Legendary actor Charlton Heston died last night. He was 84 years old.
According to news reports, the Oscar winner’s wife of 64 years was by his side when he passed away in the couple’s Beverly Hills home.
No word on what caused his death, but it was no secret that the movie star had been diagnosed with symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer’s disease. (In 2002 Heston appeared in a video confirming he was suffering from memory loss and other “challenges.”)
Heston will likely be best remembered for his chariot-racing role in 1959’s “Ben Hur,” in which he won an Academy Award. He also portrayed Moses in “The Ten Commandments.” Heston’s other notable films include “El Cid,””55 Days at Peking,””Planet of the Apes” and “Earthquake.”
Heston made his mark off screen as well. He served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and chairman of the American Film Institute and marched in the civil rights movement of the 1950s. In 1998 the actor was elected president of the National Rifle Association, and made headlines when he delivered a jab at then-President Clinton, saying, “America doesn’t trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we sure, Lord, don’t trust you with our guns.”
The big screen icon stepped down as NRA president in 2003 and a few months later was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Career related accolades aside Heston’s family says they will remember the chiseled jaw Hollywood legend as a humble family man.
“We knew him as an adoring husband, a kind and devoted father, and a gentle grandfather, with an infectious sense of humor,” Heston’s family said in a public statement released yesterday. “He served these far greater roles with tremendous faith, courage and dignity. He loved deeply, and he was deeply loved.”
Heston’s publicist of 20 years also released a statement last night saying the actor’s passing represented the end of an iconic era for cinema.
“If Hollywood had a Mt. Rushmore, Heston’s face would be on it,” Heston’s publicist said. “He was a heroic figure that I don’t think exists to the same degree in Hollywood today.”
What’s your favorite Heston movie?