedy show, Saturday Night Live (1975), starring as the "Good Actor" bringing love struck Mike Myers to tears in Wayne's World 2 (1993), and as the eye patch-wearing boss of intelligence agent Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies (1994). He also narrated numerous TV specials and lent his vocal talents to the animated movie Hercules (1997), the family comedy Cats & Dogs (2001) and an animated version of Ben Hur (2003). Heston made an uncredited appearance in the inferior remake of Planet of the Apes (2001), and his last film appearance to date was in the Holocaust-themed drama of My Father (2003).Heston narrated for highly classified military and Department of Energy instructional films, particularly relating to nuclear weapons, and "for six years Heston [held] the nation's highest security clearance" or Q clearance. The Q clearance is similar to a DoD or Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) clearance of Top Secret.Heston was married to Lydia Marie Clark Heston since March 1944, and they have two children. His highly entertaining autobiography was released in 1995, titled appropriately enough "Into The Arena". Although often criticized for his strong conservative beliefs and involvement with the NRA, Heston was a strong advocate for civil right many years before it became fashionable, and was a recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, plus the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2002, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and did appear in a film or TV production after 2003. He died in April 2008. Truly, Charlton Heston is one of the legendary figures of US cinema.
Tivia:
When Heston asked director James Cameron why he wanted him to play Spencer Trilby in True Lies (1994), Cameron replied "I need someone who can plausibly intimidate Arnold Schwarzenegger.".Missed the start of his presentation at The 44th Annual Academy Awards (1972), because of a flat tire on the Santa Monica freeway. Clint Eastwood stood in for him, and before Eastwood finished the speech that Heston was due to give, Heston arrived, to some audience laughter and enjoyment.Although he and Kirk Douglas differed greatly on politics (Douglas was a very liberal Democrat and Heston a very conservative Republican), Heston and Douglas were very close friends. Douglas spoke highly of their friendship; so highly, in fact, that after a viewing of the film Bowling for Columbine (2002) (and in particular the scene where Heston is grilled on his involvement in the NRA and asked to apologize for murder as a member of the NRA) Douglas said he would never forgive Michael Moore, the film's director and the man who conducted the interview) for the way he treated Heston.When he met Toshir? Mifune around 1960, he was extremely taken with the Japanese star and claimed that if Mifune spoke English "he could be the greatest star in the world". The two actors exchanged Christmas cards since their meeting until Mifune's death.He was chosen to portray Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956) by Cecil B. DeMille because he bore an uncanny resemblance to the statue of Moses carved by Michelangelo.Volunteered his time and effort to the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, and even marched alongside the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a number of occasions, including the 1963 March on Washington. In the original (uncut) version of King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1969), he was narrator.Along with Tony Curtis, Heston admitted to voting for Russell Crowe to win the Best Actor Oscar, saying before the ceremony, "I hope he gets it. He's very good.". (2001)A frail-looking Heston was presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, at the White House by George W. Bush. (July 2003)Said that Planet of the Apes (1968) was the most physically demanding film he had ever done.Participated in the March on Washington for Civil Rights on 28 August 1963, along with Burt Lancaster, Marlon Brando, Sidney Poitier, Bob Dylan and Harry Belafonte.The actors he admired the most were Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda, Clark Gable, Cary Grant and James Stewart.Was sick with the flu during filming of Planet of the Apes (1968). The producers decided to have him act through his illness, even though it was physically grueling, because they felt the hoarse sound of his voice added something to the character. Heston recounted in a diary he kept during filming that he "felt like Hell" during the filming of the scene where his character was forcefully separated from Nova (Linda Harrison), made worse by the impact of the fire hose used on him.Though often portrayed as an ultra-conservative, Heston wrote in his autobiography "In the Arena" (1995) that he was opposed to the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s, was against the Vietnam War and thought President Richard Nixon was bad for America.After their son was born, they decided to adopt their next child so that they could be sure it would be a girl. Heston and his wife felt that one son and one daughter made the perfect family.His funeral was held a week after his death on 12 April 2008 in a ceremony which was attended by 250 people including former First Lady Nancy Reagan, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Olivia de Havilland, Keith Carradine, Pat Boone, Tom Selleck, Oliver Stone and Rob Reiner.He turned down the role of General Joseph W. Stilwell in Steven Spielberg's comedy 1941 (1979) because he felt the film was an insult to World War II veterans.Initially turned down the role of Steve Leech in The Big Country (1958) because he didn't think the role was huge enough after the success he had with The Ten Commandments (1956), but his agent convinced him to take the role on the grounds that it would be worth it for his career to work with both Gregory Peck, who was still a bigger star than Heston at the time, and director William Wyler. This association led to Heston being cast in Wyler's next film, as the title character in Ben-Hur (1959), for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor.Professed great respect and admiration for the late actor Gregory Peck, despite their opposing political ideals.He wore a hairpiece in every movie from Skyjacked (1972) onwards.While they were starring in a play together in 1960, Laurence Olivier told Heston that he had the potential to become the greatest American actor of the century. When the play received unfavorable notices, Heston said, "I guess you learn to forget bad notices?", to which Olivier replied, "What's more important, laddie, and much harder -- learn to forget good notices.".Very popular in Japan, where even his less successful films were generally well received, because his screen persona embodied the qualities that the Japanese had admired in their Samurai warriors.Heston's Hollywood mansion is filled with memorabilia from his career. He and his wife have resided in the same house near Los Angeles' Mulholland Drive for more than forty years. Built by the actor's father after Heston won the Academy Award for best actor in Ben-Hur (1959), the postmodern style home - inside and out - is filled with the memorabilia. Sitting on a table in the backyard is the figure of a Roman, whip in hand, lashing vigorously at four straining horses harnessed to a chariot. Mounted on the entrance of his study are the two great brass ring knockers from the movie set's House of Hur. Hung above the fireplace is a painting of a lumbering Conestoga wagon and, nearby, a pencil sketch of friend Sir Laurence Olivier portraying King Lear. From most windows sparkle views of canyons. In the home's central hallway hang twenty paintings of Heston in signature roles: Ben-Hur, Moses, Richelieu, Michelangelo, the Planet of the Apes (1968) marooned astronaut Commander Taylor, the steel-willed Major Dundee, Soylent Green (1973) detective Thorn, Andrew Jackson in The President's Lady (1953), tough ranch foreman Steve Leech riding through The Big Country (1958), and cattle poke Will Penny (1967) from Heston's favorite film.During the Waco standoff in 1993, Heston was hired by the FBI to provide the voice of God when talking to David Koresh in an attempt to reason with him. The plan was never used.He defended some of his less successful films in the mid-1960s, arguing that he had already made several million dollars and therefore wanted to concentrate on projects which interested him personally.Had a fondness for drawing and sketching, and often sketched the cast and crew of his films whenever he had the chance to do so. His sketches were later published in the book "Charlton Heston's Hollywood: 50 Years in American Film".Has stated that he sees no contradiction with his work as a Civil Rights activist in the 1960s and his advocacy for gun ownership rights in the 1990s, insisting that he is simply promoting "freedom in the truest sense".Broke his nose in high school playing football. He later commented that this was ultimately to his advantage as an actor because this gave him "the profile of an Eagle".His wife calls him Charlie, but everyone else calls him ChuckHis professional name of Charlton Heston came from a combination of his mother's maiden name (Lila Charlton) and his stepfather's last name (Chester Heston).He was the original choice to star in Alexander the Great (1956), but declined so he could play Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956). The role eventually went to Richard Burton.He turned down an offer to co-star with Marilyn Monroe in Let's Make Love (1960) in order to be directed in a play by Sir Laurence Olivier, whom he greatly admired.Cited not doing a Hispanic accent for his Mexican narcotics officer Miguel 'Mike' Vargas in the film noir Touch of Evil (1958) as one of the biggest mistakes he ever made as an actor.Lord Laurence Olivier was so impressed by Heston's stage skills that he commented that Heston had a future on the stage.Although Heston was a lifelong non-smoker, he did hold a pipe in some early publicity photographs because both Clark Gable and Cary Grant smoked pipes.On 18 June 1968, Heston appeared on The Joey Bishop Show (1967) and, along with Gregory Peck, James Stewart and Kirk Douglas, called for gun controls following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Ironically, thirty years later, Heston was elected President of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and campaigned against gun control.After his starring role in the original version of Planet of the Apes (1968), he had an uncredited cameo in the remake Planet of the Apes (2001), as General Thade's dying father.Unlike many of his contemporaries, Heston continued to act on the stage. He appeared in "Long Day's Journey Into Night" opposite Deborah Kerr, "Macbeth" opposite Vanessa Redgrave and "The Caine Mutiny" with Ben Cross. His final stage role was opposite his wife Lydia Clarke in "Love Letters" at the Haymarket Theatre in London in the summer of 1999.Was asked by some Democrats to run for the California State Senate in 1969, but declined because he wanted to continue acting.Accepted the role in Ben-Hur (1959) after Burt Lancaster turned down the role.Attended the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan as President of the United States of America, along with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Ray Charles (20 January 1985).Heston was a popular actor in Greece, where his name was written as "Charlton Easton" on account of "Heston" having scatological connotations in the Greek language.Was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1966-1971.Named The Call of the Wild (1972) as his worst movie.A World War II U.S. Army veteran, he visited troops fighting during the Vietnam War in 1967. In fact, in one camp in South Vietnam's delta area, he was "initiated" into the GIs on-base club, by having to receive a kiss on the ear.Did a great deal of research on the historical Cardinal Richelieu for his appearance in The Three Musketeers (1973)/The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974). Even though the character is portrayed as an antagonist, Heston gained a great deal of respect for the man's real accomplishments on behalf of France. He came across a quote attributed to Richelieu: "I have no enemies, France has enemies." He liked the line so much that he insisted it be worked into the films somewhere, and he ultimately got his wish. Though slightly modified ("I have no enemies, only enemies of France."), the line appears in the second film, in the scene where Richelieu offers d'Artagnan the opportunity to be one of his soldiers.Cited actor Gary Cooper as a childhood role model. Heston starred opposite Cooper in The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). Heston commended Cooper for being able to perform his own stunts, such as being under water for long periods of time, despite being in poor health and getting older.Originally a Democrat who campaigned for Presidential candidates Adlai Stevenson and John F. Kennedy, he gradually switched to becoming a conservative Republican during the 1960s.He was offered the role of Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort in The Longest Day (1962), but John Wayne signed for the role before Heston could accept.Requested cremation in his will, explaining that after a lifetime of performing and wearing makeup he didn't want his body presented after his death.He appeared with Sir Christopher Lee in four films: Julius Caesar (1970), The Three Musketeers (1973), The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974) and Treasure Island (1990). |
| Name: |
Charlton Heston |
Type: |
Actor,Director,Writer (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
|
Business scope: |
Actor,Director,Writer |
| Products for sale: |
Actor,Director,Writer |
| Model rank: |
241 |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 03:55:54 |
| Height: |
6' 3' (1.91 m) |
| Biography: |
With features chiseled in stone, and renowned for playing a long list of historical figures, particularly in Biblical epics, the tall, well-built and ruggedly handsome Charlton Heston was one of Hollywood\'s greatest leading men and remained active i |
| Trivia: |
When Heston asked director James Cameron why he wanted him to play Spencer Trilby in True Lies (1994), Cameron replied "I need someone who can plausibly intimidate Arnold Schwarzenegger.".Missed the start of his presentation at The 44th Annual Academy Awards (1972), because of a flat tire on the Santa Monica freeway. Clint Eastwood stood in for him, and before Eastwood finished the speech that Heston was due to give, Heston arrived, to some audience laughter and enjoyment.Although he and Kirk Douglas differed greatly on politics (Douglas was a very liberal Democrat and Heston a very conservative Republican), Heston and Douglas were very close friends. Douglas spoke highly of their friendship; so highly, in fact, that after a viewing of the film Bowling for Columbine (2002) (and in particular the scene where Heston is grilled on his involvement in the NRA and asked to apologize for murder as a member of the NRA) Douglas said he would never forgive Michael Moore, the film's director and the man who conducted the interview) for the way he treated Heston.When he met Toshir? Mifune around 1960, he was extremely taken with the Japanese star and claimed that if Mifune spoke English "he could be the greatest star in the world". The two actors exchanged Christmas cards since their meeting until Mifune's death.He was chosen to portray Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956) by Cecil B. DeMille because he bore an uncanny resemblance to the statue of Moses carved by Michelangelo.Volunteered his time and effort to the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, and even marched alongside the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a number of occasions, including the 1963 March on Washington. In the original (uncut) version of King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis (1969), he was narrator.Along with Tony Curtis, Heston admitted to voting for Russell Crowe to win the Best Actor Oscar, saying before the ceremony, "I hope he gets it. He's very good.". (2001)A frail-looking Heston was presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, at the White House by George W. Bush. (July 2003)Said that Planet of the Apes (1968) was the most physically demanding film he had ever done.Participated in the March on Washington for Civil Rights on 28 August 1963, along with Burt Lancaster, Marlon Brando, Sidney Poitier, Bob Dylan and Harry Belafonte.The actors he admired the most were Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda, Clark Gable, Cary Grant and James Stewart.Was sick with the flu during filming of Planet of the Apes (1968). The producers decided to have him act through his illness, even though it was physically grueling, because they felt the hoarse sound of his voice added something to the character. Heston recounted in a diary he kept during filming that he "felt like Hell" during the filming of the scene where his character was forcefully separated from Nova (Linda Harrison), made worse by the impact of the fire hose used on him.Though often portrayed as an ultra-conservative, Heston wrote in his autobiography "In the Arena" (1995) that he was opposed to the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s, was against the Vietnam War and thought President Richard Nixon was bad for America.After their son was born, they decided to adopt their next child so that they could be sure it would be a girl. Heston and his wife felt that one son and one daughter made the perfect family.His funeral was held a week after his death on 12 April 2008 in a ceremony which was attended by 250 people including former First Lady Nancy Reagan, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Olivia de Havilland, Keith Carradine, Pat Boone, Tom Selleck, Oliver Stone and Rob Reiner.He turned down the role of General Joseph W. Stilwell in Steven Spielberg's comedy 1941 (1979) because he felt the film was an insult to World War II veterans.Initially turned down the role of Steve Leech in The Big Country (1958) because he didn't think the role was huge enough after the success he had with The Ten Commandments (1956), but his agent convinced him to take the role on the grounds that it would be worth it for his career to work with both Gregory Peck, who was still a bigger star than Heston at the time, and director William Wyler. This association led to Heston being cast in Wyler's next film, as the title character in Ben-Hur (1959), for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor.Professed great respect and admiration for the late actor Gregory Peck, despite their opposing political ideals.He wore a hairpiece in every movie from Skyjacked (1972) onwards.While they were starring in a play together in 1960, Laurence Olivier told Heston that he had the potential to become the greatest American actor of the century. When the play received unfavorable notices, Heston said, "I guess you learn to forget bad notices?", to which Olivier replied, "What's more important, laddie, and much harder -- learn to forget good notices.".Very popular in Japan, where even his less successful films were generally well received, because his screen persona embodied the qualities that the Japanese had admired in their Samurai warriors.Heston's Hollywood mansion is filled with memorabilia from his career. He and his wife have resided in the same house near Los Angeles' Mulholland Drive for more than forty years. Built by the actor's father after Heston won the Academy Award for best actor in Ben-Hur (1959), the postmodern style home - inside and out - is filled with the memorabilia. Sitting on a table in the backyard is the figure of a Roman, whip in hand, lashing vigorously at four straining horses harnessed to a chariot. Mounted on the entrance of his study are the two great brass ring knockers from the movie set's House of Hur. Hung above the fireplace is a painting of a lumbering Conestoga wagon and, nearby, a pencil sketch of friend Sir Laurence Olivier portraying King Lear. From most windows sparkle views of canyons. In the home's central hallway hang twenty paintings of Heston in signature roles: Ben-Hur, Moses, Richelieu, Michelangelo, the Planet of the Apes (1968) marooned astronaut Commander Taylor, the steel-willed Major Dundee, Soylent Green (1973) detective Thorn, Andrew Jackson in The President's Lady (1953), tough ranch foreman Steve Leech riding through The Big Country (1958), and cattle poke Will Penny (1967) from Heston's favorite film.During the Waco standoff in 1993, Heston was hired by the FBI to provide the voice of God when talking to David Koresh in an attempt to reason with him. The plan was never used.He defended some of his less successful films in the mid-1960s, arguing that he had already made several million dollars and therefore wanted to concentrate on projects which interested him personally.Had a fondness for drawing and sketching, and often sketched the cast and crew of his films whenever he had the chance to do so. His sketches were later published in the book "Charlton Heston's Hollywood: 50 Years in American Film".Has stated that he sees no contradiction with his work as a Civil Rights activist in the 1960s and his advocacy for gun ownership rights in the 1990s, insisting that he is simply promoting "freedom in the truest sense".Broke his nose in high school playing football. He later commented that this was ultimately to his advantage as an actor because this gave him "the profile of an Eagle".His wife calls him Charlie, but everyone else calls him ChuckHis professional name of Charlton Heston came from a combination of his mother's maiden name (Lila Charlton) and his stepfather's last name (Chester Heston).He was the original choice to star in Alexander the Great (1956), but declined so he could play Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956). The role eventually went to Richard Burton.He turned down an offer to co-star with Marilyn Monroe in Let's Make Love (1960) in order to be directed in a play by Sir Laurence Olivier, whom he greatly admired.Cited not doing a Hispanic accent for his Mexican narcotics officer Miguel 'Mike' Vargas in the film noir Touch of Evil (1958) as one of the biggest mistakes he ever made as an actor.Lord Laurence Olivier was so impressed by Heston's stage skills that he commented that Heston had a future on the stage.Although Heston was a lifelong non-smoker, he did hold a pipe in some early publicity photographs because both Clark Gable and Cary Grant smoked pipes.On 18 June 1968, Heston appeared on The Joey Bishop Show (1967) and, along with Gregory Peck, James Stewart and Kirk Douglas, called for gun controls following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Ironically, thirty years later, Heston was elected President of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and campaigned against gun control.After his starring role in the original version of Planet of the Apes (1968), he had an uncredited cameo in the remake Planet of the Apes (2001), as General Thade's dying father.Unlike many of his contemporaries, Heston continued to act on the stage. He appeared in "Long Day's Journey Into Night" opposite Deborah Kerr, "Macbeth" opposite Vanessa Redgrave and "The Caine Mutiny" with Ben Cross. His final stage role was opposite his wife Lydia Clarke in "Love Letters" at the Haymarket Theatre in London in the summer of 1999.Was asked by some Democrats to run for the California State Senate in 1969, but declined because he wanted to continue acting.Accepted the role in Ben-Hur (1959) after Burt Lancaster turned down the role.Attended the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan as President of the United States of America, along with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Ray Charles (20 January 1985).Heston was a popular actor in Greece, where his name was written as "Charlton Easton" on account of "Heston" having scatological connotations in the Greek language.Was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1966-1971.Named The Call of the Wild (1972) as his worst movie.A World War II U.S. Army veteran, he visited troops fighting during the Vietnam War in 1967. In fact, in one camp in South Vietnam's delta area, he was "initiated" into the GIs on-base club, by having to receive a kiss on the ear.Did a great deal of research on the historical Cardinal Richelieu for his appearance in The Three Musketeers (1973)/The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974). Even though the character is portrayed as an antagonist, Heston gained a great deal of respect for the man's real accomplishments on behalf of France. He came across a quote attributed to Richelieu: "I have no enemies, France has enemies." He liked the line so much that he insisted it be worked into the films somewhere, and he ultimately got his wish. Though slightly modified ("I have no enemies, only enemies of France."), the line appears in the second film, in the scene where Richelieu offers d'Artagnan the opportunity to be one of his soldiers.Cited actor Gary Cooper as a childhood role model. Heston starred opposite Cooper in The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). Heston commended Cooper for being able to perform his own stunts, such as being under water for long periods of time, despite being in poor health and getting older.Originally a Democrat who campaigned for Presidential candidates Adlai Stevenson and John F. Kennedy, he gradually switched to becoming a conservative Republican during the 1960s.He was offered the role of Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort in The Longest Day (1962), but John Wayne signed for the role before Heston could accept.Requested cremation in his will, explaining that after a lifetime of performing and wearing makeup he didn't want his body presented after his death.He appeared with Sir Christopher Lee in four films: Julius Caesar (1970), The Three Musketeers (1973), The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974) and Treasure Island (1990). |
| Trademarks: |
Deep commanding voice
Roles in biblical epics (The Ten Commandments (1956), Ben-Hur (1959), and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965))
Frequently played heroic or larger-than-life characters
Towering height and lean yet muscular physique |
| Quotes: |
[from a taped announcement concerning his having symptoms of Alzheimer's disease] For an actor, there is no greater loss than the loss of his audience. I can part the Red Sea, but I can't part with you, which is why I won't exclude you from this stage in my life . . . For now, I'm not changing anything. I'll insist on work when I can; the doctors will insist on rest when I must. If you see a little less spring to my step, if your name fails to leap to my lips, you'll know why. And if I tell you a funny story for the second time, please laugh anyway.
<br />
<hr>
[on Sam Peckinpah] Sam is the only person I've ever physically threatened on a set.
<br />
<hr>
If you need a ceiling painted, a chariot race run, a city besieged, or the Red Sea parted, you think of me.
<br />
<hr>
You can take my rifle ... when you pry it from my cold dead hands!
<br />
<hr>
[after hearing an unkind remark made about his condition by George Clooney, nephew of Rosemary Clooney] It's funny how class can skip a generation, isn't it? |
| Salaries: |
The Colbys (1985) - $90,000 ($227,007.43 in 2021) per episode
<br />
<hr>
Mother Lode (1982) - $400,000 ($1,124,624.47) acting fee, $177,000 ($497,646.33) directing fee + net profit points
<br />
<hr>
Two-Minute Warning (1976) - $2 |
| Job title: |
Actor,Director,Writer |
| Others works: |
(1998) Radio commercials: Bud Light beer
(1995) TV commercial: Bud Light beer
(1999) TV commercial: Charlton Heston Presents the Bible
Voluntarily staged a one-man Q & A show in Bristol to help a fan with his theatre career.
(1980s) Stage: Appeared in |
| Spouse: |
Lydia Clarke (March 17, 1944 - April 5, 2008) (his death, 2 children) |
| Children: |
Fraser C. HestonHolly Heston Rochell |
| Parents: |
Russell Whitford Carter
Lilla Carter |
|
