Charlton Heston was an American actor and activist born October 4, 1923 in Wilmette, Illinois USA. He is known for starring in hit movies such as “The Ten Commandments” and “Ben-Hur”.
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Early life
John Charles Carter was the eldest child of Lilla Charlton and Russel Whitford Carter, of English and Scottish descent. Its ancestors are known to have arrived in North America in the early 1600s.
Although he was born in Illinois, John Charles actually grew up in Michigan, where his family moved when he was a child due to his father’s job. In his new home on Saint Helena, John grew up in an isolated rural environment with his two younger siblings, Lilla and Alan, until their parents divorced in 1933.
Charlton Heston, was born on this day in 1923. RIP
Posted by The Golden Age of Hollywood on Thursday, October 3, 2013
Shortly after their mother’s second marriage to Chester Heston, the children moved back to their hometown in Illinois and the children adopted their stepfather’s surname.
Although it is certain that Heston’s first name was John Charles at the time of his birth, his name was changed during his childhood, as records from 1930 show he was Charlton J. Carter at the age of six years old – ‘Charlton’ was originally Heston’s grandmother, Marian’s. maiden name. After divorcing her first husband Charles Baines, she remarried William Henry Lawton and had her children, including Lilla, adopt the surname to keep them away from their father.
Regarding his faith, Heston was born into an Episcopal family and considered himself as such for the rest of his life. He often emphasized his joy in aspects of the Christian faith.
Although there is no information about Heston’s early education, it is known that he attended New Trier High School, as he recalled in his 1976 autobiography “The Actor’s Life”: “All kids play pretend games, but I’ve done it more than most.” Even when we moved to Chicago, I was more or less a loner. We lived in a suburb of the North Shore, where I was a skinny asshole from the woods, and all the other kids seemed rich and knew the girls.
Not only did he become an avid tennis player during his high school days, but he also developed an interest in acting after appearing in a teen play. Ultimately, this interest led him to win a drama scholarship to attend Northwestern University.
In college, Heston had his first acting experience in David Bradley’s home movie “Peer Gynt.” He also found a side job as a model, which helped support him during his college years.
Career
Military
Charlton Heston enlisted in the US Army Air Force in 1944, during World War II. He served in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska as an air gunner, flying a Mitchell B-25. During his time with the Air Force Eleventh Squadron, Heston was promoted to Sergeant.
Acting
After the war ended, Heston moved to New York in search of job opportunities as an actor. It didn’t take long for him to be cast in “Antony and Cleopatra” on Broadway, which led him to gain real experience in the entertainment industry.
Heston lived in New York for a while, but in 1949 he moved to Los Angeles and landed a small role in the television series “Suspense”, then played various characters in “Studio One”. He played the role of Marc Antony in the 1950s film “Julius Caesar”, followed by his first leading role in “Dark City”, directed by William Dieterle. Although these productions were relatively small and he had yet to rise to fame, he left a good impression on iconic director Cecil B. DeMille who had watched his performance, and offered him a part in “The Greatest Show on Earth” as a circus director. .
It was a huge boost for Heston’s career, receiving good reviews for his acting, and the film eventually won the Best Picture Oscar in 1952.
Heston next appeared in “The President’s Lady” in 1953, which was not only his first significant starring role, but also became the first landmark film of his career. For the next three years, Heston starred in a variety of productions, including the television series “Medallion Theater” and “Danger.”
Heston went on to star in various films such as ‘Bad for Each Other’, ‘The Naked Jungle’ and ‘Secret of the Incas’, a series of starring roles that led to him landing one of the most important works of his career, and the character for which he will be remembered for years, as Moses in Cecil B. DeMille’s epic drama “The Ten Commandments”, premiered in 1956.
By this time and less than ten years into his career, Heston had become one of the most beloved actors of his generation, and his rise to fame was unstoppable. His subsequent roles were just as good, as he had the opportunity to work with several big names in the industry, such as “Touch of Evil” director Orson Welles.
In 1959, Heston won his first Best Actor Oscar for his starring role in William Wyler’s highly acclaimed “Ben-Hur.” This role also reaffirmed his place as Hollywood’s favorite actor for historical roles.
Although “Ben-Hur” was Heston’s career peak in retrospect, he later appeared in a variety of films, including “El Cid” in 1961, “55 Days in Peking” in 1963, “The Agony and the Ecstasy and “The Greatest Story Ever Told” in 1965.
Despite his success playing historical characters, westerns remained Charlton Heston’s favorite film genre, and luckily for him he had the opportunity to star in such films as “Will Penny.”
“Planet of the Apes” was Heston’s first foray into science fiction, followed by a minor appearance in its sequel. He also appeared in “The Omega Man” and “Soylent Green”, and by the end of his career his acting repertoire included nearly a hundred films.
Political activism
Liberal
Even before participating in political matters, Heston was considered an important figure for Americans: “(he) is the embodiment of the star who represents the moral certainties and patriotic beliefs that characterized Hollywood at its height”.
In 1955, Heston began to be open about his political views and publicly supported Democratic candidates. In 1964 he participated in the Civil Rights Act movement and from 1966 to 1971 he was president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), even endorsing gun control policies.
Conservative
However, Heston’s political views took a conservative turn and he officially became a supporter of the Republican Party in 1972. Following a 1987 interview by Reason, he stated what caused this decision: “I think the Party Democrat has shifted sharply to the left in recent years. 20 years. If you read Jack Kennedy’s inaugural speech, you’ll realize he couldn’t have done it on the platform the Democrats concocted at the last convention in San Francisco.
From then on, Heston consistently voiced his conservative views to the public and openly showed his support for Ronald Reagan. He also opposed the Vietnam War, pro-abortion laws and changed his mind about gun control, becoming president of the National Rifle Association in 1998.
He fervently opposes Bill Clinton: “America doesn’t trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we, Lord, certainly don’t trust you with our guns.”
Private life
While attending Northwestern University, Heston met fellow student Lydia Marie Clarke, whom he married in 1944. The couple had a son together named Frank, and later adopted a daughter named Holly.
health and death
Although in his youth, Heston enjoyed good physical condition, he had to deal with various health problems during the last decade of his life. In 1996, Heston underwent hip replacement surgery, and in 1998 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which he survived after lengthy treatment.
In 2002, Heston publicly announced that he was showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. In his impassioned statement, he expressed deep honesty to his audience and friends about his condition: “If you see my step a little less, if your name doesn’t leap from my lips, you’ll know why.” And if I tell you a funny story for the second time, please laugh anyway”.
Charlton Heston died on April 5, 2008, aged 85, from pneumonia.
Net value
Following his long career as a Hollywood actor, Charlton Heston had an estimated net worth of $40 million.
Physical appearance
Considered a handsome man, Charlton Heston had a chiseled jawline, blond hair and an enigmatic voice. His weight was unknown; his height was 6 feet 3 inches (1.90 m).
Interesting facts
His wife Lydia was also an actress; she died in 2018.
Heston starred alongside his brother Alan in “Peer Gynt.”
Charlton Heston’s childhood nickname was “Chuck”, and even as an adult he was called that by his friends. However, his wife still called him Charlie.
He played the character of Marc Antony twice in his career.
He marched alongside Martin Luther King in 1963.
His childhood hobbies were fishing and hunting.
