Film legend Charlton Heston dead at 84

[tngirl]

Film legend Charlton Heston dead at 84

By BOB THOMAS, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 58 minutes ago (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080406/ap_on_en_mo/obit_heston)



LOS ANGELES - Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing "Ben-Hur" and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.

The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.
Powers declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details.
"Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played," Heston's family said in a statement. "No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country."

[PrincessArky]

oh wow. I know he lived a long and very productive life.....still sad though

[pepperpot]

:paranoid My first thought was, "I thought he already died"......but it is sad to see that he has passed and to see a whole era gone.....:(

Movies like "Ben Hur" were classics and have never been duplicated in today's time....:(

[Adra]

He made a lot of memorable classic movies but in my mind the ones that stand out were the movies he made based on the bible. A great actor is one that mkes the part he plays seem like it could be real.

He was good in Planet of the Apes.

He read for the "Bible on vhs" (might be on dvd also) He did not have a part in it, except to read it.

He had one of those voices that only a few people have, deep and interesting and almost captivating.

James Earl Jones is another that has that type of voice. We have a set of cd's of the bible that James Earl Jones made.

I am sorry to hear he died.

[Jolie Rouge]

Heston left cinematic, political mark
By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer
8 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Nancy Reagan was heartbroken over Charlton Heston's death. President Bush hailed him as a "strong advocate for liberty," while John McCain called Heston a devotee for civil and constitutional rights.

Even Michael Moore, who mocked Heston in his gun-control documentary "Bowling for Columbine," posted the actor's picture on his Web site to mark his passing.

Heston, who died Saturday night at 84, was a towering figure both in his politics and on screen, where his characters had the ear of God (Moses in "The Ten Commandments"), survived apocalyptic plagues ("The Omega Man") and endured one of Hollywood's most-grueling action sequences (the chariot race in "Ben-Hur," which earned him the best-actor Academy Award).

Better known in recent years as a fierce gun-rights advocate who headed the National Rifle Association, Heston played legendary leaders and ordinary men hurled into heroic struggles.

"In taking on epic and commanding roles, he showed himself to be one of our nation's most gifted actors, and his legacy will forever be a part of our cinema," Republican presidential candidate McCain said in a statement that also noted Heston's involvement in the civil-rights movement and his stand against gun control.

Heston's jutting jaw, regal bearing and booming voice served him well as Marc Antony in "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra," Michelangelo in "The Agony and the Ecstasy," John the Baptist in "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and an astronaut on a topsy-turvy world where simians rule in "Planet of the Apes."

"Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life," Heston's family said in a statement. "We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather with an infectious sense of humor. He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity."

The actor died at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife, Lydia, at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said. He declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details Sunday.

One of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s, '60s and '70s, Heston's work dwindled largely to small parts and narration and other voice roles from the 1980s on, including an uncredited cameo as an ape in Tim Burton's 2001 remake of "Planet of the Apes."

Shirley Jones, who co-starred with Heston in one of his last leading roles in the 1999 drama "Gideon," said his talent as an actor sometimes is forgotten because of the epic characters he played.

"To me, he was the consummate leading man. He was tall, he was handsome, he was sensitive, he was gruff when he had to be. He was a great cowboy, he was perfect for those historical roles," Jones said. "He could do everything, and there aren't many actors around today who could."

In 2002, near the end of his five years as president of the NRA, Heston disclosed he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

The disclosure was soon followed by an unflattering appearance in Moore's 2003 best documentary winner "Bowling for Columbine," which took America to task for its gun laws.

Moore used a clip of Heston holding aloft a rifle at an NRA rally and proclaiming "from my cold, dead hands." The director flustered the actor in an interview later in the film by pressing him on his gun-control stance. Heston eventually walked out on Moore.

Moore's Web site, http://www.michaelmoore.com, on Sunday featured a photo of Heston, the date of his birth and death and a note from the actor's family requesting that donations be made to the Motion Picture and Television Fund in lieu of flowers.

There was no other reaction on the site from Moore about Heston's death. Moore did not immediately respond to e-mail and phone requests seeking comment.

Jones, who worked with Heston on "Gideon" near the beginning of his tenure as NRA president, said she discussed gun control with him and came to respect his stand, even though she disagreed with it. She said he told her his family grew up poor in the country and "had to go out and kill a deer if we wanted meat."

"He was a caring, sweet gentleman who believed in his country," Jones said. "He believed the Constitution said it's OK, we have to defend ourselves."

Like fellow conservative Ronald Reagan, Heston served as president of the Screen Actors Guild. Former first lady Nancy Reagan said in a statement that she was heartbroken to hear of his death.

"He was one of Ronnie's and my dearest friends," she said. "I will never forget Chuck as a hero on the big screen in the roles he played, but more importantly I considered him a hero in life for the many times that he stepped up to support Ronnie in whatever he was doing."

Current Screen Actors Guild president Alan Rosenberg called Heston "a capable and visionary union leader" in a Sunday statement.

Bush — who in 2003 presented Heston the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor — called Heston a "man of character and integrity, with a big heart."

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had Heston as a co-star in 1994's "True Lies," said in a statement that Heston "entertained millions of people around the world during his legendary film career."

"He cared deeply about his craft and he loved his family, his work and his country with all his heart," Schwarzenegger said.

Decades before his NRA leadership, Heston was a strong advocate for civil rights in the 1960s, joining marches and offering financial assistance.

Civil-rights leaders in Los Angeles held a moment of silence in Heston's memory Sunday after an unrelated news conference.

Heston had contributed and raised thousands of dollars in Hollywood for Martin Luther King Jr.'s movement, said Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Round Table.

"We certainly disagree with his position as NRA head and also his firm, firm, unwavering support of the unlimited right to bear arms," Hutchinson said. But, he added, "Charlton Heston was a complex individual. He lived a long time, and certainly, there were many phases. The phases we prefer to remember were certainly his contributions to Dr. King and civil rights."

Fans remember Heston for some of the most epic moments on film: Parting the Red Sea as Moses in "The Ten Commandments," cursing his self-destructive species as he stumbles on the remnants of the Statue of Liberty in "Planet of the Apes," tearing hell-bent through the chariot race in "Ben-Hur."

"Ben-Hur" earned 11 Oscars, the most ever until 1997's "Titanic" and 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" tied it.

Born Charles Carter in a Chicago suburb on Oct. 4, 1923, Heston grew up in the Michigan wilderness, where his father operated a lumber mill.

Heston took up acting after serving in the Army during World War II. He took his professional name from his mother's maiden name, Charlton, and the last name of his stepfather, Chester Heston, whom she married after his parents' divorce.

After his movie debut in two independent films by a college classmate, Heston was put under contract by producer Hal B. Wallis ("Casablanca"). Cecil B. DeMille cast him as the circus manager in "The Greatest Show on Earth" and then as Moses in "The Ten Commandments."

He followed with Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil," William Wyler's "The Big Country" and the sea saga "The Wreck of the Mary Deare" before "Ben-Hur" elevated Heston to the top of Hollywood's A-list.

His later films included "Earthquake," "El Cid," "The Three Musketeers," "Midway" and "Soylent Green."

In recent years, Heston drew as much publicity for his crusades as for his performances. In addition to his NRA work, he campaigned for Republican presidential and congressional candidates and against affirmative action.

He resigned from Actors Equity, claiming the union's refusal to allow a white actor to play a Eurasian role in "Miss Saigon" was "obscenely racist." He attacked CNN's telecasts from Baghdad as "sowing doubts" about the allied effort in the 1990-91 Gulf War.

Heston also feuded with liberal Edward Asner, one of his successors as Screen Actors Guild president. In a statement Sunday, Asner said Heston "was a worthy opponent and certainly helped create work for a lot of actors."

When Heston stepped down as NRA president, he told members his time in office was "quite a ride. ... I loved every minute of it."

Heston and his wife had a daughter, Holly Ann, and a son, Fraser Clarke, who played the infant Moses in "The Ten Commandments."

In the 1990s, Heston's son directed his father in several TV and big-screen films, including "Treasure Island" and "Alaska."

The Hestons celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1994 at a party with Hollywood and political friends. They had been married 64 years when he died.

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[Jolie Rouge]

Heston's bearing, toughness endured
By BOB THOMAS, Associated Press Writer
Sun Apr 6, 7:23 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - When Charlton Heston learned in July of 2002 that he had a neurological disorder with symptoms that resembled Alzheimer's disease, he delivered the news in a typical Heston manner.

He videotaped a farewell speech and released it to the media, ending it with a touch of Shakespeare's farewell for Prospero in "The Tempest":


"We are such stuff
As dreams are made on,
and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep."

In October of 2002, looking frail, he made an appearance at a meeting of his beloved National Rifle Association in Manchester, N.H. A friend handed him a flintlock, which Heston held over his head in a customary pose. He challenged his enemies to pry the rifle "from my cold dead hands."

Even in affliction, he hadn't lost that Heston bearing.

I began covering Heston shortly after his arrival in Hollywood in 1952. He was an articulate young fellow, always friendly and outgoing. In one interview, he commented that producers didn't see him as a 20th-century man. "All the good modern parts go to Jack Lemmon or Cary Grant," he complained mildly.

"When you see Jack Lemmon at the beginning of a picture walking down the halls of a big office building," he said, "you immediately believe him as a junior executive of a corporation. When you see me on horseback in chain mail, they seem to believe that I belong there."

When Heston was filming the Moses epic "The 10 Commandments," he commented on the restrictions ordered by the director, Cecil B. DeMille: "When I'm on the set in my costume and makeup, I cannot sit down, read a newspaper, use a telephone or give interviews. I don't smoke anyway, so that isn't a problem. De Mille has twofold purposes: 1. to make others on the set get the illusion I am Moses; and 2. to make me feel like Moses."

Heston said that he did a great deal of research on every historical figure he portrayed. "The responsibility is a great one," he observed. "After all, Moses figures in three of the world's great religions. You have to be prepared to answer questions of all of them concerning the interpretation of Moses' life."

Heston's films were not all ancient history. Many were contemporary: "The Private War of Major Benson," "Soylent Green," "Airport 1975," "Earthquake," "Two Minute Warning," Midway," etc.

Some of Heston's movies were bombs, but he continued a heavy schedule. He had nothing but scorn for picky young stars like Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift, who sometimes went a year or more without making a movie. "I think they're wrong," Heston remarked. "I think they are making a mistake by being so exclusive. An actor is like any other artist; he has to grow, to mature. There's only one way you can do that — by acting."

Heston added: "An actor differs from other artists in one respect. A writer or a painter can continue practicing in private; if they don't like what they have written or painted, they can stow it in a closet. An actor is not so fortunate. Whatever he does has to be seen by people. That means he will be criticized for his mistakes. But he has to keep acting or he will never progress."

Heston wrote three books: "The Actor's Life; Journals 1956-1976," "Beijing Diary" (1990) and an autobiography, "In the Arena" (1995). He concluded the latter book with an amalgam of quotes from famous Americans, not unlike the amalgam of famous characters that was the actor himself: "I have a dream. I refuse to accept the end of man. I believe he will endure. He will survive. Man is immortal, not because alone of God's creatures he has a voice, but because he has a soul... a spirit capable of compassion... and sacrifice... and endurance. About America and Americans, this is particularly true. It is a fabulous country, where miracles not only happen, they happen all the time. As a nation, we have, perhaps uniquely, a special willness of the heart."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080406/ap_on_en_ot/heston_appreciation;_ylt=AhhKu73wwT0mITj4t4JQTrimG 78C

[Jolie Rouge]

Heston's last stand
Mon Apr 7, 12:20 AM ET

Actor Charlton Heston, who died Saturday at age 84, represented many things to Americans: from a towering figure in epic movies such as The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur; to a political activist, first for civil rights in the 1960s then as head of the National Rifle Association from 1998 to 2003. But his final act, sadly, was as a victim of Alzheimer's disease.

He chose his own way of telling the nation, in a 2002 video. He would face it, he said, with equal parts courage and surrender, but "if you see a little less spring in my step, if your name fails to leap to my lips, you'll know why."


Heston's family declined to give his cause of death. But perhaps his fame, like that of fellow victim Ronald Reagan, will still increase awareness of the disease and the urgency of finding a cure.


He was one of about 5 million Americans, most older than 65, already living with Alzheimer's. Without a cure, and with baby boomers living longer, 7.7 million are expected to be suffering by 2030 and as many as 16 million by the middle of the century.


Alzheimer's places a massive burden, too, on caregivers as their loved ones disappear into the fogs of a condition that claims memory and personality. That different kind of anguish has increasingly been documented in such accounts as the book and movie Iris, by the husband of one famous sufferer, writer Iris Murdoch, or the movie Away From Her, for which Julie Christie was nominated for an Oscar this year. How Heston's family coped can only be imagined.


The need for an Alzheimer's cure couldn't be more urgent but has proved frustrating. Barely a week seems to go by without tantalizing findings. In two recent studies, for example, people with middle-age spread in their 40s were found to be more susceptible to the disease in their 70s; and coffee was found to have a potentially protective role in memory loss. At least one vaccine is showing promise, as is embryonic stem cell research. But whether high hopes will pan out is unclear.


In the meantime, the best way to remember Heston, as all Alzheimer's victims, is before the disease took hold. In his public life, Heston embodied the firm, take-no-prisoners tough guy — whether as Moses on the mountaintop or passionately defending the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Hopefully, in his final, more private, chapter, he was able to endure the stripping-away of that towering presence as he planned, with both courage and surrender.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080407/cm_usatoday/hestonslaststand;_ylt=Am99r7_w.d.MAit_OX5F1aWs0NUE

My dad had advanced Alzheimer's disease before he died in 2000. It was a very sad progression to watch.