RIP, Charlton Heston (1923-2008)

Charlton Heston died Saturday night, at the age of 84. While an official cause of his death has yet to be released, the actor revealed in 2002 that he was battling Alzheimer’s disease.

The respected thespian, likewise known as a civil rights leader and political activist, was born October 4, 1923, in Evanston, Ill. Following a Broadway debut opposite legendary stage actress Katharine Cornell in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, Heston found steady work in television.

He eventually starred in theatrical films, where he claimed his most well-known roles. The actor provided celebrated performances in such classics as The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), The Ten Commandments (1956), Touch of Evil (1958), The Big Country (1958), Ben-Hur (1959), El Cid (1961), Major Dundee (1965), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The War Lord (1965) and Planet of the Apes (1968). Among his numerous awards, the actor received two Academy Award honors: one for his turn as Judah Ben-Hur and a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

For more information on the life and death of Charlton Heston, recommended obituaries may be found at the The Los Angeles Times and the Internet Movie Database. To read the Heston family’s statement regarding the beloved actor’s death, please visit Coming Soon.

6Apr2008 | Josh E Armstrong | Continued