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Charlton Heston Dead at 84

guppie9

guppie9

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Say what you want about his politics, but the man was a great actor.

Charlton Heston dead at 84
By BOB THOMAS, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 1 minute ago


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.

Heston revealed in 2002 that he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, saying, "I must reconcile courage and surrender in equal measure."

With his large, muscular build, well-boned face and sonorous voice, Heston proved the ideal star during the period when Hollywood was filling movie screens with panoramas depicting the religious and historical past. "I have a face that belongs in another century," he often remarked.

The actor assumed the role of leader offscreen 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. With age, he grew more conservative and campaigned for conservative candidates.
In June 1998, Heston was elected president of the National Rifle Association, for which he had posed for ads holding a rifle. 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."
Heston stepped down as NRA president in April 2003, telling members his five years in office were "quite a ride. ... I loved every minute of it."

Later that year, Heston was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. "The largeness of character that comes across the screen has also been seen throughout his life," President Bush said at the time.

He engaged in a lengthy feud with liberal Ed Asner during the latter's tenure as president of the Screen Actors Guild. His latter-day activism almost overshadowed his achievements as an actor, which were considerable.

Heston lent his strong presence to some of the most acclaimed and successful films of the midcentury. "Ben-Hur" won 11 Academy Awards, tying it for the record with the more recent "Titanic" (1997) and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003). Heston's other hits include: "The Ten Commandments," "El Cid," "55 Days at Peking," "Planet of the Apes" and "Earthquake."

He liked the cite the number of historical figures he had portrayed:
Andrew Jackson ("The President's Lady," "The Buccaneer"), Moses ("The Ten Commandments"), title role of "El Cid," John the Baptist ("The Greatest Story Ever Told"), Michelangelo ("The Agony and the Ecstasy"), General Gordon ("Khartoum"), Marc Antony ("Julius Caesar," "Antony and Cleopatra"), Cardinal Richelieu ("The Three Musketeers"), Henry VIII ("The Prince and the Pauper").

Heston made his movie debut in the 1940s in two independent films by a college classmate, David Bradley, who later became a noted film archivist. He had the title role in "Peer Gynt" in 1942 and was Marc Antony in Bradley's 1949 version of "Julius Caesar," for which Heston was paid $50 a week.

Film producer Hal B. Wallis ("Casablanca") spotted Heston in a 1950 television production of "Wuthering Heights" and offered him a contract. When his wife reminded him that they had decided to pursue theater and television, he replied, "Well, maybe just for one film to see what it's like."
Heston earned star billing from his first Hollywood movie, "Dark City," a 1950 film noir. Cecil B. DeMille next cast him as the circus manager in the all-star "The Greatest Show On Earth," named by the Motion Picture Academy as the best picture of 1952.
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Today is a sad day for Americans. Not just American gun ownders, but for everyone in this country. I can't speak for anyone else, but Charlton Heston was one of my few true heros. A man that was larger than life and a man that knew what living was and how to do it. He made a difference. Few people can honestly say that, but yes, Charlton Heston did make a difference. I will miss him. I think we all will.
 
JoseCuervo said:
His famous movie role in Bowling For Columbine is a classic. He played the blabbering old fool perfectly.
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You sir are out of line with that sort of distasteful and disrespectful comment. You should be ashamed. I know I'm ashamed that a person that proclaims himself to be a hunter and shooter would say anything that horrible. Heston deserved better than to be trashed like that from someone like you. I don't think your comment was smart or funny.
 
Keep it safe people.;)


There for awhile he was one of my favorite actors until I realized how foolish it was for me to have a favorite anything. He walked by me once when promoting a book at the NWTF convention. He had more bodyguards than the president has secret service agents. "No autographs, pictures or speaking unless you bought the book and keep the line moving." was told to all there. So I just walked over to a booth and talked with a pro staffer for HS Strut.


I still enjoy watching his movies :cool:
 
JoseCuervo said:
Yes, the name of the movie was "Ten Commandments"...... :D :D
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Jose's "Ten Commandments" of Hunttalk!!!

1. Thou shall not answer a direct question.
2. Thou shall obfuscate thy answer whenever possible.
3. Thou shall stir the pot.
4. Thou shall hide thy identity.
5. Thou shall not define the word illegal.
6. Thou shall always answer a question with another question.
7. Thou shall stalk Elkchaser.
8. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's double-wide.
9. Thou shall always refer to BHR as BigWhore.
10. Thou shall always check snopes.com before posting.

:D:D:D
 
guppie9 said:
Jose's "Ten Commandments" of Hunttalk!!!

1. Thou shall not answer a direct question.
2. Thou shall obfuscate thy answer whenever possible.
3. Thou shall stir the pot.
4. Thou shall hide thy identity.
5. Thou shall not define the word illegal.
6. Thou shall always answer a question with another question.
7. Thou shall stalk Elkchaser.
8. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's double-wide.
9. Thou shall always refer to BHR as BigWhore.
10. Thou shall always check snopes.com before posting.

:D:D:D
Click to expand...


11. Thou shalt be known by thy true screenname...Pricky Normous.;)
 
His famous movie role in Bowling For Columbine is a classic. He played the blabbering old fool perfectly.
Click to expand...
diagnosis: histrionic personality disorder.
at a funeral, he gets mad because he's not the corpse.
 
GilaMonster said:
You sir are out of line with that sort of distasteful and disrespectful comment. You should be ashamed. I know I'm ashamed that a person that proclaims himself to be a hunter and shooter would say anything that horrible. Heston deserved better than to be trashed like that from someone like you. I don't think your comment was smart or funny.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but ain't gonna be ashamed of calling a spade a spade. The dude rolls into Colorado after Columbine to exploit the grief of a community. the guy had no class and was truly a blabbering idiot. Did you even see his role in Bowling for Columbine? That was classic.
 
Charlton Heston was a class act, one of a very few within the entertainment community.
Jose you are clearly out of line.
 
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