Today in 1923 actor Charlton Heston was born. His roles tended toward that of the classical man of action in a wide variety of films. You could most often find him in movies that looked to the past or future. His acting resume included such historic characters as Moses, John the Baptist, El Cid, and Michelangelo.
Charlton Heston was the title character of the sound/color version of Ben Hur. Heston brought humanity to a towering figure that fought through numerous challenges including an escape from a ship's rowing galley amidst an epic battle and a fierce chariot race that has taken its iconic place in film history. It's impossible to think of any other actor in the role, but it is rumoured that the first choice to play Hur in that version was Rock Hudson. Hudson passed and Heston got the best actor Oscar for Ben Hur. Much of the movie's success can be placed on Heston's mighty shoulders. The film is tied with Titanic and Return of the King for most Oscar wins.
For sci-fi fans, Heston entered a number of chilling futuristic scenerios. Heston fought for man's dignity as an astronaught stranded on The Planet of the Apes in the 1968 classic version. He was a scientist trying to survive in a city over run by the mutated survivors of war in The Omega Man based on the novel I Am Legend. In Soylent Green, Heston was a police man who discovered a terrible secret in an overpopulated world.
Heston's work was primarily restricted to the cinematic big screen. Yet later in his career Charlton Heston appeared in several TV productions including A Man for All Seasons and Treasure Island, which was directed by his son, Frazier Heston.
Charlton Heston was no stranger to the political arena. He was a staunch advocate of civil rights while being known for his conservative views. However it his acting legacy that shines brightly and is ready to entertain countless new viewers via TV reruns or DVDS.
