Charlton Heston passed away Saturday April 5, 2008. Heston was a past President of the National Rifle Association.
Charlton Heston, the chisel-jawed Hollywood icon best remembered for his Oscar-winning performance in the 1959 epic “Ben Hur” has died at his home, his family said. He was 84.
Heston’s family said in a statement that the actor famed for his heroic roles and portrayal of historical figures ranging from Moses to Michelangelo died Saturday with his wife of 64 years, Lydia, by his side.
The actor, an outspoken liberal Democrat during the 1960s who later attracted controversy for his unapologetic support of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and conservative causes, had been battling Alzheimer’s.
“To his loving friends, colleagues and fans, we appreciate your heartfelt prayers and support,” the Heston family said in a statement.
“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.
“Indeed, he committed himself to every role with passion, and pursued every cause with unmatched enthusiasm and integrity,” the statement went on to say.
“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.
Heston’s long-time representative Michael Levine said the actor’s death represented not only “the loss of a great actor and human being, but also the end of an era.”
Born John Charlton Carter on October 4, 1923 in Evanston, Illinois, Heston created his pseudonym by combining his mother’s maiden name, Charlton, with his stepfather’s name, Heston.
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Although he had been a self-proclaimed liberal during the 1960s — accompanying the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. during 1963’s civil rights march in Washington — his political views later swung sharply to the right.
As president of the NRA he achieved notoriety in 2000 when declaring at the organisation’s convention that his guns would have to be taken away “from my cold, dead hands.”
Heston had hip replacement surgery in 1998 and survived prostate cancer that same year. In August 2002 he announced that he had Alzheimer’s, a condition he battled with characteristic grit.
“What cannot be cured must be endured,” he said when asked about his illness in what was believed to be his final televised interview in 2002.
One year later he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He is survived by two children, Fraser Clarke Heston and Holly Heston Rochell, and three grandchildren, Jack Alexander Heston, Ridley Rochell and Charlie Rochell.
t/b: Michelle Malkin, Hot Air
