find us on:
Ben-Hur
Background:
“If you need a ceiling painted, a chariot race run, a city besieged, or the Red
Sea parted, you think of me.” Charlton Heston
Veteran actor Charlton Heston is famous for many signature roles, including that
of Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 blockbuster hit Ben-Hur, directed by William Wyler.
Thanks to his impressive performance, he took home an Academy Award for Best
Actor. Previously, Heston also mesmerized his audiences as Moses in The Ten
Commandments (1956), in which his starring role brought in a Golden Globe
nomination.
Embarking on his acting career on stage, Heston, who was known for his portrayal
of Marc Antony in “Antony and Cleopatra” (1947) and Sir Thomas More in “A Man
for All Seasons,” was handed the World Theatre Award in 1950. After advancing to
the screen, the actor later collected such awards as a Golden Apple Award, a
Fotogramas de Plata Award, a Golden Globe Henrietta Award, a Golden Globe Cecil
B. DeMille Award, a Western Heritage Bronze Wrangler (for his starring role in
Will Penny, 1968) and an Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
Special Award. Heston also took on double tasks as an actor and director in the
self-written Julius Caesar (1972), Mother Lode (1982) and the revival of his
play, A Man for All Seasons (1988).
Outside of his acting career, Heston has authored several autobiographies and
religious books, such as “The Actor’s Life,” “In the Arena: An Autobiography,”
“Beijing Diary,” “To Be a Man: Letters to My Grandson, “Charlton Heston Presents
the Bible” and “Charlton Heston’s Hollywood: 50 Years in American Film with
Jean-Pierre Isbouts.” In addition, he also served on the National Council for
the Arts, as well as the Advisory Board of Accuracy in the Media (AIM). The
co-chairman of President Ronald Reagan’s Task Force for the Arts and Humanities
was handed the 1977 AMPAS’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the 1997 Kennedy
Center Honors and the 2003 Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“You can take my rifle ... when you pry it from my cold dead hands.” Charlton
Heston
Heston, who was the president of the Screen Actors Guild (1966-1971) and the
co-chairman of Britain’s American Air Museum, is a keen supporter of anti-gun
control. He was the first Vice-President of the National Rifle Association of
America (1997) and was four times elected President of the NRA. In 2003, the
actor announced his retirement from NRA’s presidency due to health reasons.
In 1998, Heston was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Four years later, he
announced he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Getting weaker, in March
2005, the actor was reported to be unable to get out of bed. Heston is married
to Lydia Heston and is the father of two.
The Staff Sergeant
Childhood and Family:
Charlton Heston was born John Charlton Carter, on October 4, 1924, in Evanston,
Illinois. He is the only son of Russell Whitford Carter (mill operator) and
Lilla Charlton, who divorced when John was almost 10 years old.
After his mother married Chester Heston (timber-mill owner), John and his new
family moved from Saint Helen, Michigan, to Winnetka, Illinois. Enjoying reading
and acting at an early age, John enrolled in the drama program of his high
school (New Trier High School). He then earned an acting scholarship to
Northwestern University.
In WWII, John left college to serve in the army and earned the rank of Staff
Sergeant. After returning from the war, he moved to New York and worked as a
model before setting up the playhouse, Thomas Wolfe Memorial Theatre, in
Asheville, North Carolina. In 1947, John landed on Broadway and adopted his
mother’s maiden name and his stepfather’s surname.
On March 17, 1944, Charlton Heston married actress/photographer Lydia Marie
Clarke (Lydia Heston), who was formerly also a Northwestern student. Lydia, who
co-founded the playhouse with her husband, gave birth to Fraser Clarke Heston
(filmmaker) on February 12, 1955. The couple also has an adopted daughter named
Holly Ann Heston, and two grandsons, John (Jack) Alexander Clarke Heston and
Ridley Charlton Rochell.
The Ten Commandments
Career:
At Northwestern University, Charlton Heston took part in David Bradley’s 16mm
student film adaptation of Peer Gynt (1941), playing the title role. Several
years later, he performed on several radio stations before joining the Army.
After returning to the United States, Heston directed the revival of F. Hugh
Herbert’s stage comedy “Kiss and Tell” (1947) at his self-established Thomas
Wolfe Memorial Theatre. The same year, he accepted the offer to play a
supporting role in the Broadway production of “Antony and Cleopatra” (1947),
starring Katharine Cornell. Heston, who played Sir Thomas More in the touring of
“A Man for All Seasons,” also acted in Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania, before
reappearing on the Broadway stage with a role in Joseph Hayes’ “Leaf and Bough”
(1949).
The recipient of the 1950 Theatre World award made his entrance to the screen in
several episodes of the dramatic anthology series “Studio One” (1949-1952) and
David Bradley’s low budget movie Julius Caesar (1950, as Antony). In the early
1950s, the actor was also frequently seen in such anthology programs as “Lux
Video Theatre” (1951) and “Curtain Call” (1952).
Heston’s status as an actor was heightened after he costarred as Brad Braden,
alongside Betty Hutton, in Cecil B. DeMille’s family drama The Greatest Show on
Earth (1952). The versatile performer was next cast as William F. ‘Buffalo Bill’
Cody in the western film Pony Express (1953), Christopher Leiningen in the drama
thriller The Naked Jungle (1954) and the titular army officer in the comedy The
Private War of Major Benson (1955). Amid his screen performances, Heston’s voice
was also heard on radio, playing a role in the radio version of Double Indemnity
(1952) and narrating the radio series “Kaleidoscope” (1953).
The two-time nominee of Emmy’s Best Actor re-teamed with DeMille in the
acclaimed epic movie The Ten Commandments (1956), in which his fine starring
turn as Moses brought in a Golden Globe nomination. The same year, Heston was
also handed a Golden Apple award for Most Cooperative Actor. He followed the
victory with his performance in the western Three Violent People (1957, as Capt.
Colt Saunders) and the film-noir Touch of Evil (1958, acted opposite Janet Leigh
and Orson Welles).
In 1959, Heston worked with director William Wyler to portray Judah Ben-Hur, the
Jewish merchant-turned-slave, in the highly praised Ben-Hur (1959). Before long,
he won an Oscar for Best Actor, as well as earned a Golden Globe and a Golden
Laurel nomination. The brilliant performance also brought him a Fotogramas de
Plata award for Best Foreign Performer. He next appeared in such films as El Cid
(1961, had the title role), the war comedy The Pigeon That Took Rome (1962), 55
Days at Peking (1963, earned a Golden Laurel nomination for playing Major Matt
Lewis), The War Lord (1965, as Chrysagon), Khartoum (1966) and the cartoon movie
Maugli (1967, narrated).
Heston, who previously won Golden Globe’s Henrietta award and the Cecil B.
DeMille award, was given a Western Heritage’s Bronze Wrangler for Theatrical
Motion Picture for his inspiring portrayal of the titular cowpoke in the western
drama Will Penny (1968). Following his acting in the sport drama Number One
(1969) and The Hawaiians (1970), the actor made his first screenwriting and
directing effort with Julius Caesar (1972, also starred as Marc Antony).
Next up for Heston, he played Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers (1973),
reprised his role in the sequel The Four Musketeers (1974), narrated the short
film The Fun of Your Life (1975), worked in the adaptation of Brian Garfield’s
western novel The Last Hard Men (1976), appeared as Henry VIII in the family
movie Crossed Swords (1977), acted with David Carradine in the thriller Gray
Lady Down (1978) and starred as Matthew Corbeck in the horror thriller The
Awakening (1980). Two years later, the actor had the leading role of Silas
McGee/Ian McGee in the self-directed Mother Lode (1982), written by son Fraser
Clarke.
The recipient of an Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films’ Special
award (1975) returned to the small screen as Hugh Holmes in the cop miniseries
“Chiefs” (1983) and the starring role in the TV drama Nairobi Affair (1984). He
also took on the guest role of Jason Colby in the soap drama “Dynasty” (1985), a
role he reprised in the spin-off series “The Colbys” (1985-1987). For his fine
starring turn, the performer was nominated for two Soap Opera Digest awards.
Still on TV, Heston carried out various roles in the special program Christmas
Night with the Two Ronnies (1987), helmed the revival of his previous play, A
Man for All Seasons (1988, also reprised the role of Thomas More), had the
supporting part of Louis Mancini in the thriller Original Sin (1989) and hosted
The Hollywood Road to Oz (1990). He was also seen as Sherlock Holmes in The
Crucifer of Blood (1991, TV) and served as the narrator in the cartoon film Noel
(1992, TV) before accepting featured roles in Tombstone (1993), True Lies (1994)
and The Avenging Angel (1995, TV).
In 1996, Heston was immediately nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding
Informational Special after narrating the TV documentary Andersonville Diaries
(1996). The actor was also the narrator for the animated movie Hercules (1997)
and the documentary series “Sworn to Secrecy: Secrets of War” (1998). It was
then ensued by his acting performance as Professor Marcelo Rinaldi in the mini
thriller series “Camino de Santiago” (1999) and his episodic appearance in “The
Outer Limits” (2000).
Unfortunately, his supporting performance in the family movie Cats & Dogs
(2001), as well as in Planet of the Apes (2001) and Town & Country (2001),
resulted in a Razzie award for Worst Supporting Actor. Two years later, Heston
voiced his signature character, Ben Hur, in the animated version of Ben Hur
(2003, TV). He was also cast as Josef Mengele, the father, in the WWII-set drama
My Father, Rua Alguem 5555 (2003), opposite Thomas Kretschmann.
Awards:
