CHARLTON HESTON
Oct 4, 1923 - Apr 5, 2008
One of the biggest screen legends of all time, Charlton Heston, might have gone on to do incredible feats on the big screen. However the man finally called it quits in the real world where he died of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 84 on Saturday night, April 5th 2008.
Chartlon Heston not only impressed on the big screen, but was an equally figure in the political arena as well in the later part of his life which eventually saw him caught in the wrong side of things in the Moore documentary BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE. However all his political activism might have put him up amidst the headlines, but it will always be remembered for all those memorable characters that he portrayed.
Heston, born as Charles Carter, was never the acclaimed actor of his generation. But was he was to the screen, something larger than life, an extended personification of the mascular heroic man...with his broad shoulders, chiseled face and an equally powerful voice, he ended up as a personification of 'celluloid hero'.
It eventually explains why he went on to play characters like Moses, John the Baptist, Michaelangelo, Marc Anthony, Ben Hur , just some of the many memorable ones that he brought alive on the big screen. So much so, that any character of historical importance, and the first name that studios had was Charlton Heston.
Making a debut into Hollywood with the noir flick DARK CITY, it was eventually his role in BEN HUR that fetched him the coveted Oscar for Best Actor. A role that went to him only after several top stars of that time refused the role. It is said that Heston trained for two months solely for that legendary chariot scene, and went through the motions without a double.
He went on to make his mark with more acclaimed performances like the ones in EL CID, the sci fi PLANET OF THE APES , and even managed to better a great actor like Laurence Olivier when they got together in the film KHARTOUM.
In fact, when it came to a historical there was no man better for the job. His immense screen presence had the audience spellbound, and epics were never the same without him. And with his loss, he leaves behind shoes too big for any mortal to fit in!
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